All selections on side one were recordered at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington D.C., on Febrauary 29, 1988. Special
thanks to Gigi Bradford.
All selections on side two were recorded at the Library of Congress Recording Lab, Washington D.C., January 16, 1973.
New Letters on the Air: a production of New Letters Magazine, University of Missouri, Kansas City, August 1986
Reading selected poems as his commencement address to students at the Kansas City Art Institute
- introduction (1:48): MP3
- Soonest Mended (6:25): MP3
- Whatever It Is, Wherever You Are (6:08): MP3
- The Songs We Know Best (4:32): MP3
- from A Wave (5:50): MP3
Complete recording (27:00): MP3
Reading in Boyslston Hall, Harvard University, November 10, 1987
Provided by: The Poets' Theater and Woodberry Poetry Room, Harvard Univeristy Library
- introduction by Stratis Haviaras (3:45): MP3
- Some Trees (1:33): MP3
[see text-audio alignment]
- Popular Songs (1:55): MP3
- Glazunoviana (0:59): MP3
- He (3:07): MP3
- At North Farm (1:24): MP3
- The Songs We Know Best (4:07): MP3
- Landscape (After Baudelaire) (1:57): MP3
- Just Walking Around (1:07): MP3
- 37 Haiku (4:47): MP3
- The Lonedale Operator (5:01): MP3
- Vetiver (2:12): MP3
- Riddle Me (2:04): MP3
- Morning Jitters (1:49): MP3
- A Snowball in Hell (1:34): MP3
- A Mood of Quiet Beauty (0:52): MP3
- When Half the Time They Don't Know Themselves (1:20): MP3
- Adam Snow (3:04): MP3
- The Ice Storm (10:05): MP3
- April Galleons (4:08): MP3
Recording for Radio Helicon, hosted by John Tranter, ABC, June 19, 1988
John Ashbery (in New York) was interviewed by John Tranter (in Sydney), in May 1988. This interview was edited by John Tranter, and broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National program 'Radio Helicon', on Sunday 19 June 1988, from 8.15 to 10.00 p.m., with other material.
A partial text of this interview appears in Jacket Magazine's second issue, available here.
- "Paradoxes and Oxymorons" (1:09): MP3
- introduction by John Tranter (1:08): MP3
- "Two Scenes" (1:08): MP3
- "Picture of a Little JA in a Prospect of Flowers" (2:53): MP3
- "Some Trees" (1:00): MP3
- John Ashbery in discussion with John Tranter (8:31): MP3
- introduction to "Thoughts of a Young Girl" (0:39): MP3
- "Thoughts of a Young Girl (0:39): MP3
- "Last Month" (0:59): MP3
- John Ashbery in discussion with John Tranter (9:56): MP3
- John Tranter introducing Imre Salusinszky's review of Selected Poems (0:30): MP3
- Imre Salausinszky (7:03): MP3
- "The Painter" (2:05): MP3
- Imre Salausinszky (5:55): MP3
- "Worsening Situation" (1:51): MP3
- Imre Salausinszky (7:24): MP3
- musical interlude: from Arvo Pärt's Arbos (6:04): MP3
- "Forties Flick" (1:27): MP3
- introduction to "Soonest Mended" (0:49): MP3
- "Soonest Mended" (4:52): MP3
- John Tranter introducing Philip Mead (0:36): MP3
- Philip Mead discussing Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror (26:59): MP3
- introduction to "And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name" (0:37): MP3
- "And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name" (1:43): MP3
- discussion of "And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name" (4:45): MP3
- "My Erotic Double" (0:59): MP3
- "Or In My Throat" (1:06): MP3
- "Purists will Object" (1:18): MP3
- "Paradoxes and Oxymorons" (1:09): MP3
- closing remarks (0:53): MP3
- Complete recording (1:42:49): MP3
John Ashbery reads Eliot as part of "In Different Voices: T.S. Eliot at 100," organized by Richard Howard, Symphony Space, New York City, October 22, 1988
- Ashbery's Intro (4:02): MP3
- Marina (2:08): MP3
- Animula (2:14): MP3
Reading at the Poets' Corner Vespers Service for the Induction of Wiliam Faulkner and Wallace Stevens, The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, NYC, October 22, 1989
Reading from Wallace Stevens' "An Ordinary Evening in New Haven"
- Part Three (1:26): MP3
- Part Five (1:02): MP3
- Part Twelve (1:01): MP3
- Part Seventeen (1:06): MP3
- Part Eighteen (0:57): MP3
- Part Thirty (1:08): MP3
- Complete reading (7:02): MP3
- Complete service (56:40): MP3
Reading at 92nd Street Y with James Schuyler, November 11, 1989
- Riddle Me (1:43): MP3
- Alone in the Lumber Business (2:36): MP3
