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In July we had the poet Franz Wright in the studio. His work, wrote Chris at the time, reads
…like one man’s chronicle of spirit — as told by the spirit more than the man. He has said they they often seem nearly to write themselves, in a sort of rapture. Both prayerful and witty, they tell stories of recovery to the point of something like ecstasy.
We’re offering the hour again as we take time off between Christmas and New Year’s. May your bellies be full and your families tolerable.
I’ve listened to this discussion with Franz many times. This time, you aired it, coincidentally, on my birthday. I listened to it twice this morning. Each time, I’ve heard things for the first time or understood something else for the first time. I read Franz, in part, to understand more about writing poetry, but I read him to understand my life. Of course, we read all poetry in the hope of learning about our lives, but Franz talks about the most desperate questions of our lives. For me, they are the questions I’m most alone with. This morning, when I heard him talk about being in Arkansas, going out to see the faces of other people in winter light, I thought — this is the most familiar experience I’ve ever heard anyone talk about. When Fanny Howe talked about his terror in being alive in this universe, I understood something for the first time, even though I’m sure I understood only the tiniest part of that statement. When Chris spoke to Franz about the way he mentions terror over and over in his poems (and Franz didn’t seem to recognize that), I felt so much less lonely in my own terror, grateful that Chris asked the question, and less worried about being crazy for feeling so much terror. Each time I listen to this discussion, I’m amazed to be able to hear this intimate and profound conversation on the radio. I’ve thanked you before, but I thank you again.
Nice post katemcshane. This is one of the shows I hadn’t listened to, but that will change now.
I have not heard Franz Wright’s work before. As someone who lives far outside organized religion, I was amazed and delighted to ‘get’ his transcendent theology without the backlash that usually accompanies ‘religious’ material. Not only did I have no need to argue with him, but I melted into listening as he described my experience, of awe, of consciousness, of terror. Thank you so much for a great radio experience.