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Poetry Unbound

Poetry Unbound in Conversation — Fady Joudah

Poetry Unbound

On Being Studios

Arts, Relationships, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality, Books, Society & Culture

4.93.9K Ratings

🗓️ 29 May 2026

⏱️ 47 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

From a young age, says Palestinian American poet and physician Fady Joudah, “I had such a fascination with the way the alphabet makes music in the mind.” We are thrilled to offer this thoughtful conversation between Pádraig and Fady, recorded when Fady received the 2024 Jackson Poetry Prize. Fady reads several poems — including two with the same name! — and speaks of how memory, time, history, faith, love, violence, and difference figure in his work. He says, “Ultimately for my existence as a Palestinian in the 20th or 21st century … I am also always, particularly in English, bridging a gap.” We invite you to subscribe to Pádraig’s weekly Poetry Unbound Substack, read the Poetry Unbound books and his newest work, Kitchen Hymns, or listen to all our Poetry Unbound episodes.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi friends, Podrigo Tuma here. Thanks very much for listening to Poetry Unbound. In between Poetry Unbound

0:08.0

seasons and we have season 11 that will start later in 2026. We have a whole host of interviews that I've

0:14.6

done with poets over the last two years. Poetry Unbound in Conversation, we call them. I've loved the

0:20.8

opportunity to talk to poets about their craft,

0:22.6

how they see the world through the lens of poetry,

0:25.6

and what this art form does for them.

0:28.6

These Poetry Unbound in Conversation episodes

0:31.6

deepened my curiosity about language and art.

0:34.6

I trust they will for you too.

0:39.3

Today you'll hear from Fadi Judah, a poet, editor and translator who will take us through

0:45.0

two decades of his poetry back and forth across the boundaries of memory, medicine, mythology,

0:51.8

Palestinian identity and nationality.

0:54.8

He'll also read a long poem, dedication from his most recent collection,

0:59.7

a collection which is often called ellipsis,

1:02.4

though its title is unpronounceable because it's rendered as an ellipsis,

1:07.0

three dots on the cover of the book.

1:09.6

This conversation comes from the Jackson Prize reading

1:12.3

recorded in New York City in September of 2024.

1:16.6

A special thanks to poets and writers

1:18.2

for hosting and organizing this event

1:20.2

and a thanks as well to Melissa Gredel from Poets and Writers

1:23.4

and to the Jackson family for supporting this prize.

...

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