Poetry Off the Shelf

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

My Faith in Faith

Sanam Sheriff on pronouns, looking proper, and making an American decision. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our coll

Oct 8
43 min

The Life Underneath

Ada Limón on rejection, moving forward, and what the trees have seen. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection

Sep 22
49 min

A Little Angry at God

Marcus Wicker on hip hop, aliens, and real estate. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of persona

Sep 8
1 h 04 min

Tempting Fate

Emily Skaja on cemeteries, pregnancy, and gardening the future. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and u

Aug 25
52 min

On My Way to God

Fanny Howe (rerun) on the sky, visions, and the beam that killed the landlord, plus an excerpt from her posthumous collection. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company.

Aug 11
33 min

Until the Last Second

Maya C. Popa on the monkey at the pet store, beauty, and waking up to the world as it is. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information

Jul 28
52 min

My Old Self

Laura Kolbe on hormones, sainthood, and the trouble with change. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and

Jul 14
1 h 11 min

We Hold These Truths

America at 250. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jul 1
45 min

An Act of Mercy

Serena Chopra on prairie grass, manic rage, and the memories in her ears. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec

Jun 16
49 min

Don’t Make Any Noise

J Brooke on testosterone, incinerators, and the mobster at home. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and

Jun 2
46 min

The Act of Touching

Chris Crowder on muscles, privacy, and being Captain Safety. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use

May 19
40 min

Hereafter Parties

Arielle Hebert on Florida, driving with the windows down, and tallying up the dead. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about

Apr 28
55 min

A Handful of Dust

Iain McGilchrist on Rip Van Winkle, the poet's brain, and the real word for sunshine. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abou

Apr 14
49 min

The Wrong Details

D.S. Waldman on the left hand, losing his brother, and introducing the most wounded part. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information

Mar 31
57 min

The Character in the Corner

Sony Ton-Aimé on radical joy, pig blood, and the ancestors we forgot. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection

Mar 17
53 min

Those Bodies We Borrowed

Monica Ferrell on robot apples, Playboy bunnies, and botox vs. crow's feet. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our coll

Mar 3
58 min

What It Takes to Be a Man

James Ciano on sports, masculinity, and the desperation to belong. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection an

Feb 17
56 min

How to Survive on an Island

Stephanie Niu on being lost at sea, crab bridges, and finding the heart of the world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abou

Feb 3
48 min

The Multiverse of Me

Diamond Forde on poison, fan fiction, and writing the Great American Vampire Novel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about

Jan 20
43 min

Poets We Lost in 2025

Remembering Ellen Bryant Voigt, plus a few words on mortality by Andrea Gibson. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our

Dec 30 2025
36 min

Chart trend

Position in the Books chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#100#198JulAugSepOct

#53

all-time peak

209

days in the top 100 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Poetry Off the Shelf ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 12, 2026).

#89 ▼ 1 Books US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

There are so many poetry podcasts out there, but this one stands out — in a way that's enjoyable for both writers and non-writers — because of the depth and specificity of the questions asked. These are questions that go beyond craft, into a person's mind, history, and humanity. Some questions are surprisingly direct and personal, which another interviewer might be afraid to ask, and they consistently take the conversation to new places that other podcasts don't reach. You can tell the guests appreciate it. So even if you've heard every other interview with a writer you love, this one will not be duplicative. Every episode is good. And for writers, it will enrich your craft. It's almost as if this podcast goes upstream from craft, to the things that made the writer need to write about their subjects in the form that they chose. Get into it!

C.D.R. Poet · Jun 2025

What a beautiful podcast! Whenever I need to breathe, to remember that softness and depth still exist in the world, I find my way back to de Groot and her special guests!!

Sarwa A · May 2025

I experience a moment of joy every time a new episode arrives. Thank you for your consistently interesting and enriching interviews.

1jdc[] · May 2025

This podcast has been healing broken parts of my soul every time I listen to one of the episodes on my way to college the past three years! The host’s voice and the great stories of the guests are very therapeutic to me, and as a poet myself, I wish to be a guest of the podcast one day.

jdngo123 · Nov 2024

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.