{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"","type":"text"}]}]}

To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.


This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Raising poetry to a more visible and influential position in American culture.


Produced in partnership with the Poetry Foundation

The award recognizes an exceptional contribution to American poetry.


Major Jackson wins inaugural Patricia Cannon Willis Prize for American Poetry

Announcements

1326: The Slowdown Live

Today’s episode was recorded live onstage at The Crawford in Pasadena, in partnership with our friends at LAist.


Today’s episode was recorded live onstage at The Crawford in Pasadena, in partnership with our friends at LAist. Listen to hear conversation, poems, and some fun and games with our host Major Jackson and our guests Pádraig ÓTuama, Samiya Bashir, and Jason Schneiderman. The full episode transcript is available on our website at slowdownshow.org. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.com/rjm4synp

The Slowdown

1325: Flame by C.D. Wright

Today’s poem is Flame by C.D. Wright.
Last week, our team attended the 2025 AWP Conference in Los Angeles. AWP is the Association of Writers and Writing Programs — the conference is an annual moment to gather together colleagues across the writer world. This week’s episodes include audio we recorded onsite, bringing together many voices, Slowdown style. 
Today’s poem catalogs the chaos of disaster, forming a portrait of the speaker’s experience, minute observation by minute observation. 
The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.com/rjm4synp

1324 - Why I Write Poetry by Major Jackson

Today’s poem is Why I Write Poetry by Major Jackson. 


Today’s poem is Why I Write Poetry by Major Jackson. In this episode, Major shares an important announcement. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.com/rjm4synp 

The Slowdown

Latest Episode

Recent Episodes

1326: The Slowdown Live

1325: Flame by C.D. Wright

1324: Why I Write Poetry by Major Jackson

Announcements

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Produced in partnership with the Poetry Foundation

Major Jackson wins inaugural Patricia Cannon Willis Prize for American Poetry

Other APM Podcasts

Truth Be Told

Ripple

The Splendid Table

The Slowdown

Latest Episode

Recent Episodes

1326: The Slowdown Live

1325: Flame by C.D. Wright

1324: Why I Write Poetry by Major Jackson

Get a poem handpicked by Major Jackson every weekday. The email includes an abridged version of Major’s introduction.

Announcements

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Produced in partnership with the Poetry Foundation

Major Jackson wins inaugural Patricia Cannon Willis Prize for American Poetry

Other APM Podcasts

Truth Be Told

Ripple

The Splendid Table