Best Jay Leeming Podcasts (2025)

A story from the Irish epic of Finn MacCool (Fionn MacCumhail) brought to life by performance storyteller Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Rilke: "Sometimes a Man Stands Up During Supper" 27:11

Play Pause

1M ago27:11

27:11

An exploration of the poem "Sometimes a man stands up during supper" by Rainer Maria Rilke. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Iliad Deep Dive 46:40

1M ago46:40

46:40

A deep dive into the craft of storytelling with performance storyteller Jay Leeming, exploring the creation of the opening scenes of his version of the Iliad. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Thank You 8:13

2M ago8:13

8:13

www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Episode #122: Draupadi, the Princess Born From a Fire 58:24

2M ago58:24

58:24

A princess born from a fire; a journey to speak with gods at the top of the world; a small boy who remains miraculously alive in an apocalyptic wasteland. These are three stories from the great epic of India known as the Mahabharata, brought to life through words and music by performance storyteller Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.com…

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Ezra Pound: Canto One 39:50

2M ago39:50

39:50

Storyteller and poet Jay Leeming explores canto one of "The Cantos" by the American poet Ezra Pound. Sequoia trees, blood for ghosts, and the dance of Aphrodite amid a shimmer of gold. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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If You Want to Find Out Who You Are 25:47

2M ago25:47

25:47

"If you want to find out who you are, cut off your head and enter the forest." A story out of French alchemy, told and explored by storyteller Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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The Iliad Part Ten: The Burning of the Ships 36:43

3M ago36:43

36:43

It's desperate times for the Greek soldiers as Hector leads his warriors against them, determined to burn their ships and maroon them on the Trojan shore. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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The Iliad, Part Nine: I Will Fight No More 54:22

3M ago54:22

54:22

With Achilles out of the fighting the Trojans drive the Greeks back to the beach, where they all are faced with hard choices as the story of Troy continues. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Gary Snyder: "Mid-August at Sourdough Mountain Lookout" 28:23

4M ago28:23

28:23

An exploration of the American poet Gary Snyder's poem "Mid-August at Sourdough Mountain Lookout" by poet and storyteller Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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The Iliad, Part Eight: The Wrath of Achilles 1:02:57

4M ago1:02:57

1:02:57

What moonlit god comes down to punish the Greeks with his arrows? What stray dog is the first unlikely victim of Agamemnon's wrath, and what the heck is that boat full of onions and cabbages doing in this story? The story of the Iliad continues, as brought to life by performance storyteller Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.com…

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Pablo Neruda: "The Art of Poetry" 21:45

5M ago21:45

21:45

An exploration of Pablo Neruda's poem "The Art of Poetry" by poet, storyteller, and musician Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Robert Frost: "Directive" 29:03

5M ago29:03

29:03

An exploration of Robert Frost's poem "Directive" by poet, storyteller, and musician Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Oisin in the Land of Tir Na Nog 1:00:33

5M ago1:00:33

1:00:33

The epic of the Irish hero Finn MacCool (Fionn MacCumhail) comes to a close in this story brought to life by performance storyteller Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Emily Dickinson: "I heard a fly buzz when I died" 23:35

5M ago23:35

23:35

An exploration of Emily Dickinson's poem "I heard a fly buzz when I died" by poet, storyteller and musician Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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James Wright: "Goodbye to the Poetry of Calcium" 19:10

6M ago19:10

19:10

An exploration of James Wright's poem "Goodbye to the Poetry of Calcium" by poet, storyteller, and musician Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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The Iliad Part Seven: the Greeks Arrive at Troy 1:08:46

6M ago1:08:46

1:08:46

When the Greek army arrives at Troy they encounter Cygnus, the indestructible man, and wrestle with the prophecy of Calchas which says that the first man to step ashore will be the first to die. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Rumi: "The Diver's Clothes Lying Empty" 36:16

7M ago36:16

36:16

An exploration of the poem "The Diver's Clothes Lying Empty" by Jalal al-Din Rumi, as translated by Coleman Barks. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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The Iliad, Part Six: Achilles Among the Dancing Girls 54:07

7M ago54:07

54:07

Before you go to war, it's probably best to spend a year living as a dancing girl on the island of Skyros. That's the wisdom which this beautiful story brings to us, just in time for us to put on our own dancing shoes and sing our way into the deepening wilderness of this epic brought to life by performance storyteller Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.c…

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Just Another Day Getting Struck by Lightning with Frank O'Hara 19:31

8M ago19:31

19:31

An exploration of the poems "To the Harbormaster" and "The Day Lady Died" by Frank O'Hara. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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The Iliad Part Five: The Horse Sacrifice 1:06:24

8M ago1:06:24

1:06:24

When I got to the whispering forest and the dark I thought of the sacrifice of the horse, and how it bound us to the god of the sea and the way the horse's nostrils flared and later by the fire the branches devoured by flame seemed wrinkled ancestors confessing their bright crimes to the rain. www.JayLeeming.com…

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Steve Scafidi Interview: "What if Faulkner is Wrong and We Do Not Endure or Prevail" 31:12

9M ago31:12

31:12

An interview with the poet Steve Scafidi, who reads his poem "What if Faulkner is Wrong and We Do Not Endure or Prevail" and discusses laughter, oblivion, religion, high school, and poetry with host Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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The Iliad, Part Four: Zeus' Wild Daughter 58:19

9M ago58:19

58:19

Achilles is born and narrowly misses his change at immortality; meanwhile a storm drives prince Paris across the sea and to the palace of a particularly wild and beautiful queen. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming

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Sharon Olds: "California Swimming Pool" 23:41

9M ago23:41

23:41

An exploration of the poem "California Swimming Pool," by Sharon Olds. www.JayLeeming.comBy Jay Leeming