Be True: Life in Literature

Odcinki

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  Environmental Crisis and “Dark, Satanic Mills”: Episode 148 20.09.2026 10min

  John reads the preface to William Blake’s epic poem, Milton. He also discusses alternative paths to grace, power flooding the zone, coal and the dangers of deregulation, and crazy poetic prophesies.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @BeTruePodInstagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  New York After The Attack: Episode 147 13.09.2026 6min

  John reads “What is Worth Saving?” from his poem-chapbook For a Minute There, It Seemed Like Something Was Happening. He discusses the 25th anniversary of 9/11, public mourning, and optimism on-hold.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.com Substack: @johntessitore YouTube: @BeTruePodInstagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Gatsby’s Great Hope for the Future: Episode 146 06.09.2026 12min

  John reads the opening paragraphs of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby. He also discusses effortful optimism, nostalgia for the old America-even during the Jazz Age-and perfect sentences.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @BeTruePodInstagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Chaplin for the Trump Era: Episode 145 30.08.2026 9min

  John reads “Chaplinesque,” a poem by Hart Crane. He discusses the art and significance of Charlie Chaplin, the importance of sentimentality in cruel times, the threat of open-heartedness, and kittens.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @BeTruePodInstagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Tom Waits, T.S. Eliot, and Birds: Episode 144 23.08.2026 13min

  John reads an excerpt of his forthcoming book, American Magpie: Life and Liberal Arts. He discusses education in-crisis, the literature of fragment-assembly, and drops in some ornithological trivia.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @BeTruePodInstagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Hemingway's Anxious Young Men: Episode 143 16.08.2026 12min

  John reads “A Very Short Story” by Ernest Hemingway. He discusses the writer’s cultural influence, the “masculine” in literature, American style in conflict with substance, and great Italian lovers.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @BeTruePodInstagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Fighting Depression with Amy Lowell: Episode 142 09.08.2026 10min

  John reads Amy Lowell’s poem, “Fatigue.” He also discusses the persistence of the life force, the confusion of living in darkness, recognizing coping strategies, and the ultimate importance of sex. In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.com Substack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  John Keats, Perfect Songs, and Perfect Poems: Episode 141 02.08.2026 13min

  John reads John Keats’s “Ode on a Grecian Urn.” He also discusses the alchemy of art, the pursuit of the impossible, and the problem with “perfection”...all in tribute to the late singer Glen Hansard.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.com Substack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Personal Odysseys and the Problem with Empathy: Episode 140 26.07.2026 9min

  John reads a section of his long poem “My City of Yesterday.” He also discusses the challenges of navigating our individual journeys, the importance of metaphors, and feeling like we’re always at-sea.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Fighting Anxiety with Medea: Episode 139 19.07.2026 13min

  John reads Medea’s interior monologue from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. He also discusses anxious minds in anxious times; the circularity, desperation, and compulsion of anxiety; and the need for compassion.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Wallace Stevens and Late-Career Success: Episode 138 12.07.2026 10min

  John reads “Tea at the Palaz of Hoon,” a poem by Wallace Stevens. He also discusses persistence, the self-knowledge that comes with maturity, his own late start, and the surprising rise of Vozinha.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Birthrights, American Identity, and a Prayer on Independence Day: Episode 137 03.07.2026 10min

  John reads “A Prayer for Us,” a poem by Crisosto Apache. He also discusses the nation’s 250th anniversary, American ambivalence, his friendship with a U.S. Supreme Court justice, and a lifelong crush.Visit crisostoapache.com for more about the poet featured in this episode.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses the writing he loves, and sometimes his own, inviting listeners to live more fully with and through literature.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Reading Dōgen with Lyme Disease: Episode 136 28.06.2026 10min

  John reads poems by the Japanese poet, philosopher, and founder of Sōtō Zen, Eihei Dōgen. He also discusses his struggles with autoimmune disease and stress management, and his interest in meditation.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—John reads and discusses “the writing he loves and the writing he does,” the lessons he has learned and continues to learn in a life of literature.www.johntessitore.com Substack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Odysseus Alone, Coming Home: Episode 135 21.06.2026 12min

  John reads the opening of The Odyssey, Homer’s epic poem. He also discusses the power of literature to create community, and why he’s rooting for the success of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—he reads and discusses “the writing he loves and the writing he does.”www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  "Invictus" and the Soul Unbowed and Unafraid: Episode 134 14.06.2026 7min

  John reads “Invictus,” a poem by William Ernest Henley. He also discusses his need for a team, the limits of heroic individual, the importance of community, and the special courage of Nelson Mandela.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—he reads and discusses “the writing he loves and the writing he does.”www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Robert Frost Goes Forth and Prospers: Episode 133 07.06.2026 10min

  John reads Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken.” He also discusses a wistful graduation season, clichéd commencement addresses, the power of confidence, and the secret of his father’s success.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—he reads and discusses “the writing he loves and the writing he does.”www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Emily Dickinson and the Effect of "Everything": Episode 132 31.05.2026 7min

  John reads Emily Dickinson’s poem “The Brain-is wider than the Sky.” He discusses needless fear, his evolution as a writer and person, and what he learned while being interviewed on a recent podcast.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—he reads and discusses “the writing he loves and the writing he does.”In this episode, he discusses his recent appearance on the It’s About Language podcast with Norah Jones. You can find more on It’s About Language at https://fluency.consulting/its-about-language-podcast/.www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Montaigne Loves to Doubt as Well as to Know: Episode 131 24.05.2026 10min

  John reads a passage from Michel de Montaigne’s essay “On the Education of Children.” He also champions teachers, defends humanities education, previews a new long essay, and reviews his life’s work.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—he reads and discusses “the writing he loves and the writing he does.”www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  Tell Us, Yeats. Are We Acting Honorably?: Episode 130 17.05.2026 6min

  John reads “The Second Coming,” a poem by William Butler Yeats. He also discusses the challenge of meeting this moment of historic change, fighting America’s decline, and losing unless everyone wins.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—he reads and discusses “the writing he loves and the writing he does.”www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com
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  W.E.B DuBois, Race, and the Right Kind of Discrimination: Episode 129 10.05.2026 13min

  John reads a passage of The Souls of Black folk, by W.E.B. DuBois. He discusses the Supreme Court’s vile, racist decision in Louisiana vs. Callais, and the persistence of the color line in America.John Tessitore is a writer, poet, and liberal arts advocate. His poems have appeared in a variety of journals, he has published several chapbooks and two novellas. He has been a journalist, biographer, and editor, taught history and literature at colleges around Boston, managed national policy studies on education and civil justice, and directs a national language-education association. He serves as Co-Editor Across the Pond for The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press.In each episode of Be True—available on most major podcast platforms—he reads and discusses “the writing he loves and the writing he does.”www.johntessitore.comSubstack: @johntessitore YouTube: @johntessitore6366Instagram: @jtessitorewriter1 TikTok: @jtessitorewriterFacebook: JohnTessitore, Writer Threads: @jtessitorewriterBlueSky: @jtessitore.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johntessitore.substack.com