The Writing Life with Mark Doty

Video permalink: http://youtu.be/370KX3n2q6o

Video courtesy of HoCoPoLitSo  

In this edition of HoCoPoLitSo’s “The Writing Life,” poet Sue Ellen Thompson speaks with poet and memoirist Mark Doty about memory, mackerel, AIDS, Labradors and the challenge of writing about all of those topics. Doty, the author of nine books of poetry and three memoirs, is known for his descriptive power. He reads “A Display of Mackerel,” and discusses how description can lead to revelation. “Poetry can’t solely occupy the position of directness,” Doty explains. “Poetry likes to find oblique ways to approach its material, otherwise it feels incomplete.” Doty also reads his poem “Brilliance,” a new poem, “Pescadero,” and from his memoirs Firebird and Dog Years.

For more Mark Doty, visit http://www.markdoty.org or check out these titles:

   

Brian, Age 7 (by Mark Doty) – video

http://youtu.be/DyIEbhrGsjY

Video courtesy of PoetryEverywherePTV  

Mark Doty reads his poem “Brian, Age 7” as part of the Poetry Everywhere project airing on public television — produced by David Grubin Productions and WGBH Boston, in association with the Poetry Foundation. Filmed at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival.  For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere.

For more Mark Doty, visit http://www.markdoty.org or check out these titles: