The Reformed Journal Podcast

In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma talks with Sarah Watkins about her poem “The Jar the Woman Left Beside the Well.” Sarah is an educator by trade and a writer by necessity. She currently resides in northeast Arkansas with her husband.

In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma talks with Joshua Patch about his poem “Malchus.” Patch is a teacher residing in southern Michigan, and his poetry has appeared in Solum Journal and The Borough.

In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Taylor Mallay about her poem “Every Sunday Morning.” Mallay is a poet and nonfiction writer from Michigan. Her work has previously appeared in Chestnut Review, One Art, and The Dewdrop, among others.

In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Mark Hiskes about his poem “It’s About Us.” Hiskes is a retired high school English teacher from Holland, Michigan, who devotes his time to a number of things: three delightful grandchildren, Sylvie, Paige, and Lucy; his beloved wife, Cindy, with whom he rebuilds and refurbishes old furniture for sale in her antique booth; reading ever more great books, old, and new; leading and participating in various book clubs; and doing his best to write things that might, God willing, tell some manner of truth. A collection of his poems, Standing with Alyosha, was published in 2019 by Dos Madres Press.

In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma talks with Margaret DeRitter about her poem “Lost Sheep.” DeRitter is the author of the poetry collection "Singing Back to the Sirens" (Unsolicited Press, 2020), which has been described by Pulitzer-winning poet Diane Seuss as a collection of "achingly beautiful and gutsy poems" that "represent an autobiography of love." DeRitter also won the 2018 Celery City Chapbook Contest for “Fly Me to Heaven by Way of New Jersey.” Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies and has received a Pushcart Prize nomination. She lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she was a newspaper journalist for 22 years and currently serves as copy editor and poetry editor of Encore magazine.

In this episode of the Reformed Journal podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma talks with Sarah M. Wells about her poem "Jesus Son of GOP."

In this episode of the poetry edition of the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma talks with Zoie Jones about her poem “Near Death.” Jones lives in the greater Los Angeles area where is pursuing a degree in English Literature. Her fiction has been published in Does it Have Pockets? and is forthcoming in Vestal Review.

In this episode of the poetry edition of the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma interviews James Ryan Lee about his poem “5th commandment.” Lee received an M.F.A. from the University of California, Irvine, where he studied under poets James McMichael, and Michael Ryan. His poems have appeared in Aethlon, The Minnesota Review, Juked, Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment, Ordained Servant and Christianity and Literature. Duke University Press republished a section of his poem, “Bee Suit: Spring Chores with Grandfather,” for National Poetry Month. A Lecturer in English at Anderson University, he is currently at work on a manuscript of poems tentatively titled, “Cheating the House.” He recently completed an M.A. in Religious Studies from Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Taylors, SC where he lives with his wife and two children.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Olga Dugan about her poem “The Writer.” Olga Dugan is a Cave Canem poet. Nominated for Best of the Net and Pushcart prizes, her award-winning poems appear in many literary journals and anthologies including Ekstasis, Spirit Fire Review, Relief: A Journal of Art and Faith, The Windhover, Agape Review, ONE ART, Litmosphere (forthcoming), The Write Launch, Ariel Chart, The Sunlight Press, Emerge, Kweli, Sky Island Journal, evolution: The Red Moon Anthology of English-Language Haiku, and the Munster Literature Centre's Poems from Pandemia – An Anthology.

In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Jack Ridl about his poem “After the Thirteenth Shock Treatment.” Ridl is an American poet and former professor of English at Hope College. He is the author of several collections of poetry, has published more than 300 poems in journals, and has work included in numerous anthologies.

In this episode of the poetry edition of the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma interviews D.A. Cooper about his poem “God.” Cooper is a husband and father of three children. He lives in Houston, Texas where he teaches political science and the Italian language at a local community college. He is currently pursuing an MFA at the University of St. Thomas, Houston.

In this episode of the poetry edition of the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma interviews Nathaniel A. Schmidt about his poem “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.” Schmidt is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church and serves as a hospice chaplain. He holds degrees from Calvin Theological Seminary, Calvin University, and the University of Illinois Springfield. His newest collection of poems, Transfiguring, is available from Wipf & Stock, as is his first collection, An Evensong. He lives with his librarian wife, Lydia, and their daughter in southwest Michigan, meaning life is a perpetual story time.

In this episode of the poetry edition of the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma interviews Matt Thomas about his poem “Moriah.” Matt is a smallholder farmer, engineer, and poet. His work has appeared recently in Halfway Down the Stairs, Copihue Poetry, and Brief Wilderness and is upcoming in Dreich Magazine and Pinhole Poetry. Disappearing by the Math, a full-length collection, was published by Silver Bow in February of 2024. He lives with his family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

In this episode of the poetry edition at the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma interviews Tom Schmidt about his poem, “Particle (Meta)physics.” Schmidt is a retired humanities professor who began submitting his poetry in 2018. Since then, he has published two chapbooks, Enough to Drink or Drown (Kelsay Books, 2020) and Like, A Metaphor (Encircle Publications, 2021), and more than fifty of his poems have appeared in journals, including Christian Century, Solum Literary Journal, Penwood Review, The Cresset, and Jewish Literary Review. ”Particle (Meta)physics" appears in Rowing with Either Oar, Tom's first full-length poetry collection (Solum Literary Press, 2024)."

