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An episode from 4/6/22: Another two-part episode. In the first, we hear from Toni Morrison about the use of anger in writing novels; from the poet Richard Wilbur on the suicide of fellow-poet John Berryman, and the perils of having few interests outside of poetry. Other remarks from Berryman himself, and T. S. Eliot, touch on the general perils of the creative life.

In the second part (starting around 24:17), I read from Walt Whitman\u2019s earliest critics. While there\u2019s a great deal of what we\u2019d expect\u2014denunciation and even mockery\u2014it\u2019s surprising to hear how much begrudging praise there is, as well. The full text of these and many other contemporary reviews of Leaves of Grass can be found in Gary Schmidgall\u2019s \u2060Selected Poems of Walt Whitman\u2060.

Don\u2019t forget to support Human Voices Wake Us\xa0on Substack, where you can also get our newsletter and other extras. You can also support the podcast by ordering any of my books:\xa0Notes from the Grid,\xa0To the House of the Sun,\xa0The Lonely Young & the Lonely Old, and\xa0Bone Antler Stone.

Any comments, or suggestions for readings I should make in later episodes, can be emailed to\xa0humanvoiceswakeus1@gmail.com.