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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

2:13

Be True, Bonus Episode: "An Evening with M. Poe"

Be True ·

2025/10/31

To celebrate Halloween, John reads his poem “An Evening with M. Poe,” a dramatic monologue and fictionalized episode in the gory, spooky life of Edgar Allan Poe.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a

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12:49

Be True, Episode 113: We Hold These Truths

Be True ·

2025/10/05

John reads the second half of The Declaration of Independence. He discusses the almost-unbelievable echoes of the American Revolution today, the genius of Thomas Jefferson, and the rights we defend.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry

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10:01

Be True, Episode 112: No Choice But to Trust Our Feet

Be True ·

2025/09/28

John reads his poem “International Relations.” He discusses the virtues of reason, the scholarly method, the religion of humanism, what happens when the old ways fail to match new realities.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His

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8:06

Be True, Episode 111: The City Will Be Following You

Be True ·

2025/09/21

John reads "The City," a poem by C.P. Cavafy. He also discusses the universal immigrant experience, the inescapability of the past, and why we identify with people on the run, if we're honest.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His

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8:11

Be True, Episode 110: The Brawling Laughter of Youth

Be True ·

2025/09/14

John reads “Chicago,” a poem by Carl Sandburg. He also discusses the changing fashions of American literature, and the dangers of cynicism, and celebrates the complicated diversity of American cities.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry

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6:41

Be True, Episode 109: None May Teach It Anything

Be True ·

2025/09/07

John reads "There's a certain slant of light," a poem by Emily Dickinson. He also discusses the joy of experiencing poetry rather than explaining poetry, and (bonus!) does a bad Bob Dylan impression.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry

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13:09

Be True, Episode 108: Restless Wanderers on the Earth

Be True ·

2025/08/31

John reads the poem "Thy Brother's Blood" by Jones Very. He also discusses the poetry of transcendence, voices of outcasts, the tradition of American messiahs, and the future of American weirdness.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry

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9:15

Be True, Episode 107: "Your Strength Meant Nothing,...

Be True ·

2025/08/24

John reads Queen Hecuba's speech of mourning from The Trojan Women, a play by Euripides. He also discusses the fear that drives violence, power's war on children, and why protest is always too late.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry

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6:59

Be True, Episode 106: Found and Lost

Be True ·

2025/08/17

John reads his poem "Salvator Mundi." He also discusses the challenges of faith and authenticity, the world's most expensive painting, the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci, and the mystery of being human.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry

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7:57

Be True, Episode 105: People Trying to Stay Alive

Be True ·

2025/08/10

John reads “Returning, We Hear the Larks,” a poem by Isaac Rosenberg, written during World War I. He also discusses the heroism of immigrants, the challenges of “identity,” and surviving a war zone.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry

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5:53

Be True, Episode 104: The Sounds of the Harlem Night

Be True ·

2025/08/03

John reads two poems by Langston Hughes, "Summer Night" and "Poem for Youth." He also discusses marginalization, the silent invisibility of the powerless, and the human yearning for freedom and joy.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry

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9:42

Be True, Episode 103: How it Started, How it's Going

Be True ·

2025/07/27

John reads a passage from William Blake's poem "America: A Prophecy." He discusses early hopes for the U.S., weird freedoms, our distance from the original ideal, and the return of the Lizard King.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry

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8:26

Be True, Episode 102: Finding What We Need When We...

Be True ·

2025/07/20

John reads his poem "The Yearning Heart is Authentic," from his new chapbook Offering. He also discusses the need for spiritual renewal, the dark energy of the West, Zen monks, and St. Francis.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press

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8:46

Be True, Episode 101: I See So Many…Things Here

Be True ·

2025/07/13

John reads from his first long poem/chapbook I Sit At This Desk and Dream. He also discusses what has changed since he wrote it, including the increasing violence and corruption of social media.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press

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5:09

Be True, Episode 100: An Alternative Energy Appears...

Be True ·

2025/07/06

In this milestone episode, John reads "Tuning," a poem about cultivating new ways to exist in (and perhaps rehabilitate) a damaged society...from a forthcoming collection about peace and renewal.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press

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14:00

Be True, Episode 99: "During the Dread Reign of the...

Be True ·

2025/06/29

In this ghastly episode, John rediscovers and reads Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “The Sphinx,” a Gothic tale of paranoia, privilege, and pandemic. Sound familiar?John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. His poems have appeared in a

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19:21

Be True, Episode 98: Most People are Good People

Be True ·

2025/06/22

John speaks with Claire Thom, founding editor-in-chief of The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press, about creating an international literary community, the power of poems, the importance of giving, and…hope.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press

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13:39

Be True, Episode 97: No Kings

Be True ·

2025/06/13

In a time of unrest, John reads a speech from William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. He also discusses the fatal flaws of tyrants and what Milton, Voltaire, Paine, George Lucas, and the Bible share.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press

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8:41

Be True, Episode 96: Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

Be True ·

2025/06/08

John reads William Shakespeare's Sonnet 129, "Th'expense of spirit in a waste of shame." He also discusses orgasmic poetry, Texas stupidity, Euripides, Dionysus, and a great Norm MacDonald joke.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press

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6:35

Be True, Episode 95: Let’s Give ‘Em Somethin’ To Talk...

Be True ·

2025/06/01

John reads Amy Lowell’s poem “The Weather-Cock Points South.” He also discusses the recent wave of book-banning and repression, the universality of sex, and his pleasure in taunting the censors.John Tessitore has been a journalist, editor, and biographer. He has taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press

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120 results

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