The Wild Iris: A Breaking Form Revisit

That which you call death, the queens remember in this episode that revisits The Wild Iris, Louise Glück's Pulitzer-Prize winning volume from 1992.

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Aaron's STOP LYING is available from the Pitt Poetry Series. And BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE is available from Bridwell Press.

James's ROMANTIC COMEDY is available from Four Way Books.

Show Notes:

While the recording released by the Academy of American Poets of Glück reading from The Wild Iris and other work can be purchased online, you can also hear many of these poems read on SoundCloud here.

Much of our information about Glück's process comes from this interview with the poet Devin Becker, who was also her former student.

Read Richie Hofmann's remembrance here.

Some of the poems from The Wild Iris that we mention (and links to read them) are:

Witchgrass

The Red Poppy

Clear Morning

The Garden

Vespers

Retreating Light

The White Lilies, which you can hear read by Glück here.

We also mention the poem "Purple Bathing Suit" from Meadowlands, the book which follows The Wild Iris.

Louise' Glücks astrological chart is here. (Taurus sun, Leo rising, Scorpio moon.)

Watch interviews with Glück:

1982, for Kalliope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAB-JqABvq8

2004, at Smith College: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw0nlVYZ39A

2012, Academy of Achievement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1rpGy8XRzU

2016, with Peter Streckfus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeoaLNGy_Ms

2020, for NYPL with Colm Tóibín, on writing The Wild Iris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3kQGM_KhHQ