Poetry is primarily considered one of the most prestigious and beautiful art forms in the world.
Poetry is a gateway into artists’ personal experiences across the world and is one of the most uninhibited expressions of the human experience out there.
And as if poems weren’t beautiful enough already, they sound even better when read out by those who have written them or those passionate about them.
As such, poetry podcasts are an excellent way for you to hear some of the best poems in the world right from the people who love them.
However, there are a lot of poetry podcasts across the internet, each proclaiming to have the best poetry there is.
Which are the eight best poetry podcasts? But which of these shows stands out? Join me to take a closer look.
Table of Contents
Lunar Poetry Podcasts
This podcast series highlights some of the best and most underrated poets of our times by allowing them onto the show to read their poems directly.
This is probably the best way to experience any poem, as the author’s authentic voice can add an extra level of humanity and charm to make them all the more impactful and beautiful.
Peter deGraft Johnson leads the charge with the show and graciously welcomes each guest to read out their poetry and have ample time to shine.
After the poems have been read aloud, the conversation then analyzes just what the poem is getting at and just how it has been constructed.
They also discuss what inspired their poems, which helps you gain further insight into the creative sense, and how some of your favorite poets achieve excellent results.
The show also then turns to talk about the writing process and how you can utilize it to your advantage to create immense poems of your own.
The hosts go through various techniques for writing a good poem and how to find inspiration.
If you’re looking to improve your craft, this is one of the best poetry podcasts for you to listen to.
And whether you make poems or are simply interested in them, this is a podcast that you cannot afford to miss out on.
Listen on Spotify
The New Yorker Poetry Podcast
If your poem gets chosen to be represented by The New Yorker, you know that you have created something exceptional.
The New Yorker is the world’s premier culture and arts magazine with countless well-trusted writers who attract legions of loyal fans.
The magazine very often prints poetry within its pages as part of this.
However, as I’ve said before, one of the best ways to enjoy a good poem is to hear it read out loud. This is what the New Yorker Poetry Podcast was designed for.
If you want to hear some of the world’s biggest and most trusted names reading some of the best poems in the world, you cannot do better than this show.
From Margaret Atwood to Lia Purpura, this show is never lacking for exciting guests to take on the responsibility of reading the fantastic poems on display.
I have found myself constantly amazed by the sheer number of guest readers the show has had and how prestigious they are.
I highly recommend this podcast to anyone looking to learn more about poetry or to get inspiration from some of the greatest voices in the world.
Listen on newyorker.com
Faber Poetry Podcast
Faber is one of the world’s most popular and most highly celebrated independent publishers. The publisher is based out of London but publishes works from authors and poets all around the globe.
The publisher seeks to celebrate independent and marginalized voices that may not otherwise have a platform. This action is how they have managed to garner such massive acclaim.
To help them to celebrate the world of independent writers and artists, Faber has also set up a poetry podcast that draws in countless listeners to every single episode.
This podcast features a wide range of different poets from around the globe and allows them to showcase their work to a global audience.
It also gives them the chance to talk about their craft and share insights into their lives and careers.
This show may not be as frequent as some other podcast series, but its twice-monthly episodes are packed full of some of the best content you could ever ask for.
This podcast isn’t just reserved for those with intense knowledge of poetry; the show aims to be accessible and a perfect platform for those new to verse poetry to get up to speed with it.
This makes it a very easy show for me to recommend!
There are many great shows available on the podcast market today, but there isn’t anything else like this.
So if you’re looking for a podcast that will give you an insight into the world of poetry, then look no further than this.
Listen on AudioBoom
Scottish Poetry Library Podcast
The Scottish Poetry Library is a public library based in Edinburgh specializing in housing some of the best contemporary poetry worldwide.
The library was first founded in 1984, and since then, it has made a concerted effort to preserve poetry as an art form and show off some of the best new poetry from across the world.
The library’s dedicated podcast show helps to further promote the best and most underrated poets by inviting them onto their show to discuss the poems they have created and how they went about making them.
This can be perfect for facilitating a much greater appreciation of their work and help you understand just how much effort and passion went into their craft.
