Notes from the Podcast
and
links to episodes
from The Creek Studio, Morehead KY
1: Glimmering
(Jan, 2021)
To kick off the new podcast, we explore the theme "Glimmering," inspired by a line from DH Lawrence. The show rundown includes:
"Soldiers Home" (song, John Modaff)
"Noir by Night" (short story, Lynn C. Miller),
"Raymond Chandler Drafts My Obit" (poem, Scott Wiggerman)
"River Roses" (musical arr. Phil Schmidt and John Modaff)
"Alone" (poem, Edgar Allen Poe)
Theme and incidental music by jvm.
2: The In-Between
(Feb, 2021)
Lynn & John take the show down the rabbit hole this episode, performing and discussing pieces that explore the liminal zones of life:
Alice Chats up a Cat (excerpt from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll)
The 10th Hour (song, John Modaff)
The Unmasking (novel excerpt and commentary, Lynn C. Miller)
Anatomy of Silences (poem, Tina Carlson)
The Sisters (poem, Hilda Raz)
Saturday's Child (song, John Modaff)
Podcast artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and incidental music by jvm
Musical support:
Saturday's Child,
Mandolin and lead guitar: Daniel P. Modaff
Cello and viola, David R. Merrill
3: CARNIVAL: The Human Comedy (early March, 2021)
Lynn & John wander a carnival of amusing oddities as humans struggle with being human:
The Importance of Being Earnest (excerpt, Oscar Wilde)
Wander (song, jvm)
Is It Really You? (story excerpt, Lynn C. Miller)
Meet & Greet (song, Red Fire)
The Salesman (poem, Jon Kelly Yenser)
Good Gossip (song, jvm)
Episode Artwork: Doug Ring.
Theme and Incidental music by jvm, Red Fire,
and David R. Merrill.
Harmonica on Good Gossip by
Kentucky Colonel Steven Middleton.
4: Romance, Love & Marriage (late March, 2021)
Which of the three comes first? Does it matter? Penetrating questions are addressed through performance and patter as the TUM team tackles the ancient triumvirate...
Excerpt from The Age of Innocence, a novel by Edith Wharton, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1920
“What I Married Into” poem by Barbara Rockman, from To Cleave, University of New Mexico Press, 2019
"More Than A Line" song by John Modaff, title track for Good Enough's album.
“Other Married People,” short story by Lynn C. Miller, www.lynncmiller.com
"You Intoxicate Me" by Daniel Bugli & T Bone Kelly, recorded in France, performed by TBone Kelly
“That Subtle Knot” poem by David Meischen, from Anyone’s Son, 3: A Taos Press, 2020
"High Class" song by John Modaff, from the Good Enough album More Than A Line
musical assistance from Daniel P. Modaff, banjo and lead guitar on "High Class."
5: Home
(April, 2021)
Is it place? Is it people? Is it the planet? Lynn and John muster stories, songs, poems and patter as they explore the theme of Home...
(Our sincere thanks to all contributors, even Henrik Ibsen, who might be beyond caring. )
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
A Doll's House, play excerpt, by Henrik Ibsen
Up & Left, a song by Mark E. Collins and John Modaff (on Good Enough, More Than A Line)
Pale Blue, excerpt of a story by Lynn C. Miller
The Company That Keeps Me, a poem by Sarah Kotchian*
Dakota Plains, a song by Dan Modaff and Mark E. Collins, performed by Good Enough
Luminescent, a poem by Katherine DiBella Seluja
You Breathin' Low, song by John Modaff
*music bed Amelia's Waltz, by David R. Merrill, composer of this episode's break music
Thanks to Dan Modaff, mandolin on Up & Left
Show theme "Over the Creek" and incidental music by jvm.
6: Art Against the Madness
(May, 2021)
From Oz to grocery roofs to bizarre coincidence, from Egyptian goddesses to the birth of a pearl nebula, and then back to rainbows...Lynn & John explore the workings of Art Against the Madness.
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
The Wizard of Oz, (L. Frank Baum, 1900)
Teaser from From The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum, 1900
The Roof of the Jewel a song by John Modaff, (2020)
“Advice to a Stalker of Sekhmet, from Ra, Who Understands Her Best” poem by Mikki Aronoff, published in ABQ inPrint #3, 2019 Bosque Press
“Coincidence,” short story by Lynn C. Miller, part of collection in progress “Inside the Archive.” www.lynncmiller.com
Dance a song by Dave Merrill, (1997)
“Pearl Nebula,” poem by Jack Cooper from his collection Across my Silence: https://www.amazon.com/Across-My-Silence-Jack-Cooper/dp/1934209376 and
Rainbow Song by Larry Modaff, with Good Enough on the CD TOO, (2000)
Theme and incidental music by John Modaff
Thank you to Dave Merrill for guitar accents on Roof of the Jewel
7: The Shadow
(June, 2021)
Lynn and John dive into the intriguing world of polarities, the stars in the night sky, and the shadowy side of human nature. Can we perceive light without darkness? Only The Shadow knows…
Episode art work by Lynda Miller
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1886, excerpt.
“EmmaJo,” song by John Modaff.
“Pursuit,” poem by Scott Wiggerman, (http://swig.tripod.com) .Originally published in ABQ inPrint #3, 2019, www.bosquepress.com
“The Shadow Mirror,” story by Lynn C. Miller, in press in ABQ inPrint #5, 2021 (and part of collection “Inside the Archive,” in process): www.bosquepress.com and www.lynncmiller.com
"Lost In My Own Mind," by willows (LouRae Stacy & Jonathan Modaff)
“First Light,” poem by Susan Aizenberg, first published in bosque #8, 2018, now published in Gibraltar Editions chapbook. See more from Susan at: https://susanaizenberg.wordpress.com; order from https://www.prairielights.com
“Shadows and Clouds,” song by John Modaff, performed with Good Enough.
Podcast theme and incidental music by John V Modaff. Music for "First Light" adapted by jvm without remorse from Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition.
8: The Journey (July, 2021)
Unruly wayfarers, unite! Lynn and John follow a number of the paths on this journey called life in The Journey.
