Answering Community Questions with Joe & Maiya

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse, the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+, Maiya and Joe close Season Three with a special Q&A from their listeners.

After nearly forty episodes, they pause to look back on their journey, answer community questions, and talk about what’s next for the show. The first question comes from Chandra, asking if a fourth season is coming and whether they’ll take on an epic like the ‘Ramayana’. Joe and Maiya share their excitement about exploring epics and how such poems might need a multi-episode format, similar to their World War I series.

They also reflect on favorite moments from the season. Joe mentions the ode episode and their discussion of Langston Hughes, while Maiya recalls how ‘Our Casuarina Tree’ by Toru Dutt and ‘The Man with the Saxophone’ by Ai expanded her research and deepened her love for discovering new poets.

A question from the community sparks a thoughtful discussion on modern poetry. Joe talks about diversity, access, and the dominance of free verse, while Maiya considers how social media has both opened and complicated poetry’s world. They agree that poetry remains powerful because it connects people, comforts them, and helps them understand life’s most complex moments.

Things take a playful turn with a quick-fire poet quiz. From Shakespeare to Heaney, Joe is forced to make impossible choices, ending with Seamus Heaney as his final pick.

As they wrap up the season, the hosts thank listeners from more than 195 countries and invite everyone to keep sharing ideas on the PoemAnalysis.com community. With Season Four already in the works, they promise more poems, more voices, and the same thoughtful conversation that’s made the show a global favorite.

Featured Mentions (PDF Guides for each):

• Toru Dutt
• Ai
• Langston Hughes

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