Rephonic
Artwork for Versecraft
Poetry
Ohio Poetry Association
Philosophy
Modernism
T.S. Eliot
Translation
Suicide
James Merrill
Horses On the Camargue
R.S. Thomas
Catholic Literature
Pathetic Fallacy
University Of St. Thomas
Roy Campbell
Learning the Secrets Of English Verse
Literary Criticism
Romanticism
Richard Crashaw
Apophatic Theology
God

Exploring the art of poetry through the craft of some of the world's best but most underrated poems.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes121Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Arts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Versecraft

Latest Episodes

Read this essay on Substack!

Topics discussed:

-Disco Demolition Night

-Ernest Becker's "The Denial of Death" 

-See Matthew's great episode on the above

-Alice's essay, "On Fear"

-My essay, "The Iron Lyre"

-The Sleerickets episode "This Was Po... more

-Read the poems on my Substack!

-If there is a “West,” all Semites and Aryans are part of it

-Arab Classicism and the House of Wisdom

-Al Ma’arri

-Afzaladdin

-Moses Ibn Ezra

-Sehnsucht

-Ibn Iyad

-Manjik

-Dick Davis

-Samuel Johnson’s “Rassel... more

Read this essay (and view the poems) on Substack!

Topics discussed include:

The Monumentalist Manifesto

The Iron Lyre

Bright Soft Things (Crashaw Essay)

The Penguin Book of Greek and Latin Lyric Verse trans. Christopher Childers

Asclepiades 6 more

Read this episode on Substack!

Text of the poem here.

Mea culpa: Yes, in the heat of the moment, I mispronounced mise en scene. A la guillotine! 

Topics discussed include:

-Some po-biz kvetching

-Morri Creech! 

-The telos of Versecraft

-The "g... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Forester McClatchey
A poet admired for his sonnet writing and deep sensitivity to nature
Carnegie Mellon Press
Episode: "Root Words" by Forester McClatchey
Ryan Wilson
Professor of poetry at the University of St. Thomas and author of several award-winning books including 'How to Think Like a Poet'.
University of St. Thomas
Episode: Hermetic Angelology: An Interview with Ryan Wilson
David Rothman
Author of 'Learning the Secrets of English Verse' and a prominent figure in poetry education
Ohio Poetry Association
Episode: Fitzgerald Strikes Back: Rothman's Rebuttal
Tim Tibbetts
Poet and poetic translator, former student of the host
Episode: On Translation: 5 Ways of Looking at Lope
David Klug
Artist skilled in jewelry, music, and architecture
Episode: Cosmic Architecture feat. David Klug
Frederick Turner
Poet and scholar known for his integration of science and poetry, and for writing epic poetry.
UC Santa Barbara
Episode: "On the Anthropic Principle" by Frederick Turner
Timothy Steele
A significant influence in the realm of metrical prosody and poetry.
Episode: Guardians of Matter: Timothy Steele's "Anima" and the Pathetic Fallacy
Amit Majmudar
Physician, poet, and the first Ohio poet laureate, known for his ambitious literary works that fuse the literary and mythological with scientific themes.
Various, including Ohio Poetry Association
Episode: "Apollinian" by Amit Majmudar
Shane McCrae
A well-known poet and author, acclaimed for his unique style and thematic explorations of personal and societal issues.
Columbia University
Episode: "Eurydice On the Art of Poetry" by Shane McCrae

Host

Elijah Blumov
Host of Versecraft

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 58 ratings
  • Tremendous Podcast

    Books worth of brilliant podcasts. A good mix of poem deep dives, interviews, and reviews of batches of poems. I recommend starting with the episodes on Donald Justice, Richard Wilbur, or Joshua Mehigan.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Matthew Perry 87
    United States2 months ago
  • The Poetry Explication Podcast You Didn’t Know You Needed

    Unique among its podcastical peers, Versecraft is a high quality dive into the guts of poem after poem. The host—the man with the mellow pipes—is a counterrevolutionary and polymath. This provides him with tools for thinking that most poets of his age lack, given the majority are benighted, prosodically ignorant, and proud of the desire to destroy what they refuse to understand. Listen to this podcast for deep dives into poets you thought you knew, as well as to encounter unfamiliar names. This ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Humperdinck Bandersnatch
    United States6 months ago
  • A rock candy mountain of literary and philosophical intelligence.