Show artwork, Lynda Miller
Teaser, excerpt from Leaves of Grass Walt Whitman, 1855
"Time to Go," song by John V Modaff, 2005, performed with Good Enough on More Than A Line
"Fade and Erase," poem by Timothy Schaffert, https://www.unl.edu/english/timothy-schaffert; https://theperfumethief.com
Excerpt from The Fool's Journey by Lynn C. Miller, 2002, https://www.amazon.com/Fools-Journey-Lynn-C-Miller/dp/0970152582 or email lynn@lynncmiller.com for a signed copy. www.lynncmiller.com
Break music "Blue Rein" by Mike Glass, on The Delvers CD Highway Song, 2015
"Wanderlust," song by David R. Merrill, 2015, performed with The Delvers, Highway Song, 2015
"Cool Hands," song by John V Modaff, 1983, performed with Good Enough, on Yes It Is 1998
Show #9 theme: What is Work?
9. What Is Work? (August, 2021)
The Unruly Duo trips down the twisty road of WORK: How can we think of work without considering play? Sometimes work is sustenance and at others a joy. In the end do we dream about a ‘labor of love’––work as passion and reward? And let’s not forget the question of how work gives us our identity…or takes it away.
Teaser: Sinclair Lewis, American writer, 1915, “The Trail of the Hawk: A Comedy of the Seriousness of Life”
Song 1: Good Time written and performed by John V. Modaff
Poem 1: “Reasons the Suggestion Box Has Been Removed” by Carrie Shipers. Carrie teaches higher ed. In Providence, RI. This poem first appeared in bosque journal #6, 2016: www.bosquepress.com. https://www.carrieshipers.com/
Short story: adaptation of “Regret” by Lynn C. Miller from a collection in process “Inside the Archive.” www.lynncmiller.com
Poem 2: “Broadcast” by Kelly Yenser from The News as Usual, UNM Press. A new collection is forthcoming, WALKING UPHILL AT NOON. https://www.unmpress.com/books/news-usual/9780826360205
Song 2: Technology Run written and performed by David R. Merrill
Theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Next up on episode 10: “Landscapes Real and Imagined”
10: Landscape: Real & Imagined (Oct. 2021)
John and Lynn travel down the deep roots of LANDSCAPE to find perspective: Why are some scapes so evocative? Is it stronger in the memory or in the ‘real’? How does it ground key moments of our lives and shape our dreams, and sometimes, nightmares?
Teaser: from a journal entry by Henry David Thoreau, American author, 1859.
Song 1: “Blue Train” by John V. Modaff, from the cd
POD ONE
Poem 1: “Letter from a Place I’ve Never Been,” title poem of Hilda Raz’s New and Collected Poems, University of Nebraska Press, 2021. https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/search/?keyword=Letter+from+a+Place+I%27ve+Never+Geen
Fiction: Excerpt from the novel, The Day After Death, by Lynn C. Miller, 2016 https://www.unmpress.com/books/day-after-death/9780826356680 and www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat break: "Snow Day," composed and performed by David R. Merrill
Poem 2: “Night Braille,” by Sarah Kotchian. ABQ inPrint #5, 2021: www.bosquepress.com
Song 2: “White Pines” by David R. Merrill with The Delvers, from the cd Highway Song.
Theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
N e x t u p o n e p i s o d e 11 : “T h e P a s t”
11: The Past (Nov. 2021)
The Unruly Muse team takes a dip into some of the many meanings of ‘the past.’ Are all of our yesterdays right here with us? Are they just piling up behind us or in front of us, too? If only we knew. Perception is all.
Teaser*: excerpts from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925.
Song 1: History, Mystery, Love by John V. Modaff
Poem 1: “Girl with Red Scarf” by Barbara Rockman, published in bosque journal, issue #7, 2017. www.bosquepress.com
Story: “The Dead Know” by Lynn C. Miller, part of “Inside the Archive” story collection, publication TBA. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat break music by John V. Modaff*
Poem 2: “West Mesa Murders: Seven Years Later,” by Tina Carlson, published in bosque journal, issue #6, 2016. www.bosquepress.com
Song 2: Time Is Telling by John V. Modaff
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
*Thanks to zapsplat.com for jovial human noises
N e x t u p o n e p i s o d e 12 : “T h e City”
12: The City (Jan, 2022)
The Unruly duo speculates about the many attractions and cautionary tales in the city. How do our great cities mark our lives? What are some of the ways that they serve as both magnet and repellent to our many desires, ambitions, and dreams? Triumph and disaster follow us around the corners, in the cafes, and on the boulevards of The City.
EPISODE NOTES
Teaser: Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945), American novelist, author of Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy, on New York City.
Song 1: “Old Joe,” written and performed by John V. Modaff.
Poem 1: “Halifax, 1917, Then and Never Again,” by Sandra Yanonne from Boats for Women, 2019, Salmon Poetry.
Short Story: excerpt from “Words Shimmer” by Lynn C. Miller, Chautauqua Journal, 2016. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: song “New York,” arranged and performed by Tbone Kelly, from Druidbone; Cast an Irish Circle, 2001 based on AE (George Russell) poems about New York and The Cities, Macmillan 1935.
Poem 2: “Passerby” by Jack Cooper, from Across My Silence, 2007, World Audience, Inc. Jack Cooper
Song 2: “Why Not?” written and performed by John V. Modaff.
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental Music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY. Produced at The Creek Studio.
NEXT UP: The Unruly Muse #13: “Superstition”
13. Superstition (Feb, 2022)
The Unruly team plunges into the murky world of superstition, taking cues from Greek times, to the 19th century, and onward into the 21st. Irrationality, witchcraft, seances, favorite curses and sayings: superstition is a reaction to our lack of control at times and at others defiance against realities we'd rather not face. A little salt thrown over the shoulder will blind the devil…
EPISODE NOTES:
Thoughts on superstition from Hypatia, first documented female mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher. Born 350-370––died 415 AD.
Song 1: Step On a Crack, written and performed by John V. Modaff (Dave Merrill on harmonica. Jonathan Modaff on piano/synth.)
Poem 1: “After Reading the News this Morning, I Turn to the Curses of My Ancestors: A Found Poem” by Susan Aizenberg from her chapbook First Light (Gilbraltar Editions, 2020). Susan hails from Iowa City, IA. susanaizenberg.wordpress.com
Novel excerpt: “The Séance” from Death of a Department Chair by Lynn C. Miller. University of Wisconsin Press, 2006. https://www.lynncmiller.com/book/death-of-a-department-chair/
Feed the Cat Break, music and sound by John V. Modaff
Poem 2: “Old Matthew’s Last Words,” adapted from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The House of the Seven Gables, 1851.
Song 2: Where You going? Written and performed by John V. Modaff
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental Music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY. Produced at The Creek Studio.
