MPR has had a keen ear for capturing the words and meter of poetry. Minnesota is home to many nationally renowned poets, city and state poet laureates, spoken word artists, and individuals young and old that have simply created work for the sake of the form. The state is also a magnet for poets all throughout the world. Here is a wonderful breadth of those readings, speeches, thoughts, and histories of the poet.
March 3, 1976 - MPR special coverage of speech and reading by Minneosta poet Robert Bly at Lakewood Community College in White Bear Lake.
March 10, 1976 - An MPR New Feature where poet Robert Bly talks about reading poetry, and about how he doesn't consider himself a Minnesotan poet, and that he rejects the idea of "regional poetry." The feature also includes Bly reading, and a few fans of Bly speaking about the importance of his work.
March 10, 1976 - Audio excerpt of Minnesota poet Robert Bly performing a reading.
March 14, 1976 - An interview with Richard Lyons, poet and professor of English at North Dakota State University, about his recent work of poetry and photography which offers a unique view of North Dakota.
March 22, 1976 - A reading of poem from quarterly poetry magazine Moons and Lions Tailes.
March 25, 1976 - Audio excerpt providing an introduction to the Beat poetry scene, an American style of poetry.
April 4, 1976 - Claudia Hampston talks with artist Bela Petheo about his paintings in and on Duluth.
May 6, 1976 - Highlights from the 7th Annual Writers Conference at the University of North Dakota. Participants include Truman Capote, Tom Wolfe, B. J. Phillips (from Ms. Magazine), North Dakota poet Larry Woiwode and others.
June 2, 1976 - Two poems read by David R. Solheim, North Dakota's Poet in the Schools.
January 1, 1977 - A Home for the Weekend program of poetry and music with Nancy and Joe Paddock, writers and poets from Minnesota.