Exploring the Poetic Journey of Phillis Levin: An Anthology of Rain

In this episode, Phillis Levin, the author of six poetry collections, offers an in-depth look at her newest book, An Anthology of Rain, published by Barrow Street Press. A “poet’s poet,” Levin discusses her career, including her previous works such as Mr. Memory & Other Poems (Penguin) and her accolades, which include the Poetry Society of America’s Norma Farber First Book Award, a Fulbright Scholar Award, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Phillis shares her creative process, her inspirations drawn from her childhood, and her experiences traveling around the world, including her time spent in Slovenia and Japan. She also reflects on the significance of poetry in different cultures and offers insights on the importance of “cleaning the palate” in her writing routine. The episode concludes with Phillis’s reading of the title poem, “An Anthology of Rain,” providing a glimpse into her intricate and profound poetic voice.

About Phillis Levin

Phillis Levin is the author of An Anthology of Rain (Barrow Street Press, 2025), her sixth collection, available in paperback and e-book. 

Phillis Levin is a singular poet known for her lyricism. Her fifth collection, Mr. Memory & Other Poems (Penguin), was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and received a starred review from Library Journal, which also named the book one of its Top Picks of the Year in Poetry. Phillis is also the editor of The Penguin Book of the Sonnet and the recipient of several prizes, including the Poetry Society of America's Norma Farber First Book Award for Temples and Fields (University of Georgia Press). A Guggenheim Fellow, Phillis has also received a Fulbright Scholar Award and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Website: https://phillislevin.com 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/phillis-levin 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillislevinpoet/ 

Amazon: https://a.co/d/2GDrKkv 

About Christi Cassidy

Christi Cassidy is the host of Moving Along (https://movingalongpodcast.com), a podcast about travel, relocation and life transitions. She has worked in book publishing as a publicist, licensing director and freelance editor (https://editmaven.com) for 35+ years. She has an M.F.A. in poetry from Columbia University. She lives in the Hudson Valley just north of New York City.