NEXT UP: The Unruly Muse #14: “Dreams”
14. Dreams (March, 2022)
The Unruly duo takes a lark through the territories of Dreams, from psychic disturbances to desires deferred. Do dreams provide fertile ground for creativity? Do they recycle the present and past? Do they forecast the future? What can dreams do to us and for us?
Teaser: Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), abolitionist and suffragist on Dreams.
Song 1: Just A Few of the Notes (Paul Nickels & jvm)
Poem 1: “Earth’s Shadow” by Claudia Putnam from THE LAND OF STONE AND RIVER in press 2022 from Moon City Press. https://claudiaputnam.com/
Story: “Pueblo Luna” by Lynn C. Miller, forthcoming in the collection THE LOST ARCHIVE from the University of Wisconsin Press, 2023. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break music: "Middle Ground” by David R. Merrill
Poem 2: “Radish Dreams” by Mikki Aronoff, published in bosque 9, 2019 Bosque Press. www.bosquepress.com
Song 2: Winters End (David R. Merrill)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental Music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY. Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead
NEXT UP: The Unruly Muse #15: “Conversation”
15. Conversation (April, 2022)
To paraphrase Raymond Carver’s famous story, John and Lynn somersault into What Do You Talk About When You Talk About Talk? In this episode: What do people reveal or hide with their words? What are the ways we converse? Why do we need conversation?
Teaser: Guy de Maupassant (1850-1853), master of the short story, on conversation.
Song 1: “Talking to Headstones” (JVM)
Poem 1: “Quickening” by Elise McHugh, Albuquerque poet and editor, published in bosque journal, issue #5. http://bosquepress.com/book-series/bosque-journal/
Short Story excerpt “How Much Is Enough?” forthcoming in the collection THE LOST ARCHIVE from the University of Wisconsin Press, 2023. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: Indigenous Tuna by TBone Kelly
Poem 2: “You Went to the Prado,” by Jon Kelly Yenser, from the collection Walking Uphill at Noon: poems, University of New Mexico Presss, 2022. https://unmpress.com/search?keywords=Walking+Uphill+at+Noon
Song 2: “Hold My Hand” (Dan Modaff with Good Enough, on the cd TOO).
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental Music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY. Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: The Unruly Muse #16: “THE COUNTRY”
16. The Country (May, 2022)
The Unrulies take a spin down the gravel roads and winding curves of the country. Much beauty awaits them, but what lies beneath? Social isolation lurks as well as freedom. And what about the lack of accountability if no one sees what occurs? Yet social rituals endure, and the liberation of children playing in the river. The country is deep, like the sky.
Teaser: Opposite takes on the country by Emily Bronte in Wuthering Heights (1847) and Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (stories written 1887-1927).
Song 1: “Saturday” (JVM with Dave Merrill and Dan Modaff)
Poem 1: “Memorial Day” by Julie Williams, Minneapolis-based poet,novelist, and visual artist. Escaping Tornado Season, HarperCollins 2004,
Drama Queens in the House, Roaring Brook/Macmillan, 2014
Story excerpt: “A Winter Heart” by Lynn C. Miller, from a book of linked stories in progress. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the cat break—music by JVM, "Park Bench"
Poem 2: “River-Mind” by Priscilla Long published in bosque 6
(www.bosquepress.com). Her book Holy Magic won the Sally Abiso award from MoonPath Press. www.priscillalong.com
Song 2: “Georgia Pacific 219” sung by Dan Modaff (Dan, John & Larry Modaff, Good Enough cd: Dakota Plains)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY. Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: The Unruly Muse #17: “In/Sanity”
17. In/Sanity (June, 2022)
The Unruly Ones straddle the line as they explore sanity and insanity. Most of us live in a world of everyday crazy. Our minds aren’t easy to control. Do we call people and things crazy because they surprise us or because we have no category in which to put them? Life is pretty crazy under most circumstances, but especially in 2022, in/sanity depends as so much else on the eye of the beholder.
EPISODE NOTES
Teaser: Oscar Wilde and Agatha Christie on in/sanity
Song 1: “Kind of Crazy” written and performed by JVM with Dan Modaff on mandolin
Poem 1: “Meditation“ by Hilda Raz. Published in Letters from a Place I’ve Never Been: Collected and New Poems. University of Nebraska Press, 2021. https://hildaraz.com/
Short Story: “Flight,” by Lynn C. Miller. Forthcoming in The Lost Archive: Stories, University of Wisconsin Press, 2023. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: “Dawgie’s Tale” by JVM
Poem 2: “Monster” by Tina Carlson. Published in ABQ inPrint issue 5. Her new collection, A Guide to Tongue Tie Surgery, is forthcoming from the University of New Mexico Press in 2023.
Song 2: “Tried to Be Cold” written and performed by JVM
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead
NEXT UP: Episode 18, “Closets”
18. Closets (August, 2022)
EPISODE SUMMARY
Closets have a big job: we all keep secrets or store parts of our lives out of view at various times. John and Lynn tackle the intriguing world of the closet in domestic and public spheres. One person’s secret can be another’s treasure. Relational, sexual, socio-economic, cultural closets abound. How does The Closet help us manage our lives?
EPISODE NOTES
Teaser: Quotes by George Bernard Shaw, Henry Van Dyke, Jeremiah Brent, and Roald Dahl on closets and secrets.
Song 1: “Ballad of Mollie Bean” written and performed by John V. Modaff, with Dan Modaff on mandolin
Poem 1: “The Last Detail” by Jack Cooper. Published by Bosque Press in ABQ inPrint #5, Fall, 2021. www.bosquepress.com
Fiction: excerpt from “The Surrogate,” a novel-in-progress by Lynn C. Miller. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat break: acoustic guitar by Chris Geyerman with jvm on piano
Poem 2: “Dear Husband from Afar” by Barbara Rockman. From the collection to cleave, published by UNM Press, 2019. The poet says: “I was literally afar at a three-week artists' residency at Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida; my husband was home in New Mexico.”
Song 2: “Closets Gonna Sing” by JVM, harmonicas courtesy of Dave Merrill
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead
NEXT UP: Episode 19, “Faith”
19. Faith (Sept, 2022)
EPISODE SUMMARY
The Unrulies float down the river of Faith, navigating the waters of trust, belief, relationship, and religion and how they all flow together. In a time when we are surrounded by so little certainty, we wonder: without faith, how does anyone live or trust or love? We humans need hope to carry on, and to dream…
EPISODE NOTES
Teaser: Quotes from J.M. Barrie, Edgar Allen Poe, and the Buddha on faith and doubt.
