The idea of recollecting the conversations and work of the U.S. poet laureates is a good one. Thanks to New Letters on the Air, listeners can gain a sense of who The Library of Congress deems representative of the American voice. Episode 2 gives a good sampling, albeit chronological, of who these poets are.

Beginning with Joseph Brodsky, the Soviet emigre, who would bring an everyday sensitivity to poetry, the program serves up a pastiche of interviews and readings. I wish all of the segments were more fluid and equally strong, but they aren't. The interview with Brodsky seems the weakest because of the interviewer's presumptions and Brodsky's rapid fire answers. I could barely hang on to it. However, the next segment with Mona Van Duyn settles in; her readings and conversation become soothing. Van Duyn also focuses on the everyday in her poetry, but talks about her breaking out from more personal poetry to writing about big ideas and changes in contemporary life.

Robert Pinsky, who is credited here with moving poetry into the 21st century because of his online work with Slate and his "Favorite Poem Project," really speaks to the rhythms and feel of poetry. As he observes, "Poetry is a column of air shaped into words." So is radio, and when you meet the perfect aural experience it's golden. Pinksy provides perfect moments with his readings. They are beautiful. One moment he is elegiac and another, pure jazz.
PRX is credited with helping New Letters on the Air get some bearings.

For a programmer, this episode would be good to include in a celebration of the spoken word. The full series should be considered in spite of this program's rough edges. Perhaps the best use would be to provide segments for podcasting. The program accommodates the NPR newscast at top for broadcasting.