Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet Laureate of Illinois, talks about her poetry, her books, and some of her influences.

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.

Poet Lucien Stryk discusses Zen poetry and Zen philosophy. Styrk focuses this conversation on “Satori," a Buddhist term for “the awakening”, and its influence on Zen philosophy. Styrk also discusses and reads from a book edited by him and Takashi Ikemoto entitled "Zen: Poems, Prayers, Sermons, Anecdotes, Interviews." Stryk reads a poem from “Triumph of the Sparrow” by Shinkichi Takahashi. Studs plays "His Eye is on the Sparrow" - Mahalia Jackson (1958).

Reading from China diary

Writers Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs discuss life and their writing; passages from their writing are read by the authors and clip is played of interview with Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, and Peter Orlovsky.