Song 1: “To JC and the Boys” John V. Modaff with Dan Modaff on banjo and mandolin accompaniment.
Poem 1: “Doubting Tho mas” by Scott Wiggerman, Albuquerque poet and co-founder of Los Gatos Press.
Fiction: excerpt from story, “How Did You Know It Was Time to Go?” published in Articulated Short Story Anthology, 2016 and forthcoming in THE LOST ARCHIVE in Spring, 2023. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat break: music by Dave Merrill, intro to Wolf Town
Poem 2: “My Grandmother Told the Story This Way” by Katherine Seluja, forthcoming in her new collection Point of Entry, UNM Press, 2023.
Song 2: “With You” by John V Modaff and Good Enough from the CD More Than A Line. (2018)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead.
NEXT UP: Episode 20, “Memory”
20. Memory (Oct, 2022)
EPISODE SUMMARY
The Unruly duo navigates the shoals of memory, occasionally running aground on forgetting and denial. Our memories make us human, allowing us to build on experience and relationship. Do memories or lack of them protect us, nurture us, or comfort us? Is denial a gatekeeper that allows us wall off disturbing events in a volatile world? “I remember” has a power all its own.
EPISODE NOTES
Teaser: Quotes from Louise Glück and Milan Kundera
Song 1: “Two Trains” by written and performed by John V. Modaff and Good Enough from the CD More Than A Line. (2018)
Poem 1: “All That Is Made” by Sarah Kotchian, published in ABQ inPrint #6, fall, 2022. www.bosquepress.com. Her new book, Light of Wings, will come out in 2024.
Short story, “Remember?” by Lynn C. Miller. Her new collection of stories, The Lost Archive, will come in 2023. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: “Park Bench,” recollections of a certain bench at water’s edge on a warm day of rain by JVM.
Poem 2: “There’s Another Story I tell Myself So I Won’t Forget,” by Julie Williams from her novel-in-poems Escaping Tornado Season, Harper, 2004.
Song 2: “The Wounded,” written and sung by T. Bone Kelly, second verse drawn from “The Wound” by the warrior poet Dermot O’Neill.
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff.
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY. Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead.
NEXT UP: “Youth and Age”
21. Youth and Age (Nov, 2022)
Episode Summary
Youth and age flow together but there is a tension: all who are older have been young, yet the young do not know what’s it like to be old. John and Lynn tiptoe into the sensations, the experience, and the bittersweet experience of both conditions. Are the young oblivious to the demands of time or just in a present that seems unending? How do those who feel their aging look back on their younger selves and accept where they are now?
Episode Notes
Teaser: Quotes from Oscar Wilde, Arthur C. Clarke, and Ernest Hemingway
Song 1: Generic Protest Song (by jvm, performed by John Modaff & Dan Modaff)
Poem 1: “Eleanor Can’t Sleep” by Susan Aizenberg, published in ABQ inPrint #6, Fall, 2022. Susan lives in Iowa City, IA. She has a new collection, A Walk With Frank O’Hara and Other Poems, in press from the University of New Mexico Press. susanaizenberg.wordpress.com
Short Story: “Standing in the Light” by Lynn C. Miller. Her new collection of stories, The Lost Archive, will be published in March, 2023 by the University of Wisconsin Press. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: “Asteroid Belt” by Dave Merrill
Poem 2: “Swimming Lesson” by Mikki Aronoff, published in Value: Essays, Stories & Poems by Women of a Certain Age, March, 2017.
Song 2: “Gardener” by Dave Merrill
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead.
NEXT UP: Food for Thought
22. Food for Thought (Dec 2022)
Episode Summary
Just in time for holiday celebrations the Unrulies nosh their way through the ways food lubricates our ways of relating, sharing, nurturing, and relaying culture. How do families pass food and the memories of food through the generations? Food metaphors permeate our language and our thinking from ancient times to the present. Bon appétit!
Epsiode Notes
Teaser: Quotes from Ernestine Ulmer, Julia Child, and Maya Angelou
Song 1: Shaving Cream Eyes (Robert Hopper; played by JVM and Dan Modaff)
Poem 1: “One Toe Crooked” by Hilda Raz. Published in Letters from a Place I’ve Never Been: Collected and New Poems. University of Nebraska Press, 2021. https://hildaraz.com/
Short Story: “Old Vines” by Lynn C. Miller. Forthcoming in the collection The Lost Archive, University of Wisconsin Press, April, 2023.
Feed the Cat break: a cut of Baby Fat by T-bone Kelly from his CD Toast
Poem 2: “Carciofo” by Katherine DiBella Seluja. Published in bosque journal #8, 2008 and forthcoming in Point of Entry, UNM Press, 2023.
Song 2: Platter of Love (JVM)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
NEXT UP: Episode 23, “Collecting”
23. Collecting (January, 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
Human beings collect things, people, memories and all manner of ‘stuff.’ John and Lynn tiptoe among the objects, memorabilia, and discards to consider why folks collect. Does the act of collecting ward off fears of obsolescence and death? What do we leave behind that defines us even if we feel invisible? Can one choose to declutter and resist? Collecting is truly Unruly!
EPISODE NOTES
Teasers by Albert Einstein, Sylvia Plath, and Mackenzie Finklea
Song 1: Froney’s Museum (composed and performed by John Modaff with Dan Modaff on mandolin and solo guitar)
Poem 1: “The Invisible Woman” by Julie Williams (2013), from her collection in progress. Author of Escaping Tornado Season (a novel in poems) and Drama Queens in the House.
Short Story: excerpt from “Archival Footage” by Lynn C. Miller from her collection The Lost Archive (April, 2023, U of Wisconsin Press). https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm
Feed the Cat Break: Snow Day (composed and performed by Dave Merrill)
Poem 2: “Suddenly My Life” by Jack Cooper. Author of Across My Silence, 2007, World Audience, Inc.
Song 2: Your Wall (composed and performed by John Modaff)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY. Produced at The Creek Studio.
NEXT UP: Episode 24, What is Magic?
24. What Is Magic? (Feb. 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
The Unruly Duo jumps down the rabbit hole in pursuit of magic. Humans crave magical moments in their lives but what is magical to one person might be bizarre to another. Magic is unpredictable and often unplanned: the magical sunset, the magical moment, the magical connection. What are some of the ways we stay open to the unexpected and timeless moments that transform ordinary living to the sublime?
EPISODE NOTES
Song 1: Magic Word composed and performed by John V. Modaff. Viola by Dave Merrill.