- Vaucanson (2:22): MP3
- Some Money (1:11): MP3
- Still Life with Stranger (1:12): MP3
- In Vain, Therefore (0:58): MP3
- Revisionist Horn Concerto (2:21): MP3
- From Palookaville (3:36): MP3
- "And now I cannot remember how I would have had it" (1:58): MP3
- Film Noir (3:11): MP3
- Notes from the Air (2:31): MP3
- The Little Black Dress (0:49): MP3
- Le Mensonge de Nina Petrovna (1:41): MP3
- Avant de quitter ces lieux (4:27): MP3
- Autumn Telegram (2:39): MP3
- Ashbery Reading (34:48): MP3
- Complete recording with James Schuyler (1:21:34): MP3
Charles Eliot Norton Lecture Series, Other Traditions, Harvard University, 1989-1990
Norton Lecture on John Clare, 1989
- Introduction (4:20): MP3
- Lecture: John Clare: "Grey Openings Where the Light Looks Through" (45:13): MP3
Norton Lecture on Thomas Lovell Beddoes, 1989
- Introduction (1:30): MP3
- Lecture: Olives and Anchovies: The Poetry of Thomas Lovell Beddoes (48:57): MP3
Reading at the San Francisco Art Institute, December 1989
- Complete recording (59:18): MP3
Norton Lecture Series on Laura Riding, 1990
Lecture: "The Unthronged Oracle:" Laura Riding (49:15): MP3
- looking back at the writers so far discussed in the series (2:57): MP3
- providing a brief biography of Riding (10:52): MP3
- on Riding's attempts to control the way her poetry is read (1:48): MP3
- on Riding's intimidating astuteness as a critic of poetry (6:17): MP3
- on criticisms of Riding's poetry (2:08): MP3
- difficulty and accuracy in the work of Riding's early period (5:20): MP3
- reading and discussing Sonnets I and IV of "Sonnets in Memory of Samuel" (6:17): MP3
- reading and discussing "No More Are Lovely Palaces" (2:51): MP3
- on Riding's influence (2:03): MP3
- on the necessity of misreading Riding and ignoring her promises (1:18): MP3
- quoting Julian Symons on Riding's poetic achievements (0:55): MP3
- reading "In Nineteen Twenty-Seven" (6:20): MP3
Norton Lecture on Raymond Roussel, 1990
- Introduction (1:13): MP3
- Lecture: The Bachelor Machines of Raymond Roussel (48:45): MP3
Norton Lecture on David Schubert, 1990
- Introduction (2:50): MP3
- Lecture: David Schubert: "This Is the Book That No One Knows" (39:32): MP3
Norton Lecture on John Wheelwright, 1990
- Introduction (0:51): MP3
- Lecture: "Why Must You Know:" The Poetry of John Wheelwright (50:29): MP3
These lectures were later revised and published as Other Traditions (Harvard University Press, 2001). Special thanks to the Woodberry Poetry Room at Harvard University for providing these recordings.
Reading and Colloquium for the Modern Languages Auditorium, University of Arizona, September 12, 1990
- Introduction (1:45): MP3
- And now I cannot remember how I would have had it (3:47): MP3
- Avant de quitter ces lieux (4:51): MP3
- Still Life with Stranger (1:25): MP3
- Hotel Lautreamont (6:40): MP3
- In Vain, Therefore (1:00): MP3
- From Palookaville (3:32): MP3
- Notes from the Air (2:40): MP3
- Autumn Telegram (2:21): MP3
- Korean Soap Opera (4:23): MP3
- from Flow Chart (9:22): MP3
- Complete Reading (45:01): MP3 [note: recording cuts off at the end]
- Colloquium (45:01): MP3
From Incognito Lounge: reading in San Jose, CA, September 14, 1990
- Complete reading (quality deteriorates towards end) (49:43): MP3
Reading at the University at Buffalo with Intro by Carl Dennis, New York, November 1, 1990
Readings from Some Trees, TCO, A Wave, and The Vermont Notebook; Event sponsored by the Poetry Society of America
Complete recording (46:33): MP3
"Poets Reading in the Village", April 25, 1991
Complete recording (37:42): MP3
- Introduction (3:00): MP3
- Elephant Visitors (1:59): MP3
- The Youth's Magic Horn (3:06): MP3
- Withered Compliments (1:17): MP3
- In My Way / On My Way (5:12): MP3
- Private Syntax (1:18): MP3
- Korean Soap Opera (4:10): MP3
- Of Linnets and Dull Time (1:06): MP3
- From Flow Chart (15:21): MP3
Tracks 2-8 can be found in Hotel Lautréamont (1992), track 9 is from Flow Chart (1991)
Reading excerpts from Flow Chart on WBAI Radio, New York. April 25, 1991
Complete recording (16:53): MP3
Reading and interview on The Book Show, 1992
Hosted by Tom Smith, The Book Show was produced by the New York State Writers
Institute at SUNY Albany.
