The Slowdown

The Slowdown
A poem and a moment of reflection every weekday.

“A true break from the cacophony of life.”

- Alice Florence Orr from Podcast Review
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Latest Episode

March 3, 2026 3:00 AM
1468: Five Paragraph Essay on Time by Kathleen Flenniken
The Slowdown
Photo by: Chad Cochran
The Slowdown

Recent Episodes

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20260303 Slowdown Kathleen Flenniken

1468: Five Paragraph Essay on Time by Kathleen Flenniken

March 3, 2026

Today’s poem is Five Paragraph Essay on Time by Kathleen Flenniken.

20260302 Slowdown Karen Solie

1467: Geranium by Karen Solie

March 2, 2026

Today’s poem is Geranium by Karen Solie.

20260227 Slowdown Amy Lemmon

1466: Poem about everything except— by Amy Lemmon

February 27, 2026

Today’s poem is Poem about everything except— by Amy Lemmon.

The Slowdown

Get a poem handpicked by Maggie Smith every weekday. The email includes an abridged version of Maggie’s introduction.

Announcements

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A Farewell to Major Jackson

After two years, two seasons and 443 episodes, Major Jackson is stepping down from the host chair.

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Supported in Part by National Endowment for the Arts

To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

Poetry Foundation

Produced in Partnership With the Poetry Foundation

Raising poetry to a more visible and influential position in American culture.

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