Poem 1: “Abracadabra” by Sarah Kotchian. Published in ABQ inPrint issue #3, 2019. www.bosquepress.com Her new book, Light of Wings, will come out in 2024.
Short story, “Simply Magic,” by Lynn C. Miller. Her new collection, The Lost Archive, comes out in April, 2023: https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm
Feed the Cat Break: Ride by Dave Merrill.
Poem 2: “At Home” by Mark Sanders. Mark lives in Nacogdoches, TX and teaches at Stephen F. Austin University. https://sandersme1.wixsite.com/mark-sanders/
Song 2: Blue River composed and performed by JVM.
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio.
NEXT UP: Episode 25, Strange Encounters
25. Strange Encounters, (March 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
“Strange” can describe a different view of an everyday occurrence or a person we know well or have never met. Perspective is all. The Unruly Musers pluck out a few moments that capture aspects of the strange to share with you and hope you’ll add your own as you listen. One thing we agree upon: life would be poorer without strange encounters leavening the quotidian.
Teasers: Ernest Hemingway, C.S. Lewis, and Heraclitus
Song 1: Grand Prize written and sung by JVM with Dan Modaff on lead guitar
Poem 1: “Window Shopping in Guatemala” by Kelly Jon Yenser, whose new book of poems, Walking Uphill at Noon, 2022 from UNM Press.
Story excerpt from “The Last Usher” by Lynn C. Miller. Published in The Lost Archive, 2023, https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm
Feed the Cat Break: excerpt from Centrum Amsterdam Purples by Tbone Kelly.
Poem 2: “Autumn,” by Sue Hallgarth, published in bosque 5, www.bosquepress.com. Her series on Willa Cather and Edith Lewis, On the Rocks and Death Comes are published by Arbor Farm Press.
Song 2: Mathias Rust by JVM, Dan Modaff on mandolin and 2nd guitar
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio.
NEXT UP: Episode 26, “What is Offensive?”
26. What Is Offensive? (April, 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
We live in an era of cacophony: clamoring ‘opinions’ on social media, trolls upstaging sincere moments, outrage at the ready. We could almost call it the Age of Offensiveness. Someone is upset somewhere by every action, every verbal exchange. The Unruly duo examine speech and action and art as they navigate the lines between acceptable or offensive. Context, as always, sets the stage. We expect our comedians to be offensive. But our religious and political leaders? Or our bosses in work situations? No offense but…offensiveness is a slippery slope.
Song 1: “The Nasty Song” composed and sung by Dave Merrill with instrumental and vocal help from John V. Modaff and Vaughn Deel. (1984)
Poem 1: “Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home” by Mikki Aronoff. First published in Love’s Executive Order (background music Hail to the Chief, James Sanderson)
Short story excerpt: “Everyday Monsters” by Lynn C. Miller. Her new collection, The Lost Archive, came out in April, 2023: https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm
Feed the Cat Break: News from the Cat Network by JVM (1997)
Poem 2: “What is Offensive” by Hilda Raz. Her latest book is Letters from a Place I’ve Never Been: Collected and New Poems. University of Nebraska Press, 2021. https://hildaraz.com/
Song 2: Didja Want Toast Wit Dat? composed & performed by TBone Kelly, registered France, 2015.
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff
The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
NEXT UP: Episode 27, “Friendship”
27. Friends, Lost & Found (May, 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
Our friends accompany us on life’s journey. John and Lynn plunge into the role of friends, human and animal, in our lives. Occasionally friends accompany us during the Unruly times of life, at others save us from ourselves. Each friendship is unique. One thing is certain: we wouldn’t be who we are without our friends. A toast to friendship!
Song 1: Deaths Elsewhere (John V. Modaff)
Poem 1: “Her Brown Horse Must Rise from the Dead” by Marge Saiser. Originally published in bosque #6 literary journal. www.bosquepress.com
Short Story excerpt: “Solid Ground” by Lynn C. Miller. From a collection of stories in process about a North Dakota farm family. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat break: from Hot Summer by Dave Merrill
Poem 2: “Enough” by JoAn Rittenhouse. Originally published in bosque #6 literary journal. www.bosquepress.com
Song 2: A Little Smoke (Phil Schmidt, circa 1978, arr. John V. Modaff)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff
The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
NEXT UP: Episode 28, “Haunting”
28. Hauntings (June, 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
Hauntings are personal. The Unruly Ones contemplate those visceral never-forget-it-yikes-and-shudder moments. Relationships can haunt and so can actions in the past, a stirring story, dread lurking in the corners of a house, a cultural moment of loss and tragedy. What is a haunting made up of? How do we encounter it? Can ghosts be controlled or removed or do they have a mind of their own? Can forgiveness tame the haunted soul? We aim to cast some sunlight on the shadows.
Poem 1: “Ghosts in my Pockets” by Julie Williams, author of Escaping Tornado Season and Drama Queens in the House.
Song 1: Chalk Marks (poem by Ivria Sackton of Austin TX, 1981, arranged and sung by jvm)
Poem 2: “Comfort Inn” by Scott Wiggerman, from his first book Vegetables and Other Relationships.
Story excerpt: from “The Last Usher” in The Lost Archive by Lynn C. Miller (2023) https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm
Feed the Cat Break: "Night Light" by jvm
Prose excerpt: from the novel The Blue Diamond by John Vincent Modaff (amazon)
Song 2: Ghost Melodies (jvm; harmonica by Dave Merrill)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff, B.M.I. The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
NEXT UP: Episode 29, “Taking the Leap”
29. Taking the Leap (July, 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
Lynn and John jump into the lives we lead in terms of risk and change. If we “ain’t leaping” as John’s song goes, are we dead? Sometimes we have no choice but to take that leap—life throws us a fast one, we have to move or quit or begin again. Our songs and poems and stories delve into different kinds of leaps with different results. Is a leap the same as a jump? One thing is constant: don’t fly too close to the sun. On the other hand, be sure to mix it up: stagnation breeds nothing but negativity or cynicism or the dreaded boredom. We wish you dazzling leaps and hope your net will always appear!
Teasers by John Burroughs and Jane Francis
Song 1: "The Edge” (composed and sung by JVM)
Poem 1: “Why We Bought a Horse” by Mark Sanders. Mark lives in Nacogdoches, TX and teaches at Stephen F. Austin University. https://sandersme1.wixsite.com/mark-sanders/
Short Story: excerpt from “David’s Harvest” by Lynn C. Miller from her collection The Lost Archive (April, 2023, U of Wisconsin Press). https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm
Feed the Cat Break: : intro to "Try It Again" (by Dave Merrill w/ jvm on bass, 1984)
Poem 2: Coronary Artery Bypass Graft by Kelly Yenser, from his collection in process, “So Far Undone.” He has two poetry collections with UNM Press: Walking Uphill at Noon and The News as Usual.
