POETRY IN AMERICA

In this visually and archivally rich series, people from all walks of life—not just poets, but also athletes, politicians, musicians, architects, scientists, entrepreneurs, and citizens of all ages—join with host and Harvard professor Elisa New to experience and discuss the power of poetry. Discover the many perspectives from which a poem can be perceived and enjoyed, and consider the many factors that make a poem great. Among the featured poems and poets are: "I cannot dance upon my toes" by Emily Dickinson, "Hymmnn and Hum Bom!" by Allen Ginsburg, "Shirt" by Robert Pinsky; "Skyscraper" by Carl Sandburg, "The Gray Heron" by Galway Kinnell, "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, and "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas. Among the guests: President Bill Clinton, jazz musician Herbie Hancock, basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, U2 singer Bono, architect Frank Gehry, playwright Anna Deavere Smith, hip hop artist Nas, evolutionary biolost E.O. Wilson, fashion designer Johnson Hartig, UN ambassador Samantha Power, and more. Grades 9 and up. English SDH subtitles. Color. Total time: 305 minutes. WGBH. ©2017.