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews D.S. Martin about his poem “Any Such Tree”(Metaphysicals XIX). D.S. is the author of five poetry collections including Angelicus (2021), Ampersand (2018), and Conspiracy of Light: Poems Inspired by the Legacy of C.S. Lewis (2013) — all from Cascade Books. He is Poet-in-Residence at McMaster Divinity College, the Series Editor for the Poiema Poetry Series. He and his wife live in Brampton, Ontario; they have two adult sons. This is the final poem in D.S. Martin’s Metaphysical Series. The complete series is all available on Reformed Journal.

In this episode of the poetry edition of the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma interviews Patricia L. Hamilton about her poem, “Rachel, Cunning.” Patricia is a Professor of English in Jackson, Tennessee, and is the author of The Distance to Nightfall. She won the Rash Award in Poetry in 2015 and 2017 and has received three Pushcart nominations. Her most recent work has appeared in Slant, The Ekphrastic Review, Plainsongs, The Poetry Porch, and Prime Number Magazine.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Olivia Oster about her poem “Obnubilated.” Oliva is a writer living on Lookout Mountain, GA, whose fiction and poetry explore the spiritual aspect of common everyday life as well as the elements of life with which she is most familiar: chronic pain, parenting, gardening, cooking, and homemaking. She has published A New Grammary, a grammar book focusing on grammar formulas, and a poetry chapbook called Poetic Faith. Olivia is also a teacher, wife, mother of five, and taker of long walks with her rescued dachshund-beagle and chihuahua-mini-pinscher.

In this episode of the poetry edition of the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma interviews Ryan Keating about his poem “Jesus Heals a Paralytic.” Ryan is a writer, teacher, and pastor on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. His work can be found in publications such as Saint Katherine Review, Ekstasis Magazine, Amethyst Review, Macrina Magazine, Fathom, Fare Forward, Roi Fainéant, and Funicular. His chapbook, “A Dance In Medias Res” is now available from Wipf and Stock.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Steven Peterson talks about his poem “Summer Drums.” Steven writes poems and plays in Chicago. A selection of his poems are in the anthology Taking Root in the Heart (Paraclete Press, 2023). His recent poems appear in Alabama Literary Review, The Christian Century, Dappled Things, First Things, Reformed Journal, and elsewhere. His plays have been produced around the USA and he is currently a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Haley Hodges Schmid about her poem “Known.” Haley is an MFA (Poetry) candidate at Seattle Pacific University. She holds qualifications from Hope College, Shenandoah Conservatory, and Oxford University. Her work has been published in Cassandra Voices and Ekstasis Magazine. Recent projects also include The Gun Mass, an international collaborative choral work with music by Jamie Powe. She lives in West Virginia with her husband and young son.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Bethany Besteman about her poem “Parable of the Lost.” Bethany works as a worship coordinator and a church administrator for Silver Spring CRC in Maryland. She's also the intake editor for Reformed Worship. You can read “Parable of the Lost” at reformedjournal.com.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Jo Taylor about her poem, “How to Reconcile with a Brother.” Jo is a retired, 35-year English teacher from Georgia. Her favorite genre to teach high school students was poetry, and today she dedicates more time to writing it, her major themes focused on family, place, and faith. She says she writes to give testimony to the past and to her heritage. She has been published in several journals, both on-line and in print, and in 2021, she published her first collection of poems, Strange Fire.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Cody Adams on his poem “Be Killing Sin.” Cody is an English teacher from Buffalo, NY. His poetry has appeared in Ekstasis Magazine, Heart of Flesh, Cacti Fur, among others. He received the 2016 Clarence Amann award for his short story Unstuck. He also serves as a Board Member for Forefront Festival.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews DS Martin about his poem Love Like an Ocean (Metaphysicals XIV) inspired by one of John Donne’s Holy Sonnets. Don is a widely published poet and the Poet-in-Residence at McMaster Divinity College. He's also a series editor for the Poiema Poetry Series. You can listen to other poems in this series in The Reformed Journal Podcast. You can also read the other poems by DS Martin on our website.

On the last episode of the holiday special by James C. Schaap, author and retired English professor, he reads "Somewhere in the Judean Hills."

Today, the youngest shepherd in the hills is the one directed to stay behind with the sheep when the others go to Bethlehem.

On the third episode of the holiday special by James C. Schaap, author and retired English professor, James reads the “Shroud of Turin.”

Today, a holiday visit to her daughter’s family— far, far away— stresses a recently-widowed grandma who wants, more than anything, for her beloved family not to forget the child come to earth for those he loves.

On the second episode of the holiday special by James C. Schaap, author and retired English professor, James shares “Testimony.”

Today, an arrogant artist who proudly calls himself elitist agrees to narrate the simple holiday program at his church, and is startled to find himself on his knees on Christmas Eve.

This is the first episode of the holiday special by James C. Schaap, author and retired English professor. Today, an eighth grader, fed up with smarmy Sunday School Christmas programs, races home to find a baby Jesus doll, only to discover, slowly, something she had never pondered about the gift in the manger.