The show is also beautifully produced and hosted, thanks to its passionate team of poetry lovers who make for great hosts and can easily make conversation with the many guests they invite.
I love listening to this podcast because it’s always interesting to hear what these fantastic poets do to help to spark their creativity.
Listen on Scottish Poetry Library
The Poetry Magazine Podcast
The Poetry Magazine is a beautiful publication published by the Poetry Foundation, based in Chicago.
The magazine has long celebrated the best poems worldwide from some of the best poets.
The publication has been making waves in the poetry world since it was first printed and continues to do so to this very day.
And it’s not just the printed word that this fantastic magazine has helped bring poetry to.
The Poetry Magazine also hosts its own incredible podcast, which features poets at their absolute best, and has them reading their poetry to the listener, as it should be!
This makes the show very easy for me to recommend, as it truly brings out the best in the art form.
The author is allowed an ample platform to shine and allow their work to be shown off to listeners who tune in from around the world.
And when the poetry readings are all finished, the conversation naturally turns to how the author came up with their work and the creative processes they utilized to achieve their results.
If you are someone who also dabbles in creating poetry, then you would benefit from this show.
Hearing how some of the masters of the form have created their work is sure to light a creative fire of inspiration deep inside of you.
Listen on Spotify
Commonplace: Conversations With Poets (And Other People)
This is easily one of the most chilled-out and interesting podcasts on this list. This series isn’t just focused on the work of poets but also on the lives of poets themselves.
Thus, the series will give you a much greater insight into some of the world’s best creative voices, which will help you to appreciate further the work that they have created.
The conversations between the host and their guests are often quite fascinating.
They cover topics such as the poet’s childhood, their experiences growing up, their influences and inspirations, and how they’ve managed to create their work.
The show also touches on some of the more minor details, such as fears, political affiliations, and spiritual practices, to create a more precise portrait of the author.
As a result of the more analytical nature of the show, there is a lot that budding poets can learn about how to improve their poetry.
And don’t worry, it’s not all hard facts and analysis, as the show boasts a very casual format which allows the guests to relax and be natural!
Listen on Commonplace
Interesting People Reading Poetry
The mission statement of this show is immediately evident, and it makes a concerted effort to bring on the most exciting guests to read fascinating and beautiful poetry from some of the most accomplished authors across the globe.
And this show succeeds with flying colors. Each episode is dedicated to hosting a new guest with their interesting history and career and having them read some of the best-acclaimed poetry across the world.
To sweeten the deal, the guests choose the poems as personal favorites.
Thus, the guests read the poems with a great sense of passion, and you can learn a lot about them based on the contents of the poem.
And as if interesting guests reading the best poetry was not good enough, the show is also immaculately produced, with a rich audio texture that makes it a joy to listen to.
The show uses ambient music and drone music to create a relaxing sense of space, which helps to clear your mind and allow it to focus directly on the poem being read.
This can help you gain a much deeper appreciation for the poetry than you may achieve otherwise.
This show is easily one of the best-produced series on the list and makes for a perfect starting point for anyone new to the world of poetry.
It features fantastic poems read by genuinely fascinating people, all with a delightfully minimalist ambient soundtrack that helps to draw your focus onto the poetry.
Listen on Interesting People Reading Poetry
Poem A Day
Sure, a poem a day may not be enough to keep the doctor away, but it is more than enough to help to improve your mental health and to give you a rich appreciation for life.
This podcast, made up of concise daily episodes, is dedicated to bringing the best and yet-unpublished poems directly to you every single morning so that you can start your day with a little bit of literary inspiration to get you going.
This podcast pairs perfectly with your morning breakfast and will quickly get you feeling energized before you start your day.
The poems shown off on the show are carefully hand-picked by a team of experts who have a keen eye for the best poetry worldwide.
The episodes may be incredibly short, but this allows you to sit and digest each poem as it plays, and this time in which you are allowed to digest them helps you to much better appreciate some of their more beautiful aspects.
I could wax lyrical about this effortlessly simple series all day, how its short format makes it perfect for something to tune into every day, or how it champions unknown poets and poems to create an excellent showcase of the art form’s future.
However, I’ll leave it here and leave it to you to experience its wonder for yourself!
Listen on Spotify
