#037 - Why You NEED a Great Poetry Mentor

#043 - What Makes Confessional Poetry Bad?

Stop writing bad confessional poetry! 👉 JOIN OUR FREE POETRY COMMUNITY INSTEAD: https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/signup Why does so much modern confessional poetry fall flat — and how do the greats like Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, and Robert Lowell get it right? In this episode of The Poetry Vessel, Malibu Poet Laureate Emeritus Nathan Hassall sits down with host Rachael Hassall to dissect the history, craft, and common pitfalls of autobiographical poetry and how to fix them. So much of today’s "Instagram poetry" and open mic verse falls into the trap of being self-absorbed instead of creating a real connection. We dive deep into the fascinating history of the original 1950s and 60s confessional poets—like Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton—to look at what they did differently, why they actually rejected the "confessional" label, and how they used powerful metaphors to bring readers into their world. This episode is a masterclass in turning personal pain into poetry that actually reaches people. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED: - The Colossus and Other Poems by Sylvia Plath - https://amzn.to/3REPYbg - The Complete Poems: Anne Sexton - https://amzn.to/3RN6O7O - Breaking into Blossom: Poems with Extraordinary Endings - https://amzn.to/3S4aIJr - Portrait of the Alcoholic by Kaveh Akbar - https://amzn.to/3RN746M - Calling a Wolf a Wolf by Kaveh Akbar - https://amzn.to/43fZSm4 EVERYTHING ELSE: 👉 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathanhassall 🙏 SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThePoetryVessel 📜 SUBMIT YOUR POETRY: https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/submit 🧠 HOW POETRY CHANGES YOUR BRAIN COURSE (LIMITED TIME DISCOUNT): https://www.nathanhassall.com/changeyourbrain 📌 CHAPTERS: 00:00 - What is confessional poetry — and why most of it fails 01:12 - Why your poetry is bad 03:05 - How to avoid abstractions and telling in poetry 04:41 - When did confessional poetry start? 08:53 - Why historical poets rejected the label 12:48 - What are the biggest mistakes in modern poetry? 15:03 - How to identify and fix a fake "poetry voice" 20:06 - When do line breaks and pauses actually work? 22:14 - How identity is asserted through feminist poetry 33:32 - How to transform raw experience into actual art 35:43 - Tip 1: How to turn trauma into vivid imagery 36:32 - Tip 2: Pay Attention to Rhythm 37:13 - Tip 3: When and how to gather honest feedback 38:28 - What it means to treat a poem as an offering 41:56 - "I," "You," "We" — when the speaker isn't actually you PODCAST DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, discussions, and statements expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and are intended to represent their personal opinions and perspectives. Listener discretion is advised. The Poetry Vessel is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information presented and disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance on any information presented in this podcast. FTC DISCLAIMER: Some of the links above may be affiliate links, which means that if you click on them we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The commission is paid by the retailers, at no cost to you, and this helps to support our channel and keep our videos free. Thank you!

#042 - Why Every Poet Should Study Philosophy

Can studying philosophy make you a better poet? In this episode of The Poetry Vessel, host Nathan Hassall sits down with philosopher-poet DeForeest Wright to explore the profound historical and structural relationship between poetry and philosophy. Drawing from the dark academic realms of H.P. Lovecraft and J.R.R. Tolkien, alongside the logical frameworks of Plato, Kant, and Wittgenstein, Deforest breaks down his original framework of Progressive Romanticism—a dialectical synthesis of modernism and postmodernism. The conversation dives into the mechanics of writing metered sonnets, the importance of structural logic in verse, and a deep look at how the incantatory use of language functions as a form of psychological and aesthetic magic. Deforest also shares live readings from his chatbook manuscript, "Lotuses from Leng," demonstrating how traditional forms like the English and Spenserian sonnet can be subverted to craft compelling, modern horror narratives. 👉 JOIN OUR FREE POETRY COMMUNITY: https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/signup CONNECT WITH DEFOREEST AT:https://www.instagram.com/the_sunless_sea_poetry_show/ 🙏 SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThePoetryVessel 📜 SUBMIT YOUR POETRY:https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/submit 🧠 HOW POETRY CHANGES YOUR BRAIN COURSE (LIMITED TIME DISCOUNT):https://www.nathanhassall.com/changeyourbrain EVERYTHING ELSE: 👉 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathanhassall 📌 CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Why Great Poets Must Be Profound Philosophers 01:12 - What Ancient Greece Can Teach Us About the Meaning of Poetry 03:25 - What is the Classical Philosophical Defense of Poetry?06:49 - What is Progressive Romanticism in Art and Literature?12:51 — Behind DeForeest's Book: Lotuses from Leng 16:32 — The Anatomy of a Sonnet: Quatrains, Couplets, and the Volta 21:10 — Poem Reading: "The Thinning Veil" 23:27 — Kantian Aesthetics: Phenomena, Numina, and the Sublime 26:03 — Secondary Worlds and Tolkien's Concept of Fantasy 33:55 - How Reading Historical Philosophy Improves Your Originality 42:00 - How to Apply Pathos, Ethos, and Logos to Creative Writing 48:08 — Poem Reading: "Pre-Established Harmony" (Leibniz & Azathoth) 59:25 — The Sublime vs. The Beautiful 1:04:00 - Why Meter and Rhythm Matter in Contemporary Poetry 1:19:04 — The Gothic Backstory: Byron, Polidori, and the Year Without a Summer 1:27:36 — Rhetoric as Enchantment: How Words Act on the Psyche PODCAST DISCLAIMER :The views, opinions, discussions, and statements expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and are intended to represent their personal opinions and perspectives. Listener discretion is advised. The Poetry Vessel is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information presented and disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance on any information presented in this podcast. FTC DISCLAIMER: Some of the links above may be affiliate links, which means that if you click on them we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The commission is paid by the retailers, at no cost to you, and this helps to support our channel and keep our videos free. Thank you!

