Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio and YouTube

We dedicate this rebroadcast to the loving memory of British poet and spoken word artist Geneviève F. Ray (1987–2026).

This conversation is one of the brightest moments ever captured on Quintessential Poetry. Recorded on a Saturday morning across continents (January 23, 2023), this interview reveals Genevieve at her most luminous—honest, funny, vulnerable, brilliant, and fully herself.

In this episode, Genevieve speaks about

• poetry as a living companion
• neurodiversity and self‑understanding
• ancestry, identity, and belonging
• mental health and survival
• her one‑woman show Free Roaming Adult Woman
• the courage it takes to tell the truth

Her voice—her laughter, her pauses, her fire—remains a gift. This interview stands as a portrait of who she was when the world wasn’t watching, only listening.

About Genevieve Ray: Genevieve was a poet, performer, educator, and community builder whose work uplifted countless voices. Her debut poetry collection, Free Roaming Adult Woman, is still moving readers around the world.

May her words continue to rise. May her fire continue to guide.

00:00 Welcome to Quintessential Poetry + Meet Genevieve Ray

01:55 What Is Poetry? Genevieve’s Definition & Why It’s Human Nature

03:49 Finding Her Voice: Pandemic, Identity, Neurodiversity & Advocacy

08:44 Why Poetry Matters: Access, Flexibility & Community Conversations

10:38 Why ‘Genevieve Firepoint’? The Phoenix Metaphor & Creative Rebirth

13:56 Performance: “Free Roaming Adult Woman” (and the Encore)

18:35 Literary Roots & Early Power of Poetic Language (William Blake)

23:43 Reading Together: William Blake’s “The Tyger” + Craft Talk

26:19 Guard Down or Wall Up? Persona, Truth, and the Poet’s Self

28:39 Performance: “For Eulogies” + Does Writing Poetry Hurt?

35:53 Themes & Mission: Love, Protest, Teaching, and Empowering Others

38:37 Performance: “Doubt” + Process—How Poems Start, End, and Get Edited

44:20 Performance: “The Muse Will Not Lift” + Influences & Theater Voice

50:10 Writing for Connection: Making Language Accessible

52:55 From Page to Stage: What Spoken Word Means

54:45 The Poet’s Role Today: Emotional Journalism & Ancestry

57:22 Can Poetry Be About Anything? From Rocks to Stamps

01:07:38 Mentorship & Finding Your Voice: “Collect the Gems, Build the Crown”

01:14:21 Mini Poetry Concert: “Trance (Six Minutes)” & Ophelia Reimagined

01:18:43 Destiny, Surprise, and What Poetry Gives Back

01:24:25 What’s Next Creatively: Travel, Collaborations, One-Woman Show

01:26:15 Poetry UK Behind the Scenes: Building Community on Facebook

01:29:33 Where to Follow Genevieve + Final Farewell

This episode of the Quintessential Poetry podcast, aired December 24, 2025, chronicles Jacqueline James’ ongoing artistic evolution through new poems, fresh insights, and expanded dialogue. Author of 19 books, Jacqueline reflects on her creative journey in excerpts from our 2024 interview, now fully remastered and re-edited for new audiences.

Selected as a Staff Favorite by the New York Podcast Association, this episode showcases Jacqueline’s extraordinary journey—from raising five children to writing seventeen books in a single year. Her warmth, wisdom, and poetic brilliance make this 2025 release one of the most powerful installments in the Timeless Classics series.

What You’ll Discover in This Updated 2025 Edition:

• Literary Brilliance — new poems and expanded reflections that showcase Jacqueline’s mastery of language, rhythm, and storytelling.

• Artistic Expression — how she transforms lived experience into art, blending humor, faith, and emotional truth with a signature poetic voice.

• Wellness & Healing — her groundbreaking use of poetry to support seniors with dementia, nurture children’s literacy, and promote emotional resilience.

• Spiritual Insight — the faith journey behind her poems, including how divine inspiration shaped her creative rebirth and her mission to uplift others.

• The Radiance of Black Womanhood — Jacqueline’s extraordinary evolution from dormancy to prolific creation, embodying the power, grace, and brilliance of a Black woman’s journey.

More About Jacqueline James:

Jacqueline is a multidimensional artist whose work spans spiritual poetry, children’s literature, social justice verse, and educational storytelling. She brings poetry into senior residential communities, where her words become a form of cognitive care—helping elders stay connected, engaged, and emotionally grounded. Through her work with the YMCA, she nurtures young voices and builds early literacy with compassion and creativity. She also crafts personalized keepsake poems for families navigating grief, transforming memory into something sacred and enduring. Jacqueline’s poetry doesn’t simply move listeners. It restores, uplifts, and reshapes the way we understand healing, community, and the power of a Black woman’s voice.

Blog Post

https://www.quintessentialpoetry.com/blog/a-journey-through-poetry-the-inspirational-world-of-jacqueline-james/

📖 BONUS MATERIAL:

This 2025 release includes poems recorded exclusively for the Timeless Classics limited series. Download the PDF collection here: https://pdflink.to/a930e69d/

About Quintessential Poetry

Quintessential Poetry is an award-nominated global podcast featuring more than 500 poets across 475+ episodes, reaching 350,000+ listeners worldwide. Created and hosted by four‑time Pushcart Prize nominee Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, the podcast celebrates diverse voices in contemporary poetry and spoken word, offering a space where creativity, culture, and community flourish.

