In an interview with Studs Terkel, Buddhist monk, peace activist, and poet Thich Nhat Hanh. The conversation focuses on the devastating effects of the Vietnam War; they discuss the loss of culture and poetry in Vietnam, the anti-war protestors in America and Vietnam, and the sadness and resignation of the Vietnamese. Thich Nhat Hanh talks about America’s role in the war, and his experiences campaigning for peace in the United States and speaking with U.S. anti-war veterans.

Reading short stories and poems

Terkel comments and reads poetry with Gary Merrill

Rose Styron and Studs read works by exiled writers and performers and discuss Amnesty International.

Interviewing poet Paul Carroll.Excerpt of WFMT tape with Gregory Corso, etc. 1/1959.

Studs Terkel interviews composer Ned Rorem. They discuss Rorem's childhood, music, poetry, languages, and religion.

Poet and editor Michael Anania discusses his poetry collection, “The Color of Dust” and reads selected works from the collection. Anania discusses Midwest history and geography and his own Nebraska roots as influences on the work and its themes of love, war, and social issues. Episode includes relevant music and theatrical recordings, including “Immortality” read by William Jennings Bryan, “Rake and Rambling Boy,” Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love,” “Dust Bowl Refugee” by Woody Guthrie, and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

Canadian poet and novelist Margaret Atwood discusses her poetry and her first novel, “Surfacing,” focusing on the novel’s symbolism and the themes of nature, religion and memory. She compares life, attitudes, and politics in Canada with those of the United States.

Includes Lawrence Ferlinghetti reading and discussing his poems from his books "A Coney Island State of Mind" and "Big Table."

Janis Ian discusses her career, life, and her songs. The songs she talks about are "Society's Child", "Janey's Blues", "Honey D'Ya Think", "There Are Times", "Shady Acres", and "Lonely One". Janis Ian also discusses society, race relations, and responsibility. Includes Studs Terkel reading Janis Ian's poem "Poem One". Includes Janis Ian reading her poem.

Interviewing Chicago poets Patricia Smith, Luis Rodriguez, and Michael Warr.

Discussing Illinois, its prairies, rivers and cities through music and poetry with singer and poet Marita Brake and documentary photographer Rhondal McKinney.

Discussing book of poetry "Words of War," with teacher Allen D. Glenn and students Rhonda Freeman and Anthony Espinosa.