    Where has Versecraft been all my life? It’s a bit late, at eighty years old, to find one’s home. Not complaining, but I could have used it at thirty.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Chushumpa
    United States2 years ago
  • One more year of this and I am going to like poetry

    Elijah takes us through his uniquely comprehensive intelligence to understand a single poem. It’s a great journey. He’s the course you wish you took in college.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cadillac Bob
    United States2 years ago
  • Refreshing

    While the preface indicates that this is a podcast for poetic dissection, there is much more on offer.

    Versecraft topics run the gambit from homosexuality to feminism to suicide to lust, history, music, abortion, rap, love, and on, and on.. the ground covered is broad and can be bold. It doesn’t just poke at the heart of what humans can really do with language, but what we choose to communicate and how. It presents a poetry which you can interpret, rather than intuit alone.

    In a world that is... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ƒıreƒlæy
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is lauded for its rigorous, thoughtful approach to poetry and its willingness to tackle challenging topics.
Fans appreciate the blend of scholarly insight with engaging storytelling and strong recitations.
Listeners praise the host's deep, nuanced readings and accessible delivery.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Schopenhauer Cocktail Hour, Part 2
Q: How do you view Nietzsche in relation to Schopenhauer?
Nietzsche saw Schopenhauer as a significant philosopher but eventually criticized him for promoting a nihilistic perspective that undervalues life. He acknowledged Schopenhauer's influence while asserting that one should embrace life and suffering, rather than seek escape through denial.
Footnotes to Job: The Versecraft 100th ep AMA!
Q: What is your approach to podcasting?
The host aims for a condensed, information-rich format and utilizes basic editing technology to create polished episodes.
Footnotes to Job: The Versecraft 100th ep AMA!
Q: Is poetry inherently incapable of being persuasive on political issues?
The host believes poetry is better suited for timeless themes and human nature rather than addressing specific political agendas, which can date quickly.
Footnotes to Job: The Versecraft 100th ep AMA!
Q: What's the best thing that's happened to you today?
The host shares a heartwarming account of spending time with family in Austin, describing a delicious meal prepared by his brother.
Footnotes to Job: The Versecraft 100th ep AMA!
Q: Which living poet are you most envious of?
The host discusses multiple poets including Kendrick Lamar and Shane McCrae, citing their original styles and successful integration of ambition and vision in their works.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Versecraft

What is Versecraft about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Versecraft presents rigorous, close-reading analyses of individual poems and poets, weaving historical context, form, and language with thoughtful interpretation. Episodes frequently pair line-by-line dissections with discussions of meter, imagery, and translation, often situating poems within broader philosophical and literary debates. The host balances scholarly depth with accessible recitation and personal reflections, occasionally featuring sponsor notes and calls to support the show. Noteworthy is the blend of classical and modern works, cross-cultural influences, and a readiness to tackle controversial or challenging topics within poetry. This makes it appealing to listeners who want a serious, intellectually curious dive into verse, ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Versecraft?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Versecraft:

1. SLEERICKETS
2. Advice From an Unknown Poet
3. Poetry Unbound
4. The Poetry Space_
5. Close Readings

How many episodes of Versecraft are there?

Versecraft launched 4 years ago and published 121 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Versecraft?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Versecraft?

Recent guests on Versecraft include:

1. Forester McClatchey
2. Ryan Wilson
3. David Rothman
4. Tim Tibbetts
5. David Klug
6. Frederick Turner
7. Timothy Steele
8. Amit Majmudar

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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