Song 2: "This New Song" (Dave Merrill, 2006)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: The Unruly Muse #30: “Near Misses”
30. Near Misses (Sept 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
The Unrulies feel their way through the twists and turns of the near miss, similar to the close call, or is it? You might say life is a sequence of near misses, as we dodge one outcome and choose another. Friends and partners often chortle about the near miss that brought them together, or kept them together. Was it fate? An alarm that didn’t go off? A wrong turn? But then there are the moments we’d like to forget, the consequences seem too scary or too risky or, well, we shudder to think! The near miss leaves us celebrating our lives and maybe a little wistful. Tragedy can lurk in the corners. Take a deep breath. We can only go forward
SONG 1: "Almost Blew My Face Off" (composed and sung by jvm)
POEM 1: “If Only” by Jack Cooper. First published in Spectrum 2
Anthology edited by Don Kingfisher Campbell, 2016
Author of Across My Silence, 2007, World Audience, Inc.
PROSE READING: “Near Misses,” a story by Lynn C. Miller. Her latest book is the collection The Lost Archive (April, 2023, U of Wisconsin Press). https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm www.lynncmiller.com
BREAK MUSIC: "Waking up in a Baobab" by jvm
POEM 2: “Outside the Frame” by Susan Aizenberg from her new collection, A Walk With Frank O’Hara and Other Poems, in press from the University of New Mexico Press. susanaizenberg.wordpress.com
SONG 2: "Horseshoes, Hand Grenades & Love" (composed and sung by jvm)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead.
NEXT UP: Episode 31 MONSTERS
31. Monsters (Oct. 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
The Unruly Duo creep into the basement to shed light on the murky world where monsters lurk. Does anything we don’t understand or want to face get dumped into the monster bin? Creepy crawlies, voracious reptiles, and pod people get all the attention, but what about the monsters living among us? As the world lurches off its axis, the human mind digs deep into the basement of fear. With a nod to the classic film scaries of the 1930s and ‘40s (Bela Lugosi anyone?), John and Lynn take a tour of the layered lairs of monsters. Lock your doors…
SONG 1: Boom (composed and sung by John V Modaff, with Dan Modaff)
POEM 1: “War” by Hilda Raz. From List & Story. Also collected in Letters from a Place I’ve Never Been: Collected and New Poems. University of Nebraska Press, 2021. https://hildaraz.com/
FICTION: “Trauma,” excerpt from the novel The Day After Death by Lynn C. Miller. Published by the University of New Mexico Press, 2016. www.lynncmiller.com
FEED THE CAT BREAK: “Grendel’s Nap” (jvm)
POEM 2: “Ask” by John V Modaff. Published in ABQ inPrint #6, 2022 by Bosque Press. www.bosquepress.com
SONG 2: Watching the Barn Burn Down (Dan Modaff with Good Enough)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead.
NEXT UP on Episode 32: THE CHILL VIBE
32. The Chill Vibe (Nov. 2023)
EPISODE SUMMARY
As winter approaches, The Unrulies retreat into considering relaxation, meditation, and the quieter side of just being. Dreams unspool interspersed with memories, ancestral images seep into our waking moments as we ponder nature, love, and forgiveness. What are the songs that calm us and take us deeper into thought and feeling? How do we keep our equilibrium in a fractured world? Kick back, listen, let your mind roam.
SONG 1: Roses on the Floor by JVM with Dan Modaff
POEM 1: “The Landing” by Mark Sanders, published in bosque journal #8. www.bosquepress.com. Mark is the author of Conditions of Grace. https://sandersme1.wixsite.com/
FICTION: excerpt from “The Surrogate,” a novel in progress by Lynn C. Miller, author most recently of The Lost Archive. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: “Funky Stroller” by JVM
POEM 2: “Pond Coat and Alteration” by Barbara Rockman, author of most recently To Cleave. Poem published in bosque journal #8. www.bosquepress.com
SONG 2: You Don’t Love Me by Dave Merrill with The Delvers
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY
Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead
NEXT UP on Episode 33: At What Price Money?
33. What price Money? (Dec. 2023)
Episode Summary
John and Lynn finish out 2023 meditating on the cost of money. What people value figures into our sense of money, as does what we consider currency in the culture around us. Is money for some a signifier of power or a hedge against immortality, or do many desire that elusive “just enough” for a comfortable life? Our selections deal with wealth in our lives from the natural world to the risks of investing to the joys and discomforts of donating to good causes. We wish you a happy new year and hope that whatever riches you value most will visit you in 2024. In the meantime, enjoy some songs, stories, poems and patter as you tune into your Unruly self!
SONG 1: “Happy Never After” Dr. James T. “T-Bone” Kelly, from his CD Toast, Registered France, 2013
POEM 1: “Calendar” by Jack Cooper, author of Silly Lily’s Rhyming Adventures In Nature (2023) and Across My Silence, 2007, World Audience, Inc. https://sillylilysadventures.com/
FICTION: excerpt from the novel in progress, “The Surrogate,” by Lynn C. Miller, author most recently of The Lost Archive. www.lynncmiller.com.
FEED THE CAT
BREAK: “Start of Snow” composed and performed by jvm
POEM 2: “Quid Pro Crow” by Sarah Kotchian, from “Light of Wings,” her new collection in press from University of New Mexico Press in 2024. https://sarahkotchian.com/
SONG 2: “My Last Twenty” by John V. Modaff, BMI
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff
The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
NEXT UP: Episode 34, “Forgiveness”
34. Forgiveness (Feb. 2024)
Episode Summary
The Unrulies contemplate an essential aspect of human beings––the ability and desire to forgive––yet one rarely written about. Without it, relationships would fail, slights create chasms in friendships, and moral acts lose their ground. In public life, is it considered “weak” to forgive? Is the act of forgiving instead full of grace? We doubt many regret their acts of forgiveness, but here we peer into the crannies of motivation and ponder how hope and acceptance and forgiveness connect. We wish you much giving and receiving of forgivenessin 2024!
SONG 1: Keep The Door Open (composed and performed by John V. Modaff, BMI)
POEM 1: “A Wild Hope” by Julie Williams (2014), author of Escaping Tornado Season and Drama Queens in the House. A poetry collection is in process.