On this program, Ashbery discusses Flow Chart (1991) and Hotel
Lautréamont (1992).
- reading "Light Turnouts" (0:43): MP3
- introduction (0:56): MP3
- the writing of Hotel Lautreamont and the figure of Lautreamont (3:43): MP3
- discussing the title poem and the implications of the hotel (3:58): MP3
- when the poems in Hotel Lautreamont were written in relation to Flow Chart (1:21): MP3
- deciding to write short v. long poems (2:55): MP3
- the evolution of Flow Chart (1:10): MP3
- Ashbery describing his writing process (3:44): MP3
- cultural noise as inspiration and all-inclusivness as an overriding aesthetic concern (3:15): MP3
- abstract expressionism in relation to his poetry (2:13): MP3
Complete program (25:09): MP3
Reading of "Syringa" for WNYC's 50th Anniversary, June 13, 1994
Appearing on Lyrikmagasinet, Sveriges Radio, Sweden, May 15, 1996
- sleep in relation to Ashbery's poetry (0:41): MP3
- reading from "Sleepers Awake" (0:26): MP3
- on having fun when writing (0:46): MP3
- joking that the sound of his name is associated with great pain and difficulty (0:18): MP3
- on his family (0:55): MP3
- reading from "The Painter" (0:41): MP3
- on engaging with poetry through the work of John Cage (0:37): MP3
- music in relation to his writing (0:38): MP3
- reading from "Marchenbilder" (0:53): MP3
- on Andersen's Tin Soldier (0:21): MP3
- on the mystery and ambiguity in Whitman's poetry (0:28): MP3
- Ashbery rereading Whitman in his late 20s (0:27): MP3
- on feeling trapped and building a fantasy (0:16): MP3
- reading "Can You Hear, Bird" (1:18): MP3
- on beginning with the title when writing poems (0:25): MP3
- reading "Coming Down From New York" and on knowing when to end the poem (0:57): MP3
- on letting the poem take on its own shape (0:28): MP3
- line breaks as one of the most enjoyable parts of writing poetry (0:25): MP3
- reading from "My Philosophy of Life" (0:37): MP3
- reading from "My Philosophy of Life" (final lines) (0:24): MP3
Complete program (43:28): MP3
Reading for Wednesdays @ 4Plus, University at Buffalo, October 12, 1996
Ashbery reads at Robert Creeley's 70th birthday celebration. Introduction by Susan Schultz (hosted by Charles Bernstein)
Complete reading (48:37): MP3
- Introduction of Susan Schultz by Charles Bernstein (1:13): MP3
- Introduction of John Ashbery by Susan Schultz (6:04): MP3
- Ashbery's Opening Comments (2:47): MP3
- A Waking Dream (2:04): MP3
- Opening Comments to "...by an Earthquake"(1:41): MP3
- ...by an Earthquake (8:53): MP3
- Chapter 2. Book 35. (2:52): MP3
- Opening Comments for "Debit Night" (1:11): MP3
- Debit Night (5:38): MP3
- Come On, Dear (2:22): MP3
- Baltimore (0:48): MP3
- Cousin Sarah's Knitting (2:26): MP3
- Last Night I Dreamed I Was In Bucharest (1:17): MP3
- Added Poignancy (2:52): MP3
- Laughing Gravy (0:46): MP3
- Moderately (3:48): MP3
Complete video recording
Watch on Media.sas
Reading from Selected Poems (Carcanet, 1998), 1998
Just Walking Around (1:00): MP3
Reading at the San Fransisco Art Institute (organized with Small Press Traffic), introduction by Bill Berkson, January 26, 1998
Part of the Cloud House Series
Appearing on BBC Radio 3, Contemporary American Poetry Program, July 24, 1999
Complete reading (19:48): MP3
- Introduction (3:36): MP3
- The Painter (2:45): MP3
- Farm Implements and Rudabagas in a Landscape (4:32): MP3
- What Is Poetry (2:04): MP3
- At North Farm (1:29): MP3
- At First I Thought I Wouldn't Say Anything About It (1:45): MP3
- No Longer Very Clear (2:09): MP3
- Like America (1:20): MP3
In Conversation with Ian Probstein
- John Ashbery on translation, c. 1991, Brooklyn, in conversation with Ian Probstein and Richard Green (31:48): MP3
- Ashbery with Probstein, c. 1991, Brooklyn, on "Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror” and Selected Poems (31:49): MP3
