Air Schooner #8: First Encounters

5.4.2012

Award-winning Balkan poet Nikola Madzirov stops by the studio to talk music, war, artistic beginnings, and the “challenge of art” with host Scott Winter in a philosophical and moving conversation. Madzirov talks about how he continues to confront his youth through his work. “First I had a childhood,” he tells us, “and the second part of my life will be remembering and writing about this childhood.” Scott also reveals some of his inner nerd, opining on how Hall of Fame hockey player Bobby Orr inspires him. Stacey Waite shares that her first poem, an award-winner in Highlights magazine, was about going to the dentist. Stacey also interviews Jennifer Sinor about writing poetry on commission as a child, a moment that made her realize that writing can be made public. And that candy sells better than poetry.