Join Dr. Aaron Parrett's lively breakdown of poetry—the who, what, how, and why—and learn what makes this most ancient of art forms also one of the most resilient.

Educators will find Aaron's discussion of the workings and purpose of poetry a useful foundation for their own poetry units. Each episode is downloadable below for easy use.
Students participating in Poetry Out Loud will find these podcasts invaluable in prepping for competition.

Episode 1 - The What of Poetry
What is poetry? Aaron Parrett illustrates the intricacies of the form, with the Epic of Gilgamesh, dactylic hexameter—and Billy Joel.

Episode 2 - The Why of Poetry

Why is poetry such a powerful art form? Why is memorizing a poem not the same as knowing it by heart? And why is a poem somehow not really a poem until you read it?

Dr. Aaron Parrett teaches English at the University of Providence in Great Falls. He's published articles in history, philosophy, and literary studies. His books include Montana Americana Music (2016), Literary Butte: A History in Novels and Film (2015), and Montana Then and Now (2014). 

In addition to the written word, Dr. Parrett is a prolific musician who performs solo and with a revolving group of collaborators; he has released several albums drawing from the genres of bluegrass, traditional, folk, and other musical forms

Dr. Parrett is also the founder of The Territorial Press, a letterpress studio producing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction using traditional hand-set lead type and vintage cast-iron and steel presses.