Reading as part of the Lunch Poems Series, UC Berkeley, April 8, 2001
Part of the Cloud House Series
From The Voice of the Poet, 2001
- Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror (I: "As Parmigianino did it") (8:16): MP3
- Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror (II: "Tomorrow is easy but today is uncharted") (6:07): MP3
- Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror (III: "A breeze like the turning of a page") (11:41): MP3
- Soonest Mended (4:35): MP3
- Complete reading (59:03): MP3
- Introduction (10:27): MP3
- This Room (2:51): MP3
- If You Said You Would Come With Me (3:28): MP3
- A Linnet (1:24): MP3
- The Bobinski Brothers (1:30): MP3
- Merrily We Live (3:32): MP3
- Invasive Procedures (2:46): MP3
- Memories of Imperialism (2:23): MP3
- Strange Occupations (1:45): MP3
- Full Tilt (1:58): MP3
- Heartache (2:03): MP3
- Onion Skin (0:18): MP3
- Redeemed Area (2:35): MP3
- Crossroads in the Past (1:48): MP3
- The Underwriters (2:34): MP3
- A Nice Presentation (3:08): MP3
- Disagreeable Glimpses (5:41): MP3
- Runway (1:52): MP3
- As Umbrellas Follow Rain (6:13): MP3
"Crossroads in the Past" is also featured on PoemTalk Episode 9.
In discussion with Al Filreis, March 26th, 2002
Complete discussion (1:03:44): MP3
- introduction by Al Filreis (7:36): MP3
- memory and age (2:36): MP3
- "Crossroads in the Past" and "Enjoys Watching Foreign Films" (5:03): MP3
- prose and verse (3:59): MP3
- Harvard lectures (2:58): MP3
- Delmore Schwartz (3:25): MP3
- unknown, "minor" poets (5:54): MP3
- confessional poems (3:08): MP3
- narrative poetry (1;07): MP3
- on publishing (6:35): MP3
- reading Ashbery in anthologies and "The One Thing That Can Save America" (3:01): MP3
- connections to music and visual art (2:54): MP3
- influence of Delmore Schwartz (4:55): MP3
- the space between self and poetry (2:47): MP3
- current writing process (3:39): MP3
- comparison and jealousy (1:50): MP3
- "Enjoys Watching Foreign Films" (2:19): MP3
"Crossroads in the Past" is also featured on PoemTalk Episode 9.
For more information on Ashbery's visit, and video footage of both events, please visit the Kelly Writers House Fellows Program site.
Lecture on Elizabeth Bishop (12:04): Please note: the quality of this recording, which was taken from a videotape of the event, is less than optimal; however we
felt that its significance merited our posting it, and have done our best to make the audio as clear as possible
New York Review of Books Podcast, 2009
John Ashbery reads his selections from among the poems he has published in the New York Review of Books, recorded on February 21, 2009 at the offices of the New York Review of Books. Introduced by Jana Prikryl. Originally broadcast on April 1, 2009, as part of the Review's podcast series.
- introduction (0:39): MP3
from Planisphere
- Structures in Sand (0:56): MP3
- Working Overtime (0:47): MP3
- Episode (1:29): MP3
- Summer Reading (1:12): MP3
from A Worldly Country
- introduction to "Pavane pour Helen Twelvetrees" (2:20): MP3
- Pavane por Helen Twelvetrees (2:22): MP3
- Image Problem (1:26): MP3
- discussion of "Strayed Reveler" (0:26): MP3
from Where Shall I Wander
- Days of Reckoning (1:55): MP3
- Ignorance of the Law Is No Excuse (1:34): MP3
from Chinese Whispers
- Mordred (2:19): MP3
- Random Jottings of an Old Man (1:51): MP3
from Your Name Here
- Crossroads in the Past (1:43): MP3
- This Room (0:36): MP3
"Crossroads in the Past" is also featured on PoemTalk Episode 9.
from Can You Hear, Bird?
- By Guess and by Gosh (1:50): MP3
from Hotel Lautreamont
- On the Empress's Mind (1:39): MP3
- From Estuaries, from Casinos (3:53): MP3
from Shadow Train
- Qualm (1:13): MP3
- closing remarks (0:27): MP3
Complete recording (31:25): MP3