Nicole Bearden (NB): Since we are deep into Seattle’s dark days (Winter), I thought it was about time to talk to our most famous, local, glacial icon: The Seattle Freeze. Thanks so much for joining us today, Freeze. What have you been up to?

Seattle Freeze (SF): Oh, just chilling. The usual.

NB: Snorts Oh! Ha. Very funny.

I Sing the Salmon Home: Poems from Washington State, edited by Rena Priest, is a poetry anthology full of diverse poems celebrating the tales of the epic fish. Priest states in the preface of the anthology that this passion project of hers stemmed from how “salmon are a keystone species, which means everything relies on them, and if we want to be okay, the salmon must thrive.”

Nicole Bearden: Zdravstvuyte, today we are speaking with the Fremont Lenin statue. (I don’t speak Russian, but I learned the phrase for “hello”, just for today).

Lenin Statue: Hello. I do not speak Russian.

NB: Aren’t you a Lenin statue? I thought Lenin was Russian?

LS: Lenin was Russian. My nationality is more complicated. I was created by a Bulgarian, for Czechoslovakia, and have now been in the Capitalist States of America since the ‘90s. What is nationality anyway? What are borders, but arbitrary lines assigned to take power from the many and funnel it to the wealthy?

Ani DiFranco, folk singer and founder of Righteous Babe Records, is returning to Seattle, February 1, 2025, to the Moore Theater. In the spirit of her visit, I wanted to select a poem from her poetry collection Verses, published in 2007, which tackles “the tough issues at hand” while “her personal-is-political viewpoint is more relevant than ever”. The collection looks at the importance of art and poetry and how they can be powerful tools in rhetoric when entering political spheres.

I desperately needed an escape this month and happily uncovered one of the most delightful fantasy novels I’ve ever read while scouring the local bookstore. The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister creates a cozy atmosphere right off the cuff, weaving lyrical writing with gloriously sensual descriptions of scents to create a reading experience that feels like no other. I have never had a novel tug at my sense of smell quite like this one; it brings to mind memories old and new, just as it does for the main character of the novel, Emmeline.

A Light in the Attic, like other works, was banned for Silverstein’s depiction of challenging authority, igniting disrespectful behavior, and promoting disobedience. The book’s most “problematic” poem “How Not to Have to Dry the Dishes” puts a spin on chores and suggests children to break dishes to escape washing them.

With children making up Silverstein’s target audience, the book made its way across households and schools until it was ultimately banned in both Wisconsin and Florida. Considering this, I knew it was a necessary read as I wanted to investigate it further. The poem I chose for this week is “A Light in the Attic” that shares the same name as the collection and appears first.

BS: The more people change, the more they remain the same. People, seasons, time—they all cycle, they all come back to incipience.

I bear witness to the spinning wheels of time, the turning clock of seasons, and the joys and sorrows of man—I bear it all and it is both a heavy burden, and a lightsome ecstasy. 

A trio of squirrels playing tag in my tree friends' branches. The cries of a woman brought to regret by a loathsome monster. And in between are the mediocre events, such as life and death which keep us turning—I see all.

It is tough when a beloved institution closes its doors, but it’s wonderful when it can be given an excellent send off. The Grand Illusion Cinema has been at 1403 NE 50th Street in the U District for over 50 years, the last 20 of which have been as a completely volunteer-run non-profit. The theater will be closing soon and having its final screenings this month.

Where do you turn to when you feel alone?

William Butler Yeats, also known as W. B. Yeats, was an Irish poet and playwright. With standalone poems like “The Second Coming”, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”, and “Sailing to Byzantium”, I wanted to choose a lesser-known poem of his for discussion this week.  

Jim Lynch is a Washington native and you can tell. This book practically reeks of the Puget Sound, of Olympia, and the clear water of the bay; you can hear, taste, and feel it on each page. This novel was written by someone who knows the Sound like an old friend, and although I’m not a natural born Seattleite, I could picture each place described in this novel with sharp clarity. Be they skittling crabs, spitting geoducks, or a squirming sea slug, this book brings the animals of the bay to life.

Shakespeare’s thought provoking, gut-wrenching, and philosophical sonnets hold their own weight and intrinsic merit. Tempted with many different pinpoints of poetry to discuss, I ended up selecting “Sonnet 100” due to its depiction of a poet’s relationship with their melodious muse and how it allows its readers to contemplate relationships both past and present, and how they still play into their lives today.

Why do poets use poetry as their medium of choice?

I wanted to continue sharing my thoughts on Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “Deep in Earth” from last week through another lens due to the impact it yields on me.

Happy holidays, my dear darling comedy nerds! For this edition of my Haha Report, I wanted to take a break from interviews, overviews, and previews to wish everyone a very haha-filled holiday.

Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden made for a perfect evening, and I can’t recommend it enough. If you are looking for something fun and easy to get in to, this is the book for you! Whether describing a perfect Parisian dish or the green-blue water of the Sound, Linden has descriptions to die for, and a perfect grasp of pacing. And as if that wasn’t amazing enough, her characters are likable, with strong convictions that propel them forward in satisfying (and sometimes tense) ways.

In addition to short stories, Poe found his calling in the realm of poetry. With classics like “The Raven” and “Annabel Lee” standing among his most famous poems, Poe seemingly and eloquently duels both forms.

For this week. I wanted to choose a poem that I have not been exposed to before. I’m hoping it’s new for you as well. I selected “Deep in the Earth”, written in 1847, for discussion due to its simplicity yet deep sense of open vulnerability.

Iconic Convos brings a lighthearted twist to celebrity interviews by conceiving imaginary chats with Seattle's most famous non-human icons.

Nicole Bearden: Before we begin, I would like to thank you, Pike Place, for finding time to speak with me today. I know how busy you are—you never get a day off!

Pike Place Market: Haha, that's right! But I am happy to have the chance to speak on my own behalf for once, and perhaps set the record straight on a few things.

Where do poets turn to for inspiration?

For this week, I wanted to choose a poet whose roots lie in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. David Guterson, a Seattle native with decades of hiking experience, published Turn Around Time in 2019. Guterson describes Turn Around Time as “a waking poem for the Pacific Northwest,” as the collection is full of poems with nature-enriched imagery paired with Washington artist Justin Gibben’s illustrations. 

Producer, podcast host, stand-up, improviser, writer, influencer. These are hardly enough words to describe the mega-talent that is Molina Molina. With just three years in the Seattle comedy scene at the age of 23, she has taken the city by storm. I caught up with her to chat comedy, harnessing your voice, and much more as she gears up to perform for her second consecutive year at the San Francisco Sketch Festival (the US’s largest sketch festival), featuring talent like the cast of Futurama and Bill Murray in January 2025

What does a poet do when they struggle with their identity?

Emily Dickinson stands as one of the backbones of American poetry. When I started Max’s Musings, her name immediately rang through my mind. I knew I would eventually share one of her beloved poems, yet I wanted to find the right one for me.

This week, I wanted to focus on honoring the Native American Tribes who originally lived on and took care of the land I occupy. After spending my Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Day weekend visiting the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center, I knew I wanted to review a book that furthered my goal to honor and educate myself about Indigenous peoples.