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SLEERICKETS

Matthew Buckley Smith
SLEERICKETS
Latest episode

269 episodes

  • SLEERICKETS

    Ep 241: A Serious House

    11/04/2026 | 1h 10 mins.
    NB: Advent wreath, obviously. One probably shouldn’t set fire to an advent calendar.

    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems.

    Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible)
    For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW!
    Leave the show a rating here!
    SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube!
    For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com

    Some of the topics mentioned in this episode:

    – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good!Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review!
    – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now!
    – I’ll be doing the Rattlecast this Monday, April 13, at 8:00 p.m. US Eastern! Check it out!
    – Does it help to be religious? by Victoria Moul
    – Along the Road by Winslow Homer
    – Sea Legs by Andrew Wyeth
    – La toilette de Diane by Antonin Merci
    – The Martyrdom of St. Catherine of Alexandria by Mattia Preti
    – Rock Bottom by Joan Mitchell
    – Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Haut at Ronchamp by Le Corbusier
    – Austin by Ellsworth Kelly
    – Churchgoing by Philip Larkin

    Frequently mentioned names:
    – Joshua Mehigan
    – Shane McCrae
    – A. E. Stallings
    – Ryan Wilson
    – Morri Creech
    – Austin Allen
    – Jonathan Farmer
    – Zara Raab
    – Amit Majmudar
    – Ethan McGuire
    – Coleman Glenn
    – Chris Childers
    – Alexis Sears
    – JP Gritton
    – Alex Pepple
    – Ernie Hilbert
    – Joanna Pearson
    – Matt Wall
    – Steve Knepper
    – Helena Feder
    – David Yezzi
    – Victoria Moul
    – Katie Dozier & Tim Green
    – George David Clark
    – Tristram Fane Saunders
    – Philip Metres

    Other Ratbag Poetry Pods:
    Poetry Says by Alice Allan
    I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall
    Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov
    Advice from an Unknown Poet by Alice Allan & Jonathan Farmer
    Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed

    Alice: In Future Posts
    Brian: @BPlatzer
    Cameron: Minor Tiresias
    Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com
    Music by ETRNL
    Art by Daniel Alexander Smith
  • SLEERICKETS

    Ep 240: AMA #3, Pt. 1

    02/04/2026 | 1h 20 mins.
    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems.

    Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible)
    For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW!
    Leave the show a rating here!
    SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube!
    For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com

    Some of the topics mentioned in this episode:

    – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good!
    – Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review!
    – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now!
    Timothee Chalamet's statements on ballet and opera, and on not having children
    All Fours by Miranda July
    Heart the Lover by Lily King
    Night by Elie Wiesel
    Schopenhauer Cocktail Hour on Versecraft
    Reference Back by Philip Larkin
    Donald Justice
    Atmosphere in Eight Lines by Maryann Corbett
    Down in the Valley by Joshua Mehigan
    Done on This Side by Joshua Mehigan
    Poetry Says Ep 242. with Joshua Mehigan
    The Sponge by Joshua Mehigan on Versecraft

    Secret show notes
    Poetry Says Ep 219. This is scripture
    Blues in Dallas, Old College Try, Going to Georgia, and This Year by The Mountain Goats (also No Children for Timothee)
    Thomas Hardy
    Edwin Arlington Robinson
    Black Books: I Love Books guy
    Black Sparrow Press
    Faber
    Literary Matters
    HEAT
    New Verse Review
    Image Journal
    London Review of Books
    32 Poems
    no more poetry
    Everybody wants to waste your time by Drew Gooden
    Wildflower and Barley by Hozier

    Frequently mentioned names:
    – Joshua Mehigan
    – Shane McCrae
    – A. E. Stallings
    – Ryan Wilson
    – Morri Creech
    – Austin Allen
    – Jonathan Farmer
    – Zara Raab
    – Amit Majmudar
    – Ethan McGuire
    – Coleman Glenn
    – Chris Childers
    – Alexis Sears
    – JP Gritton
    – Alex Pepple
    – Ernie Hilbert
    – Joanna Pearson
    – Matt Wall
    – Steve Knepper
    – Helena Feder
    – David Yezzi
    – Victoria Moul
    – Katie Dozier & Tim Green
    – George David Clark
    – Tristram Fane Saunders
    – Philip Metres

    Other Ratbag Poetry Pods:
    Poetry Says by Alice Allan
    I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall
    Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov
    Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed

    Alice: In Future Posts
    Brian: @BPlatzer
    Cameron: Minor Tiresias
    Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com
    Music by ETRNL
    Art by Daniel Alexander Smith
  • SLEERICKETS

    INTRODUCING Advice from an Unknown Poet

    26/03/2026 | 44 mins.
    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems.

    Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible)
    For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW!
    Leave the show a rating here!
    SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube!
    For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com

    Some of the topics mentioned in this episode:

    – Advice from an Unknown Poet
    – Berryman by W.S. Merwin
    – Proxies by Brian Blanchfield

    Frequently mentioned names:
    – Joshua Mehigan
    – Shane McCrae
    – A. E. Stallings
    – Ryan Wilson
    – Morri Creech
    – Austin Allen
    – Jonathan Farmer
    – Zara Raab
    – Amit Majmudar
    – Ethan McGuire
    – Coleman Glenn
    – Chris Childers
    – Alexis Sears
    – JP Gritton
    – Alex Pepple
    – Ernie Hilbert
    – Joanna Pearson
    – Matt Wall
    – Steve Knepper
    – Helena Feder
    – David Yezzi
    – Victoria Moul
    – Katie Dozier & Tim Green
    – George David Clark
    – Tristram Fane Saunders
    – Philip Metres

    Other Ratbag Poetry Pods:
    Poetry Says by Alice Allan
    I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall
    Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov
    Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed

    Alice: In Future Posts
    Brian: @BPlatzer
    Cameron: Minor Tiresias
    Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com
    Music by ETRNL
    Art by Daniel Alexander Smith
  • SLEERICKETS

    Ep 236: Listener Crit #9

    26/03/2026 | 1h 21 mins.
    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems.

    My book Midlife now exists. Buy it here, or leave it a rating here or here
    For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW, join the group chat, and send me a poem for Listener Crit!
    Leave the show a rating here (actually, just do it on your phone, it’s easier). Thanks!
    Wear SLEERICKETS t-shirts and hoodies. They look good!
    SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube!
    For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com

    Some of the topics mentioned in this episode:

    – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good!
    – Let me know if you’d like a review copy of my forthcoming chapbook The Soft Black Stars: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com
    – Vanderpump Rules Season 12
    The Great Pottery Throwdown
    Selling Sunset
    Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
    Queen of Chess (2026)
    how i be revising by Brandon Taylor
    Sashay away
    Coming down in Ohio by Dave Smith
    Ep 234: Midlife Show-and-Tell, ft. Katie Dozier
    Contrapoints Tangent: Liminal Spaces
    Step wells

    Secret show notes
    Meanjin lives!
    Tropical Skiing by John Forbes
    Limiting Poetry’s Feedback Loop by Steven Searcy

    Ep 231: Insidious Tendencies, ft. Steven Searcy
    A Caveat-Filled Case for Atheism
    The Via Negativa of R.S. Thomas on Versecraft
    Nick Cave’s Red Hand Files Issue #265
    The Siberian unicorn
    A Holy Dread by R. A. Villanueva
    Bill Hicks: Pro Life
  • SLEERICKETS

    Ep 239: Listener Crit #10

    21/03/2026 | 1h 25 mins.
    SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems.

    Make a one-time donation (not tax-deductible)
    For more SLEERICKETS, subscribe to SECRET SHOW!
    Leave the show a rating here!
    SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube!
    For a frank, anonymous critique on SLEERICKETS, subscribe to the SECRET SHOW and send a poem of no more 25 lines to sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com

    Some of the topics mentioned in this episode:

    – Order Brian’s book The Optimists! It’s so good!
    – Now give Brian’s book a 5-star review!
    – My chapbook The Soft Black Stars is out now!
    – A conversation Alice & I had for Poetry London!

    Frequently mentioned names:
    – Joshua Mehigan
    – Shane McCrae
    – A. E. Stallings
    – Ryan Wilson
    – Morri Creech
    – Austin Allen
    – Jonathan Farmer
    – Zara Raab
    – Amit Majmudar
    – Ethan McGuire
    – Coleman Glenn
    – Chris Childers
    – Alexis Sears
    – JP Gritton
    – Alex Pepple
    – Ernie Hilbert
    – Joanna Pearson
    – Matt Wall
    – Steve Knepper
    – Helena Feder
    – David Yezzi
    – Victoria Moul
    – Katie Dozier & Tim Green
    – George David Clark
    – Tristram Fane Saunders
    – Philip Metres

    Other Ratbag Poetry Pods:
    Poetry Says by Alice Allan
    I Hate Matt Wall by Matt Wall
    Versecraft by Elijah Perseus Blumov
    Ratbag Poetics By David Jalal Motamed

    Alice: In Future Posts
    Brian: @BPlatzer
    Cameron: Minor Tiresias
    Matthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] com
    Music by ETRNL
    Art by Daniel Alexander Smith

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About SLEERICKETS

Welcome to SLEERICKETS, a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems.
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