Creative Currents is a new podcast from the University of Michigan's Arts Initiative that will tackle big and small questions at the intersection of art, culture, and society.
Host Mark Clague talks with Aaron Coleman, poet, translator, and professor of English and Comparative Literature in U-M’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He also serves on the faculty of the U-M Helen Zell Writers’ Program. Coleman shares how poetry and translation shape his creative practice and how the Michigan literary community fosters dialogue across cultures and identities.
As part of the Michigan Arts Festival series, Aaron previews the Zell Visiting Writers Series, which welcomes acclaimed poet and essayist Roger Reeves to campus for readings and craft talks on October 16–17, 2025.
Listeners will hear excerpts from Coleman’s award-winning collection Red Wilderness (Winner of the 2020 GLCA New Writers Award) as he explores how translation breathes new life into poetry—bridging languages, cultures, and time.
*Production Note: This episode is part of U-M Creative Currents' special Michigan Arts Festival podcast series and is edited by Sly Pup Productions.