#041 - We React to YOUR Poetry

It’s time to react to YOUR poetry.In this episode, we give our honest reaction to our audience-submitted poetry, starting with our Pulitzer-Prize nominated featured poet, followed by 4 “Mystery Box Poets.” So grab a cup of tea and settle in to this poetry reading and discussion of the surreal, the mystical, and everything in between here at The Poetry Vesesl with Malibu Poet Laureate Nathan Hassall, and his wife and business partner, Rachael. 👉 JOIN OUR FREE POETRY COMMUNITY: https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/signup📜 SUBMIT YOUR POETRY FOR CONSIDERATION:https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/submit⭐FEATURED POET: ROSS TALARICO⭐ Talarico is the winner of The Mina Shaughnessy Prize, The Lillian Fairchild Award, Designated Langston Hughes Poet/Scholar, and Pulitzer Prize NomineeBUY HIS BOOK, THE RECKONING, HERE:https://amzn.to/4a6QZ1V—🔍 MYSTERY BOX POETS— CLINT FRAKESFrakes is a poet, writer and naturalist living in Sedona, AZ. His poetry and prose has appeared in over 100 publications. He was named one of the 50 Best New Poets of 2008 by American Poet Laureate, Mark Strand, and received the Josephine Darner Prize, the James Vaughan Prize, The Pudding House Chapbook Prize, and the Peggy Ferris Prize. He is a graduate of the Jack Kerouac School at Naropa, Northern Arizona University writing program, and received his PhD from the University of Hawaii. He is the former Chief Editor of The Hawaii Review and Big Rain.LUKE HANKINSHankins is the author of several poetry collections, including MAGNITUDE: New & Selected Short Poems (Texas Review Press, forthcoming 2027). He is also the author of a book of essays, The Work of Creation, and a volume of translations from the French of Stella Vinitchi Radulescu, A Cry in the Snow. The founder and editor of Orison Books, a non-profit literary press focused on the life of the spirit from a broad and inclusive range of perspectives, Hankins lives in Asheville, NC.DARRELL LINDSEYLindsey is a Pushcart Prize and Rhysling Award-nominated poet from Nacogdoches, the oldest town in Texas, and author of three poetry collections, the most recent being Spectrum ( Cyberwit.net, 2020). His work has appeared in more than 85 journals, magazines, and anthologies. His short-form poetry has garnered numerous international honors.RAKHIM POWERS Powers is a young Black queer writer based in New York. His work explores identity, mental health, intimacy, masculinity, and survival through lyric, conversational, and hybrid forms. His poems have appeared in The Voyager, Prairie Margins, and Wingless Dreamer. He is also a musician and audio engineering student, and his creative practice moves fluidly between sound, language, and performance. His work centers lived experience, cultural memory, and the labor of becoming.EVERYTHING ELSE: 👉 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathanhassall📌 CHAPTERS:PODCAST DISCLAIMER:The views, opinions, discussions, and statements expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and are intended to represent their personal opinions and perspectives. Listener discretion is advised. The Poetry Vessel is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information presented and disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance on any information presented in this podcast.FTC DISCLAIMER:Some of the links above may be affiliate links, which means that if you click on them we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The commission is paid by the retailers, at no cost to you, and this helps to support our channel and keep our videos free. Thank you!

