Reading Michael Jackson

In his short story "The Boy and His Pillow," Michael explores themes of giving, authenticity, and faith. When we break down this piece, what might we learn about Michael's perspectives on self sacrifi...

25 Helmi 202518min

In this 9th episode we read and discuss Michael's essay "So the Elephants March." As an early favorite of mine and a piece that calls back to the many references Michael makes to elephants throughout ...

18 Helmi 202520min

In this 8th episode of "Reading Michael Jackson" we will start with a brief discussion of the artist David Nordhal, whose work is featured in "Dancing the Dream," sharing a bit from an interview he co...

11 Helmi 202518min

In this 7th episode of "Reading Michael Jackson" we will be reading and discussing the piece "But the Heart Said No." This essay, or perhaps prose poem, is a great example of Michael's humanitarian fo...

4 Helmi 202523min

On the surface, "When Babies Smile" may seem like a simple poem, but it is ripe for discussion and dissection. How much of this poem was literal and how much was symbolic? What can we take from this p...

28 Tammi 202523min

In this short essay "Dance of Life," Michael interacts with the moon. Driven to return to her and dance in her presence, he gets lost in his own transcendence. In this episode, we read and discuss "Da...

21 Tammi 202524min

"Wings Without Me" is the first "reflection" we are discussing from "Dancing the Dream." It is the first piece with a narrative voice and "characters" that interplay in the narrator's attempt to find ...

14 Tammi 202515min

In this first episode of "Reading Michael Jackson," I discuss how I came to be a fan of Michael Jackson, why I'm starting this podcast, as well as read and discuss the title piece from "Dancing the Dr...

7 Tammi 202517min