FICTION: excerpt from “Afterthought” by Lynn C. Miller from The Lost Archive by Lynn C. Miller (2023) https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm www.lynncmiller.com
FEED THE CAT BREAK: “Forgetness” by JVM
POEM 2: “In the Palm of My Hand, Rivers” by Tina Carlson. a guide to tongue tie surgery (2023) is available from UNM Press.
SONG 2: Forgive Me Blues (JVM w/ Kentucky Colonel Steven Middleton on harmonica)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY.
NEXT UP: Episode 35, “Strange Bedfellows”
35. Strange Bedfellows (March, 2024)
Episode Summary
The Duo peep over the fence to regard the topic of strange bedfellows. What are these unusual pairings by the way? We see them in marriages, in politics, in friendships, in happenings that make us ponder. They are certainly incongruous, which can be a delight, a surprise, or a shock. Contrast makes the everyday occurrence come into the frame, so we’ve decided we need a little strangeness to make life make sense. We veer from the mythic to gentle humor, to deep meditation. Enjoy life’s paradoxes and keep an eye out for the ones that pop up in your life. Also, watch out who stands beside you!
SONG 1: “Backwagon Man” (composed, sung, and played by John Modaff with mandolin and sundry string by Dan Modaff)
POEM 1: “Another Story” by Hilda Raz, a retelling of the myth of Leda and the Swan. Collected in Letters from a Place I’ve Never Been: Collected and New Poems. University of Nebraska Press, 2021. https://hildaraz.com/
FICTION: excerpt from “Duluth” by Lynn C. Miller, from The Lost Archive by Lynn C. Miller (2023) https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: "Continental Drift" (by JVM)
POEM 2: “Taking Leave” by Scott Wiggerman, a golden shovel poem inspired by haiku. Scott is also a visual artist. https://scottwiggerman.myportfolio.com/
SONG 2: Centrum Amsterdam Purples (composed and sung by “T-Bone” Kelly) from his CD: No Expectations (2004)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY
Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: The Unruly Muse #36: “The Family”
36. The Family (April, 2024)
Episode Summary
John and Lynn dive into the complicated bonds of family. Who do we consider family? Those we let into this tight circle can criticize and appreciate us both and still stay members. Every family has its rituals of sorts. What keeps this unit from spinning out so far that the people making it up lose their connection to each other? Our poems and songs, fiction and patter this month tackle both the glue and the mysteries of this most ancient institution. There are limits to membership but what are they and how can they be dissolved or reinforced? Take a deep breath and cast a keen eye onto your own family configurations. Keep the faith and don’t forget humor which makes the whole thing hang together!
Song 1: “Family at the Door,” (by John V. Modaff with Good Enough)
Poem 1: “Midnight, with Dogs” by Mark Sanders. Mark lives in Nacogdoches, TX and teaches at Stephen F. Austin University. https://sandersme1.wixsite.com/mark-sanders/
Fiction: Excerpt from “Words Shimmer,” from The Lost Archive by Lynn C. Miller (2023) https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the cat break: On the Porch. Chris Geyerman and John Modaff
Poem 2: “Sundays in Wichita,” by Kelly Yenser. Author most recently of Walking Uphill at Noon, poems, UNM Press, 2022. https://www.unmpress.com/9780826363732/walking-uphill-at-noon/
Song 2: “All Right Here,” Dan Modaff & Mark Collins, performed by Good Enough.
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: Episode 37, “Machines”
37. The Machine (May, 2024)
Episode Summary
The Unrulies ponder the role of machines in our lives, from the simple lever to the wheel and beyond. Through poems, fiction, songs and patter we explore humanity’s reliance on machines to keep us alive, for convenience, for new knowledge and also the risks that they pose. We leapfrog from cars and droids to climate disaster, nuclear accidents and A.I. Who is driving who, the humans or the machines? Hopefully the world will stay in its orbit in any case. To paraphrase Marshall McLuhan, yesterday’s machines and technologies become today’s art. Look around you to see the wonder of the machines you live with and exclaim “That’s a Rembrandt!”
Song 1: "Old Truck" composed by David R. Merrill, performed by D.R. Merrill and John Modaff
Poem 1: “Data Affirmative” by Scott Wiggerman, Albuquerque poet, artist, and editor https://scottwiggerman.myportfolio.com/
Fiction: excerpt from The Unmasking, a novel by Lynn C. Miller (www.lynncmiller.com)
Published by University of New Mexico Press: https://www.unmpress.com/9780826361714/the-unmasking/
Feed the Cat break: “Plow” composed and performed by David R. Merrill
Poem 2: “Outbreak” by Jack Cooper, author of Silly Lily’s Rhyming Adventures In Nature (2023) and Across My Silence (2007) World Audience, Inc. https://sillylilysadventures.com/
Song 2: “The Message Radiation Sends” composed and performed by John V. Modaff
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff
The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY
Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: Episode 38, “Revenge and Regret”
38. Regret (June, 2024)
Episode Summary
Our Unruly theme sends the duo to examine Regret, not one of the seven deadly sins but surely one of the most painful of emotions. We’ve all wished we could have done something differently, turned that corner sooner or later, said goodbye differently, not said goodbye at all. How does time affect the impact of regret? When we look closely at regret, we find reasons for everything and, often, acceptance.
Song 1: You Told, composed and performed by John V. Modaff.
Poem 1: “The Wicked Stepmother Tells Her Story,” published in bosque journal and later in We Were Meant to Carry Water as “Frail Cradle.” https://tinacarlsonpoetry.com/
Fiction: “Cautionary Tale” by Lynn C. Miller, author of, most recently, The Lost Archive: Stories (2023), from a novel in progress. www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: “The Rear View” by JVM.
Poem 2: “I Could Taste It” by Marjorie Saiser, whose book, The Track the Whales Make won the High Plains Award. Saiser's Losing the Ring in the River (University of New Mexico Press) won the Willa Award for Poetry in 2014. www.poetmarge.com
Song 2: No Fly Zone composed and sung by JVM
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff, BMI
The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY
Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: Episode 39, “What is Healing?”
