Mark Strand, National Poet Laureate, talks about his work

In this edition of HoCoPoLitSo's The Writing Life, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Henry Taylor hosts National Poet Laureate Mark Strand. Their conversation spans Strand's work from his first book, Sleeping with One Eye Open, published in 1964, to his sixth book, The Continuous Life, published in 1990. The two writers talk about matters of form, rhyme, slant rhymes and alliteration that characterize a poem like "Sleeping with One Eye Open". They touch on the "spooky" quality of an early poem like "Keeping Things Whole," and discuss the difference between these early poems and Strand's free verse poems and the return to more traditional structure in his newer work. Mr. Strand reads five of his poems: "Sleeping with One Eye Open"; "Keeping Things Whole"; and "Shooting Whales" from his Selected Poems; "A.M." and "Always" from The Continuous Life. For more information about the live and taped programs produced by HoCoPoLitSo (the Howard County Poetry and Literature Society), visit www.hocopolitso.org

[@molloyxx1]

A great interview thanks in large part to the interviewers skill and deep reading. It is lovely that Strand is such a willing and almost humble participant.

[@ROBYN_ONEIL]

At 8:39 he starts reading KEEPING THINGS WHOLE. XOXOXOXO

[@langkanai]

Absolutely phenomenal conversation. Mr. Taylor moves so well, and ofc Mr. Strand has it all. Thanks, hocopolitso!

[@luizr7400]

I have such a crush on this man

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

“Most people call me PL” How cool is this guy?

[@globalgypsies5302]

Just realized he died in 2o14. How sad. RIP clever, gorgeous man.

[@hocopolitso]

I know. He was just wonderful when he was here, and his reading was just terrific on this program. Thanks for watching, and try another of our shows, maybe W.S. Merwin, or Michael Longley.

[@globalgypsies5302]

He's also fabulous eye-candy.

[@darrendonate30]

I'd cut off my feet to write like Mark Strand

[@marielloyd8594]

"Keeping Things Whole" isn't a bad notion.

[@darrendonate30]

@@marielloyd8594 Ha! I just read this. 2 years later. Made me laugh :)

[@RIP3ooo]

#MarkStrand

[@toddjacksonpoetry]

I'm glad to get another chance to hear Strand rather than reading him. Not that reading him is any sort of burden, of course, but just hearing his work opens up so much. He seemed to have the quality he writes about so often, something inaccessible and unapproachable even when standing right there. It seemed more than just the difference in our stations. Before his work I'm left feeling crude, unsubtle. But this might not be a good century for very much subtlety.
He does make me glad to have become a complete outsider, but he also reminds me of what I've lost out on in that becoming. I suspect he'd appreciate that ambiguity.

[@hocopolitso]

Agreed. He would definitely appreciate the ambiguity, the dance between accessible and ineffable. Well said. Thank you, Todd Jackson Poetry!

[@toddjacksonpoetry]

@@hocopolitso Thank you for your channel!

[@hocopolitso]

@@toddjacksonpoetry A pleasure to spread the great words from great writers!
Thank you for watching!

[@satishpendharkar95]

RIP

[@agenorcavalo6580]

Carlos Drummond de Andrade is the original poet. Mark Strand is an plagiarist. And he knows what i'm saying.

[@thebookdoc.writing.and.editing]

Strand apparently had yet to have a bottle of wine. He is far more charming and engaging than this interview after the cork.