Connect With Us

Website: www.quintessentialpoetry.network

Facebook: Quintessential Poetry Network

Instagram: @quintessentialpoetry

🎷EPISODE 2: MIKE JURKOVIC Poetry That Swings, Sings, and Refuses to Sit Still

This episode is the second installment of Timeless Classics, a series that has been painstakingly put together to bring you the most memorable discussions from the Quintessential Poetry podcast archives. This episode revisits Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram's interview with celebrated poet, author, spoken word artist, and music critic Mike Jurkovic.

Mike is the host of an acclaimed jazz radio show, as well as the Ulster County Poet Laureate for 2025. As a poet, Mike's work is a wonderful blend of humor, wisdom, and folksy charm. The vivid imagery and surrealist style that characterize his poetry have brought him widespread renown. His understanding of rhythm's importance is another defining feature of his jazzy, melodic, lyrical poetry. Rhythm is an inherent part of Mike's poetry.

BACKGROUND

Mike is originally from the South Bronx and has lived in Ulster County, New York, for over 30 years. He is the president and co-founder of Calling All Poets, a prominent poetry organization in the Hudson Valley that has been fostering poetic expression for 26 years. His widely read poetry collections and acclaimed poetry readings often explore themes of everyday life, absurdity, and human connection, making them relatable and impactful.

THE CONVERSATION

This conversation, originally recorded live on May 13, 2024, explored the deep connections between jazz improvisation and poetic rhythm, how music and poetry inform each other, and the art of making complex ideas feel accessible and inviting after being edited and remastered for rebroadcast. From getting nauseous listening to Bob Dylan at 14 to becoming a poet who puts a backbeat in every line—this is Mike's journey. "This conversation has rhythm. It has laughter. It has depth."

📖 BONUS:

Podcast includes six poems from Mike Jurkovic exclusively for Timeless Classics (in order): The Whereabouts of Heaven, Your North Star Still stirs (Sojourner Truth), Mama's Meatballs (off Jerome Avenue), Charming Ineptness You’ve Taken to Heart, Only Here and Saltwater Taffy with Nick Bisanz.

WHEN

Catch the episode on Monday, December 22, 2025, at 8:00 PM (EST) by visiting the Quintessential Poetry website at https://rss.com/podcasts/quintessential-poetry/2393065.

OR

Visit this link on YouTube to listen to the episode: https://youtu.be/o2Swis9mWRQ?si=hRKd17ksu2EwEGsd

About Quintessential Poetry: The award-nominated podcast, Quintessential Poetry, has featured 500+ poets across 450+ episodes, reaching 350,000+ listeners globally. Created and hosted by four-time Pushcart Prize nominee Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, the podcast celebrates diverse voices in contemporary poetry and spoken word.

Connect with us:

• Website: www.quintessentialpoetry.com
• Facebook: Quintessential Poetry
• Instagram: @quintessentialpoetry

Keywords: poetry podcast, spoken word, John Patrick Robbins, contemporary poetry, literary interviews, American poets, creative writing, poetry performance, literary podcast, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, poetry community, alternative poetry,

P.S. We're nominated for Best Arts & Literature Podcast! Vote by Dec 25: https://shorturl.at/EGtV5 🏆

Welcome to the premiere episode of Timeless Classics—a curated series bringing you the most memorable conversations from 450+ episodes of the Quintessential Poetry podcast.

Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, host of this episode, returns to his impactful conversation with John Patrick Robbins. John is the editor-in-chief of ten magazines, one of which is the Rye Whiskey Review. Nominated for the Pushcart Prize, he is also a renowned author of Southern Gothic-style short stories and poetry. This conversation focuses on his poetry collection, 'Are We Dead Yet?', published by Black Circle Publishing in 2023 (https://www.amazon.com/Are-Dead-John-Patrick-Robbins/dp/B0BL52F4HH).

The poetry book reached the number one spot on the Amazon Charts. Dark and unapologetic, Robbins delivers poetry that is both raw and unfiltered. Robbins stands out as one of the most innovative and thought-provoking figures in the realm of contemporary poetry. His unabashed candor and biting humor invigorate the poetry scene. Here is a link to a bonus collection of his three poems: https://pdflink.to/e372857d/.

What You Will Discover:

• Why this conversation continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
• His uncompromising approach to writing and performance
• Behind-the-scenes stories from the poetry circuit
• Insights on authenticity in creative work
• The intersection of rebellion and artistry in modern poetry

About Quintessential Poetry: The award-nominated podcast, Quintessential Poetry, has featured 500+ poets across 450+ episodes, reaching 350,000+ listeners globally. Created and hosted by four-time Pushcart Prize nominee Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, the podcast celebrates diverse voices in contemporary poetry and spoken word.

Connect with us:

• Website: www.quintessentialpoetry.com
• Facebook: Quintessential Poetry
• Instagram: @quintessentialpoetry

Keywords: poetry podcast, spoken word, John Patrick Robbins, contemporary poetry, literary interviews, American poets, creative writing, poetry performance, literary podcast, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, poetry community, alternative poetry,

Join host Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram for the first Quintessential Poetry Book Club discussion featuring renowned poet and peace advocate Kolawole Alatishe. In this episode, Kolawole shares readings from his impactful poetry collection 'Human Togetherness,' which delves into themes of global unity, hope, and moral development. Through powerful verses, Kolawole addresses significant issues such as poverty, climate change, social injustice, and the importance of community. Additionally, Kowale discusses his personal journey, the role of poetry in bridging cultural divides, and his vision for future works. Discover how poetry can be a transformative force as Kolawole Alatishe and Dr. Ingram explore the essence and potential of poetic expression.