39. What Is Healing? (July, 2024)
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode, John and Lynn search for the soothing moments, the healing balm, the uplifting. In a world fractured and fractious, a country aching for change and most of all relief, possibilities occur that can lessen the load and lead to equanimity. We find comfort in song, music, connection with others, the natural world, and childhood dreams of unbounded time. Join us in our explorations. Ahhhhh…
EPISODE NOTES
Song 1: “Long Road” (Mark E. Collins & Daniel P. Modaff, BMI)
Poem 1: “Breath” by Sarah Kotchian, from her new collection Light of Wings, UNM Press (2024): https://www.unmpress.com/9780826365972/light-of-wings/
Fiction: excerpt from “Curiosities” a short story by Lynn C. Miller, from The Lost Archive by (2023) https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm https://www.lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: cut from“Walk a Mile In My Blues” (Dan, Ken, & John Modaff joined by Dave Merrill on the harmonica.) From the new album, Saturday's Child.
Poem 2: “Dreaming Orion” by David Meischen, from his collection Anyone’s Son, 3: A Taos Press. David’s new book is Nopalito, UNM Press, 2024.
Song 2: “Sweet Songs” (John V. Modaff, with Good Enough)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme and Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: Episode 40 “Behind the Curtain”
40. Behind the Curtain (August, 2024)
Episode Summary
The Unruly Ones dream about the world that is out of sight, the places and things and feelings that we conceal from view. The Wizard of Oz hid his smallness from view. The theater curtain, when closed, creates great expectations for the audience. And then when pulled open or lifted we have a magic moment of suspense: what will be revealed? What can we see? Opening the eyes or blinking cause a kind of curtain to open to our inner selves, and perhaps the soul. Join with us as we take a tour of the unseen possibilities Behind the Curtain.
Song 1: Glimpses by Daniel P. Modaff, Jennifer Butler-Modaff & Mark E. Collins, with the band GOOD ENOUGH from their new album, Saturday’s Child.
Poem 1: “Remember the Boneyard,” by Julie Williams from a collection in progress. Author of Escaping Tornado Season and Drama Queens in the House.
Fiction: “Near Death,” a short story by Lynn C. Miller. www.lynncmiller.com
FEED THE CAT BREAK: “Just Before the Curtain Opens,” by John V. Modaff.
Poem 2: “Living Room Scene,” by Scott Wiggerman, based on Eric Fischl’s ‘Krefeld Project, Living Room Scene 1.’ https://scottwiggerman.myportfolio.com/
Song 2: TV Jesus, written and performed by John V. Modaff with Jonathan Modaff on drums.
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff, BMI
The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM & Morehead, KY.
NEXT UP: Episode 41, “The Age of Doubt”
41. Doubt (Sept 2024)
Episode Summary
The Unrulies progress in no uncertain terms (!) through the doubtful zone, that pause between yes and no, the moment before agreement or disapproval settles. Doubt is a necessary state of weighing the odds, figuring out the costs or benefits, jumping across the crack or stepping on it. Can we even get to certitude without passing through doubt? Do some people get stuck in the neverland of doubt? We explore the terrain freely through our music and poems and fiction. Will you enjoy it? We have no doubt.
Song 1: “I’m Not Your Maybe” (Daniel P. Modaff, performed with GOOD ENOUGH from the album Saturday’s Child)
Poem 1: “Conditional Love Story” by Barbara Rockman, author of the poetry collections To Cleave and Sting and Nest. Barbara is a poet and teacher whose homebase is Santa Fe.
Fiction: Excerpt from “The Surrogate,” a novel in process by Lynn C. Miller, whose latest book is The Lost Archive: stories, https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm
Feed the Cat Break: “Counting Down the Raindrops” (Andrew Preston and A.P. Harbor)
Poem 2: “The Impossibility of Stasis by Hilda Raz whose New and Collected Poems, Letter from a Place I’ve Never Been, from University of Nebraska Press.
Song 2: “I Doubt It” (John V. Modaff)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Theme & Incidental Music by John V. Modaff, BMI
Recorded in Albuquerque NM and Morehead KY.
Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP on Episode 42: “Unruly Thoughts”
42. Unruly Thoughts (Oct. 2024)
Episode Summary
As fall flirts with the onset of winter, and Halloween calls out spirits and mischief, what could be more timely than for John and Lynn to address Unruly Thoughts? ...those careening, colliding, mental gyrations that disturb our focus and disrupt our dreams? In this episode, unruliness calls out the lack of control we have over our speeding minds, images and past, present, and future tumbling over one another. Living inside our heads and hearts is always an adventure, and we hope you will savor your own wild wanderings as you listen to this month’s poems, songs, fiction, and patter. Leap into your unconscious mind and enjoy the ride!
Show Notes
Song 1: “Clever Brilliant Mind” (by David R. Merrill with John Modaff)
Poem 1: “I’m” by Jack Cooper, author of Silly Lily’s Rhyming Adventures In Nature (2023) and Across My Silence (2007) World Audience, Inc. https://sillylilysadventures.com/
Fiction: three short excerpts from her third novel The Day After Death by Lynn C. Miller, published by the University of New Mexico Press, 2016. www. lynncmiller.com
Feed the Cat Break: “One November Evening” by Chris Geyerman with John V. Modaff
Poem 2: “Sunday Afternoon with Seurat” by David Meischen, author of the linked story collection Nopalito, University of New Mexico Press, 2024 and the poetry collection Anyone’s Son (3, A Taos Press, 2020).
Song 2: “Counting Down the Raindrops” by Andrew Preston and A. P. Harbor.
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff
T
he Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM
and Morehead, KY
Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: Episode 43, “Breaking Up”
43. Breaking Up (Nov, 2024)
Episode Summary:
The Unrulies tease out the slow buildup leading to break ups as well as the more explosive moments where there is no way out save breaking up. And then there’s the occasional relief brought by freedom and new possibilities. Countries break up, people do, geography shifts, and ideas fragment. We couldn’t build up or change without breaking up first. So fasten your seat belts…
Song 1: “I Can’t Sing That Song” (John V. Modaff)
Poem 1: “Ecdysis Sonnet” by Sandra Yannone. Sandy’s new collection is the glass studio (Salmon Poetry, 2024).
Fiction: excerpt from the novel in progress, The Angel of Devastation. Her latest book is The Lost Archive: stories, https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm
Feed the Cat Break: “Different Same,” by Jonathan A. Modaff
Poem 2: “Sympathetic Magic” by Susan Aizenberg. Susan’s new collection is A Walk With Frank O’Hara (UNMP, 2024).
Song 2: “I Call Crazy” (T Bone Kelly, from the album Toast)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff, BMI
The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM
and Morehead, KY
Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead 40351
NEXT UP: Episode 44 coming January 2025: “Harmony”