We kick off 2026 with a poetry magazine smackdown: American Poetry Review (APR) vs Beloit Poetry Journal (BPJ). We read three random poems from each journal head-to-head to crown a champion—with craft talk, close reads, and a little friendly literary trash talk along the way.

At the Table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

The viral-poem deep dive continues—no coughing required, thanks to remote recording. Katie, Tim, and The Squad read the rest of the lineup and unpack what makes certain poems travel fast: voice, surprise, clarity, heat, and the exact kind of line you can’t help but send to someone. Featuring poems by Taylor Mali, Matthew Olzmann, Joseph Fasano, and Andrea Cohen.

At the table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Dick Westheimer

Joe Barca

Brian O'Sullivan

Fresh off a viral illness (the irony!), Katie, Tim, and The Squad dive into what it means for a poem to “go viral”—and why that metaphor matters. With Brian O’Sullivan, Dick Westheimer, and Joe Barca bringing standout picks, we read and talk craft, shareability, and that lightning-strike feeling when a poem suddenly belongs to everyone. We wrap Part 1 with Alison Luterman’s “Holding Vigil," after looking at "Good Bones" by Maggie Smith.At the table:

Katie Dozier

Timothy Green

Dick Westheimer

Joe Barca

Brian O'Sullivan