Armen Davoudian is an Iranian-born poet who grew up in Isfahan and currently resides in California. He is the translator of Hopscotch by Fatemeh Shams, a collection of poems by the contemporary Persian dissident poet, published in English and German. Davoudian holds an MFA from Johns Hopkins University and is a PhD candidate in English at Stanford University, where his research focuses on metanoia in Renaissance poetry. His poems and translations appear in Poetry, The Yale Review, The Hopkins Review, and other literary journals. His chapbook, Swan Song, won the Frost Place Competition.

This week we discuss the debut of his newest poetry collection, The Palace of Forty Pillars, that was long-listed for the National Book Critics Circle Award and named a “Best Book of Spring” by the San Francisco Chronicle. Davoudian reads and reflects on several of his poems, including “27 Marjan Street,” “Travel Ban,” and the first sonnet from the book’s titular sequence. The conversation also explores how personal and cultural distances can enrich poetic insight, how form can be both a constraint and a generative force, and what Davoudian is currently working on.

Join us as we have a heartfelt conversation that revolves around his collection of poetry and explore how his experiences of migration, queerness, and cultural duality shape and deepen his creative work.

This is Armen Davoudian Unbound.

Purchase your copy of The Palace of Forty Pillars on amazon or directly from https://tinhouse.com/book/palace-of-forty-pillars/

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Charles is a poet, retired litigator, and visual artist. During a long mid-life illness, he started writing poems and painting — a creative turn that stuck. His poetry has since appeared in a wide range of magazines and journals, including Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Almanac, and his artwork has been exhibited in many shows. His first poetry collection, Blue for Oceans, won the 2011 PEN New England Award for best book of poetry by a New England author.

This week however, we are going to be discussing his newest collection of poetry, Again. In his work he charts a profound journey through love, loss and the complicated grace of survival. These stories traverse his life, from his childhood’s glorious moments, to the raw territories of grief, that spread into how family shapes and also haunt us.These poems range from California beach towns to the New England woodlands, but despite the distance, remind us that even our deepest wounds can reveal moments of startling beauty.

Join us as we have a heartfelt conversation that revolves around his collection of poetry Again and explore what his experiences and the connections between his past and present play in his creative work.

This is Charles Douthat Unbound.

Purchase your copy of Again on amazon or directly from Unbound Edition Press at https://www.unboundedition.com/product/again-charles-douthat-poetry/

For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/

Angie Estes is an American based poet, and professor at Ashland University. Her previous work consists of six poetry collections, most of which were nominated and or won prestigious awards; Awards such as a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Pushcart Prize, and the Cecil Hemley Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America just to name a few.

Angie captivates us with her unique perspective on poetry and the inspiration behind her latest collection, Last Day on Earth in the Eternal City. In this collection, she explores themes such as memory, intimacy, and the timelessness of her work. This week our hosts probe into her creative journey as she challenges us to question the boundaries between past, present, and future, and how they shape our experiences.

Join us as our hosts examine her new collection of poetry, Last Day on Earth in the Eternal City, and explore the role that memory plays in not only her perspective on poetry, but also how it impacts our understanding of the world around us.

This is Angie Estes Unbound.

Purchase your copy of Last Day on Earth in the Eternal City on amazon or directly from Unbound Edition Press at https://www.unboundedition.com/product/last-day-on-earth-in-the-eternal-city-angie-estes-poetry/

For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/