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PODCAST

Be True

In each episode of Be True, a weekly podcast about "the writing I love and the writing I do," John Tessitore reads a work of literature--either his own, or a work by another writer--and discusses its personal, literary, cultural, or historical importance, sometimes in response to the events of the day. John has been a newspaper reporter, a magazine writer, a college lecturer, and a biographer. He has directed national policy studies on education, cultural policy, and civil justice. He is the

arts

All Episodes

7:19

Be True, Episode 74: This Poem is for the Birds

Be True ·

2025/01/06

John reads his poem "Why I Say 'I Love You.'" He also discusses literary inspirations, offers some "pure, sincere, unironic" meditations on love and poetry, and identifies the ultimate poetic coda.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

7:25

Be True, Episode 73: What Do You Believe?

Be True ·

2024/12/30

John reads his poem “We were typical boys” from his chapbook All the Lonely American Roads. He also discusses childhood history lessons, competing worldviews, and our big dilemma in the year ahead. John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books

en

10:10

Be True, Episode 72: Worthy Disciples and the Weary

Be True ·

2024/12/23

John reads his poem “Levi” from his forthcoming chapbook Apocrypha. He also discusses Biblical weirdness, the license to create, the radical potential of forgiveness, and stories that shape culture. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com

en

7:49

Be True, Episode 71: A Poem About Hard Work and Weekends

Be True ·

2024/12/16

John reads his poem “Sunday After Church” from his collection Sometimes I Still Pray. He also discusses “old neighborhood” characters, blues man John Lee Hooker, and what makes a poem a poem. John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

7:57

Be True, Episode 70: Why Isn’t Your Book Funny?

Be True ·

2024/12/09

John reads from his novella Jigsaw Men. He also discusses the falseness of seriousness and the importance of humor in writing about big themes and addressing big issues, like environmental collapse. John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books

en

8:53

Be True, Episode 69: The Prophecies of Harry Partch

Be True ·

2024/12/02

John reads his poem “Mazda Marimba” from his chapbook Parchment: A Prayer Quintet. He also discusses art on the margins; world-changing ambition; and the transient, hobo tradition of American culture.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books

en

10:07

Be True, Episode 68: When Buddha Chooses Resistance

Be True ·

2024/11/25

John reads his poem “Containment.” He discusses the struggle inherent in personal relationships, the danger of (American) attachments, how the personal turns political, and the ethics of bark mulch. John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books

en

14:02

Be True, Episode 67: If We Can Make It There

Be True ·

2024/11/18

John reads his poem “Vagabond Shoes.” He also discusses the New York of Frank Sinatra and Walt Whitman, the big dreams of the American past, and what poems can tell us about the changes to come. John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

8:57

Be True, Episode 66: We’re Finally On Our Own

Be True ·

2024/11/11

John reads a section of his poem “For a minute there, it seemed like something was happening.” He discusses the importance of “useless” poems, the poverty of corporate values, and the Beatitudes. John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

11:37

Be True, Episode 65: What It Means To Be True

Be True ·

2024/11/04

John reads a poem from his chapbook All the Lonely American Roads. He also discusses impractical pursuits (like writing), the trouble with “bias,” and the only way to separate fact from fiction.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

10:10

Be True, Episode 64: The Writer at 50

Be True ·

2024/10/28

John reads a section of his chapbook-length poem Terminal D. He also discusses the practicalities of a creative life, the joys of literary independence, and the never-ending effort to break even.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

10:20

Be True, Episode 63: Ecology and Generosity

Be True ·

2024/10/21

John reads an excerpt from his novella, Jigsaw Men. He also discusses climate change, post-apocalyptic cooperation, and the challenges of writing fiction. John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he

en

6:16

Be True, Episode 62: Love One Another

Be True ·

2024/10/14

John reads his poem “always with us” from his collection The Americans. He also discusses hurricanes, community tragedy, Biblical controversy, and the invisibility of the poor and powerless.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

4:16

Be True, Episode 61: When In Doubt, Go Big

Be True ·

2024/10/07

John reads a section of his chapbook-length poem, Terminal D. He also discusses the relationship between loneliness and quantum mechanics, the mathematics of dread, and the miracle of love.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

7:38

Be True, Episode 60: Vistas of the Mind

Be True ·

2024/09/30

John reads a section of his chapbook-length poem, "Terminal D." He also discusses the human yearning for connection, loneliness and 'monkey-mind,' and the big skies of Vincent Van Gogh.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals

en

8:01

Be True, Episode 59: Now Free With Me

Be True ·

2024/09/23

John reads his poem “Lesson” from his collection The Americans. He also discusses the emancipation of dance, creativity, and sex, and the challenges of finding some peace in a time of egotism. John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

7:08

Be True, Episode 58: Art in a Time of Crisis

Be True ·

2024/09/16

John reads the title poem from his chapbook On Self-Expression After the Revolution. He also discusses the protest implicit in body art, the obstacles to authenticity, and Chinese photography.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

10:21

Be True, Episode 57: So Listen Up ‘Cause You Can’t...

Be True ·

2024/09/09

John answers listener questions about favorite poems, podcasts, the writing process, photography, and phat beats. That’s right. Phat beats. John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and journals. In each episode of Be True, he reads and

en

9:11

Be True, Episode 56: Poetry is B******t

Be True ·

2024/09/02

John reads part of his long poem “Your Father Was Leonard Cohen” from his chapbook Sometimes I Still Pray. He also discusses parent-child relationships, artistic differences, and loving life.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books and

en

6:43

Be True, Episode 55: Get Behind Me

Be True ·

2024/08/26

John reads his poem “I hear boot heels clicking behind me,” from his chapbook The Dark Ways Mysterious. He also discusses the return of the past, local devils, the mythological West, and black hats.John Tessitore has been a journalist and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston and directed national policy studies on education and civil justice. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of books

en

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