An episode from 12/30/20: In this second episode on Mesopotamian myth, we return to the story of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s destructive adventures lead directly to the latter’s death, and here I read Enkidu’s deathbed speech, and the dream he has of the Underworld. The translations I read from are by ⁠Andrew George⁠ and N. K. Sandars.

Other episodes on Mesopotamian myth can be found here.

You can support Human Voices Wake Us here, or by ordering any of my books: Notes from the GridTo the House of the SunThe Lonely Young & the Lonely Old, and Bone Antler Stone. I’ve also edited a handful of books in the S4N Pocket Poems series. Email me at  humanvoiceswakeus1@gmail.com.


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#215: 8 Favorite Poems from "Time and the River" Human Voices Wake Us

An episode from 2/2/2026: For the next few episodes I’ll be reading poems from my book Time and the River: From Columbine to the Invention of Fire, which comes out on February 23. As the title says, it begins with the Columbine high school shooting in 1999 and travels back to the invention of fire almost two million years ago. Along the way, there’s creativity from prehistoric Europe to Edward Hopper, religion from Israelite prophets to pagan Europe, and glimpses into Egyptian tombs, Iron Age burials, and cold war spies. The poems I read tonight are:Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks”Dylan Klebold’s Crushfrom “Shakespeare”Trajan’s BridgeCauldron and DrinkSong to the SmithEzekielMerlinThe best way to support the podcast is by leaving a review on Apple or Spotify, sharing it with others, or sending me a note on what you think. You can also order any of my books: Time and the River: From Columbine to the Invention of Fire, due out next year, is now available for preorder. Other books include Notes from the Grid, To the House of the Sun, The Lonely Young & the Lonely Old, and Bone Antler Stone. I've also edited a handful of books in the S4N Pocket Poems series. Email me at humanvoiceswakeus1@gmail.com.
  1. #215: 8 Favorite Poems from "Time and the River"
  2. #214: Two of the Best Poems You've Never Heard of (by William Cullen Bryant)
  3. #213: Van Gogh's Early Years
  4. #212: The Most Popular Story in Ancient India
  5. #211: Who Was William Cullen Bryant?
  6. #210: Memories & Legends of William Shakespeare
  7. #209 – Being a Jew in 1900, Being a Jew Now
  8. #208: Bach & God
  9. #207 – Death, the Gods, and Endless Life in Ancient Egypt
  10. #206 – The Discovery of Indo-European Languages – 1876

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