Poetry audio online

These are some websites I visit now and then that feature online audio of poets reading their work:

Lyrikline -- (needs RealPlayer) Includes poets from all over the world in a wide range of languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Turkish, Farsi, Breton, Wayuunaiki, Icelandic, Welsh... to name a few. The site also gives the printed text of the poems, a choice of translations into various languages, and short bios of the poets (the bios aren't always translated). The site also has a good page of links. (The website itself can be viewed in a choice of five languages. Click on the language you want to view it in, and that will take you to the main page.)

Another good site features Russian poetry --the site is essentially an online anthology of Russian poems, including the original Russian and English translations, and also online audio (in various formats) of the poets reading their work (or, in the case of pre-20th century and some early 20th century poems, other people reading the poets' work). Especially stunning to me are the couple of recordings of Vladimir Mayakovsky reading his poems, an amazing revelation. The site also has bios of the poets and many links to related material. The site is hosted by the Department of Slavic Languages and Literature at Northwestern University.

The Factory School website has a Digital Audio Archive which features online audio (RealPlayer) of many poets and writers (mostly of the United States, though a few from elsewhere) reading their work. The recordings cover the past century, from early wax cylinder recordings of Walt Whitman and Robert Browning up through the 21st century. Elizabeth Bishop, W. H. Auden, Edward Kamau Brathwaite, Mei Mei Berssenbrugge, Nelson Algren, Bertolt Brecht, William S. Burroughs, Wanda Coleman, H.D., Robert Duncan, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Allen Ginsberg, Myung Mi Kim, Soleida Rios, Louis Zukofsky... and many many more. * The quality of the audio in this site is highly variable -- in some cases not very good at all -- but is sometimes fine. Worth checking out.

And, last but by no means least, miPOradio is actively building an online audio library of wonderful exciting poets reading their work, many of whom are contributors to this blog. Go and listen.

And enjoy --