#040 - When Poems Become Spells: Shadow Work & Ritual Magic with Lisa Marie Basile

What if poetry is spell-work? In this episode, Lisa Marie Basile — author of The Magical Writing Grimoire and Saint of — reveals how automatic writing, shadow work, and ritual practice can unlock deeper creativity and transform personal darkness into resonant art.Nathan and Lisa explore the alchemical intersection of poetry, the occult, and intentionality: from bibliomancy and Italian folk magic to the Jungian "black light" of the subconscious. Basile's maximalist, baroque approach to verse treats language itself as magic — a threshold between the conscious mind and the mysterious, liminal forces that drive powerful writing.Whether you're a poet, a spiritual seeker, or a writer looking for new creative techniques, this conversation will change how you write poetry. 👉 JOIN OUR FREE POETRY COMMUNITY: https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/signup🦋 MORE ABOUT LISA MARIE BASILE:Her website: https://www.lisamariebasile.com/ Luna Luna Magazine: https://www.lunalunamagazine.com/Her book, Saint Of: https://amzn.to/4wnXFm1 (also available on her website)All books: https://www.lisamariebasile.com/saint-of MORE POETRY VESSEL:🙏 JOIN OUR PATREON:https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThePoetryVessel📜 SUBMIT YOUR POETRY:https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/submit🧠 HOW POETRY CHANGES YOUR BRAIN COURSE (LIMITED TIME DISCOUNT):https://www.nathanhassall.com/changeyourbrain👉 EVERYTHING ELSE:https://linktr.ee/nathanhassall📌 CHAPTERS:0:00:00 - Introduction: Drenching Poetry in Magic0:01:20 - Lisa Marie Basile: From Fiction to Poetry0:04:30 - Maximalism and Baroque Style in Modern Poetry0:07:30 - Influences: Anaïs Nin and Latin American Poetry0:09:50 - The Threshold: Spiritual Petitions in Verse0:12:40 - Poetry Reading: "Saint of Tenebrous Things"0:15:30 - Shadow Work: Using Darkness as Creative Fuel0:17:15 - Tarot and the Tower Archetype in Creative Writing0:19:40 - How to Practice Bibliomancy for Creative Inspiration0:24:20 - Language as Magic: Writing for Higher Consciousness0:30:50 - The Ritual of Reading Poetry Aloud0:33:15 - Poetry Reading: "Saint of Ecstasy"0:40:40 - Building a Poetry Collection: World-Making on the Page0:45:50 - Italian Folk Magic and Ancestral Traditions in Writing0:58:15 - Poetry Reading: "Saint of Reconstruction"1:03:00 - How to Write Occult and Esoteric Poetry1:12:30 - Creativity as an Act of DevotionPODCAST DISCLAIMER:The views, opinions, discussions, and statements expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and are intended to represent their personal opinions and perspectives. Listener discretion is advised. The Poetry Vessel is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information presented and disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance on any information presented in this podcast.FTC DISCLAIMER:Some of the links above may be affiliate links, which means that if you click on them we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The commission is paid by the retailers, at no cost to you, and this helps to support our channel and keep our videos free. Thank you!

#039 - The One Editing Mistake Poets Keep Making

Struggling with poetry editing? 👉 JOIN OUR FREE POETRY COMMUNITY: https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/signup In this episode of The Poetry Vessel, Malibu Poet Laureate Nathan Hassall and his wife, Rachael, walk through the full process of editing poetry — from developing poetic discernment to knowing when a poem is truly done.You'll get actionable poetry writing tips for every stage of revision: how to "kill your darlings," use concrete language over abstraction, apply the "fresh eyes" technique to catch subtle errors, and decide when to work with a poetry editor. Whether you're writing poetry for the first time, deepening your creative writing practice, or preparing to self-publish a poetry collection, this episode delivers both the technical and intuitive tools to transform a raw draft into a powerful, concise final piece. MORE POETRY VESSEL: 🙏 JOIN OUR PATREON:https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThePoetryVessel 📜 SUBMIT YOUR POETRY:https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/submit 🧠 HOW POETRY CHANGES YOUR BRAIN COURSE (LIMITED TIME DISCOUNT):https://www.nathanhassall.com/changeyourbrain 👉 EVERYTHING ELSE:https://linktr.ee/nathanhassall 📌 CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Intro: The Art of Poetry Editing & Poetic Discernment 1:11 – Common Poetry Editing Mistakes to Avoid 2:04 – How to Motivate Yourself to Write and Edit Poetry 3:12 – The "Fresh Eyes" Technique for Better Poetry Editing 4:34 – When Is a Poem Truly Finished? 6:19 – Self-Editing Tips Every Poet Needs to Know 7:11 – Critical Questions to Ask Your Own Work 8:14 – Working with a Poetry Editor: What to Expect 11:53 – When Edits Weaken a Poem: Protecting Your Original Voice 14:35 – Kill Your Darlings: Letting Go of Beloved Images in Poetry 20:17 – Self-Publishing a Poetry Collection: Advice for First-Time Poets 26:15 – The #1 Poetry Writing Tip: Mastering Conciseness PODCAST DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, discussions, and statements expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and are intended to represent their personal opinions and perspectives. Listener discretion is advised. The Poetry Vessel is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information presented and disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance on any information presented in this podcast. FTC DISCLAIMER:Some of the links above may be affiliate links, which means that if you click on them we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The commission is paid by the retailers, at no cost to you, and this helps to support our channel and keep our videos free. Thank you!