John reads a monologue from Henrik Ibsen’s play “An Enemy of the People.” He discusses partisan corruption, the end of right and truth, and rereading Ibsen as Minneapolis became a battleground. youtu.be/YyzW_jVWZuA?...

John reads the lyrics to the Cuban folk song "Guantanamera." He discusses its composition, the distinguished history of political refugees in the U.S., and why the poet José Marti was a bad bunny. open.substack.com/pub/johntess...

Witness everything.

On multilingualism and immigrant communities. youtu.be/X1eHtxxMZX8?...

Even if there’s a detente over Greenland, the last few weeks spell real trouble for the planet. johntessitore.substack.com/p/theres-gol...

A small contribution in a moment of crisis. youtu.be/244X53NtDdI?...

🪨 See what happens when you try to cheat death! Sisyphus was a king from Greek mythology. Though he pulled many tricks in his life, his greatest was escaping death - twice!

🎶 In her song ‘Cassandra’, Taylor Swift sings, “So they killed Cassandra first ‘cause she feared the worst / And tried to tell the town”. But who is Cassandra, and what does she have to do with Swift’s feud with Kimye?

Thank you @rawheadjournal.bsky.social for publishing my weird Poe poem in your special Halloween issue, Bloody Bones. Not often that a dramatic monologue finds a home. Check out the whole issue! rawheadjournal.org/rawhead-pres...

In this one, The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, the rights we defend…and the eerie echoes of King George III in 21st century America. youtu.be/yaxCGIA4hts?...

Have you heard? Censorship is /so/ 1984. Take action throughout #BannedBooksWeek and on its conclusion, #LetFreedomReadDay, on Saturday, 10/11. Let's #UniteAgainstBookBans and fight to make censorship a thing of the past—where it belongs! Learn more: uniteagainstbookbans.org/let-freedom-read-day

In this one, The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, the rights we defend…and the eerie echoes of King George III in 21st century America. youtu.be/yaxCGIA4hts?...

Thanks to @rawheadjournal.bsky.social for publishing this one. You can find Be True wherever you find your podcasts or visit linktr.ee/jtessitorewr.... #betrue #poetrypodcast #poetry #johntessitore #scholarship #research #goodandbad #humanism #ihavefriendseverywhere

Thanks to @rawheadjournal.bsky.social for publishing this one. You can find Be True wherever you find your podcasts or visit linktr.ee/jtessitorewr.... #betrue #poetrypodcast #poetry #johntessitore #scholarship #research #goodandbad #humanism #ihavefriendseverywhere

You can find Be True wherever you find your podcasts, or visit linktr.ee/jtessitorewr... #poetry #poetrypodcast #betrue #cavafy #cities #immigrantstories #johntessitore #ihavefriendseverywhere

You can find Be True wherever you find your podcasts, or visit linktr.ee/jtessitorewr... #poetry #poetrypodcast #betrue #cavafy #cities #immigrantstories #johntessitore #ihavefriendseverywhere

In this one I read “Chicago,” a poem by Carl Sandburg. I also discuss the changing fashions of American literature, and the dangers of cynicism, and celebrate the complicated diversity of American cities. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

In this one I read “Chicago,” a poem by Carl Sandburg. I also discuss the changing fashions of American literature, and the dangers of cynicism, and celebrate the complicated diversity of American cities. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

For more visit linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

In this episode of my podcast Be True, I read "There's a certain slant of light," a poem by Emily Dickinson. I also discuss the joy of experiencing poetry rather than explaining poetry, and (bonus!) I do a bad Bob Dylan impression. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

In this episode of my podcast Be True, I read "There's a certain slant of light," a poem by Emily Dickinson. I also discuss the joy of experiencing poetry rather than explaining poetry, and (bonus!) I do a bad Bob Dylan impression. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

Be True, Episode 108: Restless Wanderers on the Earth In this one I read the poem “Thy Brother’s Blood” by Jones Very. I also discuss the poetry of transcendence, voices of outcasts, the tradition of American messiahs, and the future of American weirdness. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

Be True, Episode 108: Restless Wanderers on the Earth In this one I read the poem “Thy Brother’s Blood” by Jones Very. I also discuss the poetry of transcendence, voices of outcasts, the tradition of American messiahs, and the future of American weirdness. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

This is really about some of the things I’ve published in 2025 and why. You know the world’s a mess when my tone is comparatively “quiet.” open.substack.com/pub/johntess...

Quick, Americans. Name that document!

This is really about some of the things I’ve published in 2025 and why. You know the world’s a mess when my tone is comparatively “quiet.” open.substack.com/pub/johntess...

This episode is important to me. In it, I read Queen Hecuba’s speech of mourning from The Trojan Women, a play by Euripides. I also discuss the fear that drives violence, power’s war on children, and why protest is always too late. Available on most podcasts or linktr.ee/jtessitorewr....

This episode is important to me. In it, I read Queen Hecuba’s speech of mourning from The Trojan Women, a play by Euripides. I also discuss the fear that drives violence, power’s war on children, and why protest is always too late. Available on most podcasts or linktr.ee/jtessitorewr....

In Episode 106 of my podcast Be True, I read my poem "Salvator Mundi,” originally published in The Paradox. I also discuss the challenges of faith and authenticity, the world's most expensive painting, the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci, and the mystery of being human. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

In Episode 106 of my podcast Be True, I read my poem "Salvator Mundi,” originally published in The Paradox. I also discuss the challenges of faith and authenticity, the world's most expensive painting, the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci, and the mystery of being human. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

In Episode 105 of Be True, “People Trying to Stay Alive,” I read “Returning, We Hear the Larks,” a poem by Isaac Rosenberg, written during World War I. I also discuss the heroism of immigrants, the challenges of “identity,” and surviving a war zone. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

In Episode 105 of Be True, “People Trying to Stay Alive,” I read “Returning, We Hear the Larks,” a poem by Isaac Rosenberg, written during World War I. I also discuss the heroism of immigrants, the challenges of “identity,” and surviving a war zone. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

An extraordinary surprise today. Two of my poems published by The Paradox. “Secatogue” is about place and home, among other things. “Salvador Mundi” is about faith and the world’s most expensive painting, among other things. Check them out at theparadoxmagazine.com.

An extraordinary surprise today. Two of my poems published by The Paradox. “Secatogue” is about place and home, among other things. “Salvador Mundi” is about faith and the world’s most expensive painting, among other things. Check them out at theparadoxmagazine.com.

In this episode of my podcast Be True, I read two poems by Langston Hughes, “Summer Night” and “Poem for Youth.” I also discuss marginalization, the silent invisibility of the powerless, and the human yearning for freedom and joy. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

In this episode of my podcast Be True, I read two poems by Langston Hughes, “Summer Night” and “Poem for Youth.” I also discuss marginalization, the silent invisibility of the powerless, and the human yearning for freedom and joy. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

Episode 103 of Be True, “How it started, how it’s going.” Wherever you get your podcasts. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

Episode 103 of Be True, “How it started, how it’s going.” Wherever you get your podcasts. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...

Thank you my friend! So glad it meant something to you!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️

Brand new…https://linktr.ee/jtessitorewriter

“When people say things like, ‘It's not a book ban, we just removed it from the school library... In some cases, removing that book from that one place of access is effectively erasing the book altogether from that young person’s life.” @bklynlibrary.bsky.social @edsurge.com #UniteAgainstBookBans

Brand new…https://linktr.ee/jtessitorewriter

This one’s about social media and my first chapbook-length poem, and my country. linktr.ee/jtessitorewr...