next word

Mónica de la Torre reads two pieces from Public Domain, including the long poem "The Crush." This reading was originally given with Bhanu Kapil and Ben Lerner as part of the Next Word in Poetry series. 

As part of the Next Word series, Philip Jenks reads from his first two books and from the chapbook How Many of You Are You? (2006). He opens and closes the reading with two poems that would go on to be collected in colony collapse metaphor (2014). This performance was originally given with Akilah Oliver and Brandon Shimoda.

In her Next Word reading with Brandon Shimoda and Philip Jenks, Akilah Oliver reads from The Putterer's Notebook and A Toast in the House of Friends. Her reading includes a standout performance of the long poem "An Arriving Guard of Angels, Thusly Coming to Greet," an elegy for her son Oluchi McDonald.

At his Next Word reading with Akilah Oliver and Philip Jenks, Brandon Shimoda reads three longer poems. Two of these were unpublished at the time of the reading, including the very recent "Poems for the People."

Bhanu Kapil reads selections from Humanimal: A Project for Future Children, released by Kelsey Street Press the year following Kapil's Next Word reading. This reading was originally given with Mónica de la Torre and Ben Lerner. 

Ben Lerner reads "Mean Free Path," the first and eponymous section from a manuscript that would go on to be published by Copper Canyon Press in 2010. This reading was originally given with Bhanu Kapil and Mónica de la Torre as part of the Next Word in Poetry Series. 

In this panel discussion moderated by Chris Nelson, Akilah Oliver, Philip Jenks, and Brandon Shimoda discuss innovation in poetry.

In this excerpt from the 2004 Next Word panel discussion, Suji Kwock Kim discusses new trends in poetry.

In this excerpt from the 2004 Next Word panel discussion, A. Van Jordan discusses new trends in poetry and the performance of poetry.

For her Next Word appearance with Fred Moten, Rusty Morrison reads from The True Keeps Calm Biding Its Story (2008) and the manuscript of After Urgency (2012). She closes her reading with a new series of poems titled "Necessities" and "Inventions."

Fred Moten reads his sequence "come on, get it!," which would later be collected in The Feel Trio (2014). This performance was given for his Next Word appearance with Rusty Morrison.

Ana Božičević reads work from Stars of the Night Commute (2009) as well as work that would go on to be collected in Rise in the Fall (2013). This reading was given alongside Kazim Ali as part of the Next Word in Poetry series.

Kazim Ali reads work in several genres, including excerpts from Orange Alert, a collection of essays; The Disappearance of Seth, a novel; and Bright Felon, a memoir; as well as published and new poems. He ends by performing a poem, "Queer Ishmael," composed on the spot. This reading was given alongside Ana Bozicevic as part of the Next Word in Poetry series.

Jeffrey Yang reads from An Aquarium (2008), Vanishing-Line (2011), and his translation of Liu Xiaobo's June Fourth Elegies (2012).

Katherine Larson reads pieces from Radial Symmetry (2011) as well as "Of the Unsolved Problem of the Origin of the Angiosperms," a new poem.

Joyelle McSweeney reads primarily from Percussion Grenade (2012) as well as several unpublished pieces. This reading was originally given with Zachary Schomburg.

Zachary Schomburg reads from Fjords (2012) and Scary, No Scary (2009). This reading was originally given with Joyelle McSweeney.

Brenda Shaughnessy reads from Interior with Sudden Joy (1999) and Human Dark with Sugar (2008). This reading was originally given with Gary Copeland Lilley and David Dominguez.

Srikanth Reddy reads from Facts for Visitors (2004) and Voyager (2011). This reading was originally given with Brian Turner and Joshua Marie Wilkinson.

Brian Turner reads from Here, Bullet (2005). This reading was originally given with Srikanth Reddy and Joshua Marie Wilkinson.

Joshua Marie Wilkinson reads from Suspension of a Secret in Abandoned Rooms (2005), Lug Your Careless Body out of the Careful Dusk (2006), and The Book of Whispering in the Projection Booth (2009). This reading was originally given with Brian Turner and Srikanth Reddy.