Voices & Visions
In this video series, readings and photos illuminate the work of 13 American poets. American Poetry video instruction series for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; 13 one-hour video episodes. Spotlight on Voices and Visions explores the lives and works of 13 of America's most famous modern poets.
- 1988-1988
- 1 season
- Annenberg Media
- Documentary
In this video series, readings and photos illuminate the work of 13 American poets. American Poetry video instruction series for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; 13 one-hour video episodes. Spotlight on Voices and Visions explores the lives and works of 13 of America's most famous modern poets.
Season 1 Episode Guide
13 Episodes 1988
Episode 1
Elizabeth Bishop
From her childhood in Nova Scotia to her travels in Brazil, the show showcases the geographical spirit of Bishop's life, combined with scenes from her poetry.
Episode 2
Hart Crane
The different locations and dramatized lives in Crane's poetry and in his greatest work, The Bridge, illustrate this point.
Episode 3
Emily Dickinson
Dramatic scenes and New England landscapes illuminate Dickinson's passionate genius, and her poetry represents a wide range of imaginative experiences.
Episode 4
T. S. Eliot
From the bold originality of "Prufrock" to the probing, meditative style of "The Four Quartets," Eliot's life, influences, and poetry are explored through photographs, archival footage, and discussions with friends, critics, and scholars .
Episode 5
Voices & Visions: Robert Frost
Thu, Jan 28, 1988 60 mins
Documentary on the life and work of the poet Robert Frost.
Episode 6
Langston Hughes
Hughes writes about the beauty, dignity, and heritage of black Americans. Interviews, music and dance performances convey his work and influences, discussed by James Baldwin and biographer Arnold Rampersad.
Episode 7
Voices and Visions: Robert Lowell
Thu, Feb 25, 1988 60 mins
Lowell's political zeal is reflected in some of his greatest poetry. Lowell himself read from his work. Elizabeth Hardwick, Robert Haas, and others discuss his development and style, as seen in "The Castle of the Weary Lord" and "A Study of Life."
Episode 8
Marianne Moore
56 mins
Funny, awe-inspiring, and paradoxical, the poet and her work have been analyzed by critics and friends, including Monroe Wheeler, Grace Shulman, and Patricia Willis. Her most memorable poems display her powers of observation and moral strength.
Episode 9
Sylvia Plath
Plath's creative intensity as she confronts her experiences as daughter, wife, mother, and writer is explored in documentary and archival footage, and visualized alongside her work.
Episode 10
Ezra Pound
Friends and Critic explores one of the most controversial of American poets-art catalyst, legendary confidant, and author of brilliant poetry-Ezra Pound, his poetry, and his role in the Modernist movement.
Episode 11
Wallace Stevens
Stevens' flamboyant language skills and philosophical vision of American life are beautifully interpreted in archival footage.
Episode 12
Walt Whitman
Brilliant readings of Whitman's poems showcase his American vision and style and vividly convey their poignancy and sheer power. Whitman's sources are revealed, including Emerson, the King James Bible, operas, and political speeches.
Episode 13
William Carlos Williams
"There are no ideas, only in things," Williams' aesthetic maxim seeks to capture, not analyze. Documentaries, interviews, animations, and dramatized collages capture the poet's usual visual work and intense life.