Meet Ravenna Cole: a poet and musician (and mother of four) releasing her first book after a twenty-year vision quest. In this episode Ravenna talks about finding poetry, giving it up for philosophy, and then finding it again. She narrates her conversion to Catholicism as a result of her philosophical studies, and about what kind of thing poetry is: a vision, something that is received together with an imperative that it be shared. Referencing a wide range of poets, thinkers, and holy souls from Nicholas Black Elk to Søren Kierkegaard to Pope Benedict XVI, she paints a picture of poetry that is alive and vital, that heals and empowers, and that can save your life, if you're willing to let it in. Featuring excerpts of her new song, “In Rise and Fall.”
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
02:23 When I started writing poetry
05:46 Giving up poetry for philosophy
09:25 Conversion to Catholicism
13:18 Finding poetry again on Anna Maria Island
15:21 Poetry as Vision
17:17 The Catholic poetry of Nicholas Black Elk
22:07 The Healing Power of Poetry
34:04 Conclusion
Subscribe to Ravenna's newsletter to receive occasional updates about new work and upcoming events:
