Best Robert C Murray Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 202 - Astrophysical Considerations During Fourth Meal 6:18

Play Pause

3+ y ago6:18

6:18

Another one from the Taco Bell Quarterly rejections file. Admittedly, reading it again and knowing TBQ's voice, this wasn't a great fit, but I still think it's a fun little piece of absurdism that I'd like to share with you. A couple more of these to go before I likely go dark again, unless I start selling a lot of poetry books and y'all demand tha…

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Episode 201 - They keep it cold inside the Taco Bell... 4:35

3+ y ago4:35

4:35

Friends, it's a been a few months and I might be a little rusty on my intro-ad libbing chops, but stick with me into the poem itself. It's fun, and hopefully up to my own standards for Weird. For this is the first in my little series of items, Taco Bell Quarterly Rejections. As mentioned in the pod, if you haven't go check out Taco Bell Quarterly. …

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Episode 140: Last Rose of the Season 2:08

3+ y ago2:08

2:08

This is a fan-favorite (you know who you are, fan) sonnet, inspired by my father's rose garden. DO GOOD: Donate to Social Causes: https://www.lefthandrob.net/p/social-racial-justice-charities.html Poetry Books: Read along with the podcast, get your own copy of the poems (also another great way to support the podcast): https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod…

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Episode 139: Untitled NYC Poem 2:37

3+ y ago2:37

2:37

DO GOOD: Donate to Social Causes: https://www.lefthandrob.net/p/social-racial-justice-charities.html Poetry Books: Read along with the podcast, get your own copy of the poems (also another great way to support the podcast): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VW4TXV6 Direct Cash Contribution: Support this podcast by buying me a ko-fi: https://ko-f…

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Episode 138 - Always look up when opening a window 3:02

4y ago3:02

3:02

Direct Cash Contribution: Support this podcast by buying me a ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/lefthandrob Poetry Books: Read along with the podcast, get your own copy of the poems (also another great way to support the podcast): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VW4TXV6 DO GOOD: Donate to Social Causes: https://www.lefthandrob.net/p/social-racial-justi…

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Episode 137 - Something 1:56

4y ago1:56

1:56

Direct Cash Contribution: Support this podcast by buying me a ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/lefthandrob Poetry Books: Read along with the podcast, get your own copy of the poems (also another great way to support the podcast): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VW4TXV6 DO GOOD: Donate to Social Causes: https://www.lefthandrob.net/p/social-racial-justi…

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Episode 136: 11 1:56

4y ago1:56

1:56

Support this podcast by buying me a ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/lefthandrob Read along with the podcast, get your own copy of the poems (also another great way to support the podcast): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VW4TXV6 Donate to Social Causes: Rob's Blog: Donate to Social / Racial Justice Charities (lefthandrob.net) For whatever reason, I d…

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Episode 135: September's Rent 3:00

4y ago3:00

3:00

Support this podcast by buying me a ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/lefthandrob Read along with the podcast, get your own copy of the poems (also another great way to support the podcast): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VW4TXV6 Donate to Social Causes: Rob's Blog: Donate to Social / Racial Justice Charities (lefthandrob.net) It's not Fall yet, but a…

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Episode 134 - Focus 2:54

4y ago2:54

2:54

I made the switch from Audacity to Garageband to record this week's episode ,and there's a little reverb in there I didn't catch until I was doing a final QA check on the mp3 file. So, for you dear listener, enjoy this week's episode as if it were coming to you from a 1970's recording studio, because damn they loved reverb back then! This week from…

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Episode 133: My new home 3:23

4y ago3:23

3:23

With all the new homes under construction in my development, it's hard not to look back through my poetry books and pluck out this little gem to share with you all this week. It's a silly little ode written when I moved into a house I'd bought many years ago, full of optimism as a homeowner after years of renting a place. Hey everyone, this is wher…

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Episode 132: My Neighbor the Rabbit 3:30

4y ago3:30

3:30

A brief, light ode this week to the fuzzy little bunny who lets me take their picture and eats the grass (and probably carrot tops) in my yard. It's a fuzzy little poem that could use a little more work, maybe, just like the little bunny who isn't as scared of me as they ought to be. My dear fans of the podcast, here we are after 15 months together…

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Episode 131: House Band at a Casino 3:23

4y ago3:23

3:23

I've spent almost no time in casinos, and given my awareness of my luck at games of chance there's a good reason why. However, I have been a working musician on and off over the years and many of my friends are full-time working musicians (damn good too). So I respect the hustle and the need to pay rent and furthermore just to perform (hi, I have a…

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Episode 130: Scoping 3:11

4y ago3:11

3:11

This poem has been, appropriately, in the works for some time. I believe it's the first I've ever written about my father, though I have thoughts for several more. The text of the poem is at the bottom of this post, as this is another debut of a work. If you've read this far, you seem to have some interest in this podcast. Thanks for that, I apprec…

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Episode 129: Ask Not For Whom The Vulture Lands, It Lands For Thee 3:46

4y ago3:46

3:46

Another fresh poem making its debut on the podcast this week! I've been reading a lot of more sparse poems lately, but "Ask Not For Whom The Vulture Lands..." is step back in the direction of using more words to give us some rhythm in addition to rhyme. You can find the text of the poem at the bottom of this post, but before moving on I wanted to o…

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Episode 128: Axial Tilt 3:08

4y ago3:08

3:08

One of the things I enjoy writing poems about - as you may have guessed by now - is the weather as I experience it throughout the year. My problem of writing snow poems is well documented, both here on the podcast and in my poetry books (which you should be buying, look, the link is right there). But now I turn my sweated eye toward our current sea…

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Episode 127: Ducklings 3:38

4y ago3:38

3:38

We walk the dog every morning and our walks take us past some of the drainage ponds that dot our little subdivided corner of the world. The pond in question - the pond that inspired this poem - is affectionately called "The Duck Pond" by my wife and me. Because last Fall we saw a number of ducks congregating there, I mean, it's pretty simple. Anywa…

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Episode 126: Patriotism in New England 2:57

4y ago2:57

2:57

America: The United States thereof. I'm a firm believer that if we work toward the principles that we espouse that we could actually have a decent place for most everyone. I am also fully aware that this has not, is not, and will not be the case for a good number of people for years to come. But the work continues. This week's poem focuses on some …

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Episode 125: A Wild Man's Dream 3:19

4y ago3:19

3:19

Y'all. Folks. My friends. Listeners. Poetry fans. A week ago my wife and I were on our way - in the car- to New York City to see the Foo Fighters perform the first concert @ Madison Square Garden since the pandemic began for most of us last March. And it was a glorious show. Whether or not you're a fan of that specific band, we all know the feeling…

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Episode 124: Shallow Sky 2:37

4y ago2:37

2:37

Another ambient piece this week, meant to evoke the feeling of standing under low-hanging clouds in the night sky of June when you're trapped between the awe of nature and the fact that you're tired and you wish the dog would just wrap up his business already because you're ready for bed. Hey, you know the drill: I want to hear what you think of th…

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Episode 123: Amazon Bottle Brush Review 3:22

4y ago3:22

3:22

I have a fraught relationship with Amazon. On the one hand, they provide a facility for me to publish my books (including my poetry books. Ahem) and also get pretty much whatever I realize I need with a few swipes and taps while also donating a tiny bit of that purchase back to an organization for which I care. ON THE OTHER HAND, Amazon exploits pe…

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6.2 - THAT PODCAST with REMONA ALY... where we say goodbye to those we have lost – PART TWO 47:37

4y ago47:37

47:37

THAT PODCAST... where we say goodbye to those we have lost, and talk about grief and healing – PART TWO In Part 2, host Remona Aly tries to see the bigger picture, looking at what we can learn from those that have experienced grief from a different perspective. We also look to the younger generation to see what grief for a lost future looks like, a…

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6.1 - THAT PODCAST with REMONA ALY... where we say goodbye to those we have lost – PART ONE 1:08:54

4y ago1:08:54

1:08:54

THAT PODCAST... where we say goodbye to those we have lost, and talk about grief and healing – PART 1 Hosted by Remona Aly, the final episode of the series looks at what we have lost over the last year. Exploring how we can talk about feelings of loss and grief, and the rituals that can help us to say goodbye. Part 1 features personal accounts from…

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Episode 122: Sorry About That! 2:48

4y ago2:48

2:48

A low-stakes poem this week, a wry look at how we're able to call forth the rain when all we've been waiting for is ... rain. And how Mother Nature can go a little overboard in Her response when she does make it rain. Hey, you know the drill: I want to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on …

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5.2 - THAT PODCAST with TERRY GILLIAM... in which the truth is out there – PART TWO 1:03:46

4y ago1:03:46

1:03:46

THAT PODCAST... in which the truth is out there, we jump down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole, let A.I. run our lives for a while, and wonder if democracy stands a chance - PART TWO In Part 2, host Terry Gilliam discussed A.I. with Dr Cathy O’Neil and democracy with Open Democracy’s Mary Fitzgerald. This part also features original work by writer…

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5.1 - THAT PODCAST with TERRY GILLIAM... in which the truth is out there – PART ONE 1:05:40

4y ago1:05:40

1:05:40

THAT PODCAST... in which the truth is out there, we jump down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole, let A.I. run our lives for a while, and wonder if democracy stands a chance - PART ONE From one epic twist to the next, from cliff-hanger to nail-biter, the last year has tested anyone’s suspension of disbelief in reality. Perhaps it is not surprising t…

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Episode 121: Untitled Inspirational Poem 3:25

4y ago3:25

3:25

Some poems take multiple passes, a lot of tinkering and thought, to take the shape of something I'd dare share with the world. Others just kind of flow out of the pen onto the page and I like them just as they are. This week, it's the latter. This Untitled Inspiration Poem just poured out recently as I stood in my kitchen one afternoon. Yeah, it ha…

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4.2 - THAT PODCAST with NISH KUMAR... where we feel the pull of Wanderlust – PART TWO 1:04:30

4y ago1:04:30

1:04:30

THAT PODCAST... where we feel the pull of Wanderlust and travel the world with our imaginations, and also sometimes our feet – PART TWO Following the flights of fancy and fantasy of part 1, host Nish Kumar interrogates some of the more difficult aspects of travel in a pandemic as he considers those whose journeys are to seek refuge and asylum, the …

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4.1 - THAT PODCAST with NISH KUMAR... where we feel the pull of Wanderlust – PART ONE 54:14

4y ago54:14

54:14

THAT PODCAST... where we feel the pull of Wanderlust and travel the world with our imaginations, and also sometimes our feet – PART ONE In March 2020, the world stopped. We went from being a peripatetic society of nomads to a society locked down… Instead, we started travelling with our imaginations. Host Nish Kumar invites you to join him as he emb…

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Episode 120: Works of Love 3:34

4y ago3:34

3:34

I wrote this week's poem many years ago, and reading it through this week in prep for recording the episode, it struck me again how much it would work as a song. I mean, it needs a chorus stuck in there, but that's an easy enough retrofit. You'll also notice if you're reading along in Blue., from which the poem comes, that the final line has change…

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3.2 - THAT PODCAST with CHRIS MCCAUSLAND... where we rely on the kindness of strangers – PART TWO 59:44

4y ago59:44

59:44

THAT PODCAST... where we rely on the kindness of strangers and wonder if, generally, we’re good people (or not so much) – PART TWO Host Chris McCausland returns to the subject of isolation and relying on the kindness of strangers in the pandemic, and discovers that whilst this felt like new territory for many of us, there is a portion of the popula…

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3.1 - THAT PODCAST with CHRIS MCCAUSLAND... where we rely on the kindness of strangers – PART ONE 45:50

4y ago45:50

45:50

THAT PODCAST... where we rely on the kindness of strangers and wonder if, generally, we’re good people (or not so much) – PART ONE Lockdown made us all pioneers in a brave new world of digital socialising - and increasingly, interaction with perfect strangers. From QuarantineChat to neighbourhood WhatsApp groups, we started building new local and i…

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Episode 119: Re Mahogany 225 3:18

4y ago3:18

3:18

More inane absurdity for your ears this week, thanks to an old can of wood stain I found while cleaning out the painting supplies for the local high school's theatre department. You can find it all over my social media (tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram - Insta is where a lot of my new poetry shows up these days, in the caption FYI). Just the wo…

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2.2 - THAT PODCAST with DESIREE BURCH... in which we look at rituals, relationships, sex and bodies – PART TWO 1:01:43

4y ago1:01:43

1:01:43

THAT PODCAST... in which we look at rituals, relationships, sex, and bodies, and which is definitely NSFW so don’t listen with your kids – PART TWO Host Desiree Burch returns to her examination of how sex and intimacy got knotted up with a pandemic, dick pics and how lockdown has affected sex workers. Part 2 of the episode features writer-performer…

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2.1 - THAT PODCAST with DESIREE BURCH... in which we look at rituals, relationships, sex and bodies – PART ONE 55:43

4y ago55:43

55:43

THAT PODCAST... in which we look at rituals, relationships, sex, and bodies, and which is definitely NSFW so don’t listen with your kids – PART ONE A global pandemic is far from an aphrodisiac. How does shifting the satisfaction of our sexual needs to a digital plane change this most intimate and physical of acts? From couples revealing the rituals…

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Episode 118: 20 Hours a Day 2:31

4y ago2:31

2:31

Hey, Internet - well, hey: Rob's fraught relationship with the Internet! I wrote a poem about you! A brief poem this week that some of you might find a little too familiar for comfort. All I can say is: Same. You know the drill: I want to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Lea…

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1.2 - THAT PODCAST with SOPHIE DUKER... where Keanu Reeves saves us all using the power of dreams – PART TWO 50:30

4y ago50:30

50:30

THAT PODCAST... where Keanu Reeves saves us all using the power of dreams, and we take some LSD in order to confront the unconfrontable things in life – PART TWO Following our deep dive into pandemic-influenced dreams in Part 1, host Sophie Duker looks into how hallucinogenic-influenced altered states might help to cure PTSD, and confronts the trau…

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1.1 - THAT PODCAST with SOPHIE DUKER... where Keanu Reeves saves us all using the power of dreams – PART ONE 1:09:52

4y ago1:09:52

1:09:52

THAT PODCAST... where Keanu Reeves saves us all using the power of dreams, and we take some LSD in order to confront the unconfrontable things in life – PART ONE In a time when people have been haunted by pandemic-influenced dreams (a weird amount of which seem to feature Keanu Reeves battling Coronavirus), host Sophie Duker delves into the weird a…

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Episode 117: The Sighting 3:04

4y ago3:04

3:04

Coming at you from the earliest parts of the 21st century comes this poem of the time the clouds hung low in the skies over my place of business and the Good Year Blimp waddles past on its way from one sporting event to another. As I say in the episode, it's one of my oldest poems that has stood the test of time - meaning I feel comfortable sharing…

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That Podcast - Episode 0 7:52

4y ago7:52

7:52

THAT PODCAST... EPISODE 0: Hip-Hop MC, writer, theatre maker and world record breaking human beatboxer Testament performs his spoken word piece ZERO, as a teaser for THAT PODCAST - a series which tells the story of a nation and world in rapid transition. Testament’s work celebrates our fundamental need for storytelling, and reflects how we view the…

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Episode 116: Spring Hike 3:13

4y ago3:13

3:13

A few weeks back, my wife and I went on a hike with some dear friends of ours that we had not seen since the first pandemic restrictions went into place. Given that we're still working our way back to safe and I was at the time unvaccinated, we chose to get together outdoors and enjoy the Spring weather with a hike. And so this week's poem "Spring …

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Episode 115: Triple Check and CYA 3:59

4+ y ago3:59

3:59

Here I am again, updating on a Sunday. I did tell y'all that it would be every week-ish. Still my apologies for the delay, consistency is key to growing an audience, and while you're but a handful of faithful listeners (thank you!!) at present, maybe some day I'll explode. Who knows? It just takes one Buzzfeed article, right? But you want to know a…

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Episode 114: Accompanist 2:18

4+ y ago2:18

2:18

Poetry covers such a broad range of the human experience that I wouldn't expect all of you who listen to the podcast to share this experience, but I'll be willing to wager that there's at least a partial overlap between listeners of this and people who have or will attend music recitals, or more broadly: intimate acoustic music performances. "Accom…

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Episode 113: Eye Opener (An Easter Poem) 2:49

4+ y ago2:49

2:49

About 10 years ago or so I decided to try the whole giving up something for Lent concept. I went easy, I thought, I swapped out coffee for tea. As someone who's prone to headaches, it was a bit of a roll of the dice, but I found some good caffeinated tea that I could fit the bill. For the record, to know me is to know the deep abiding joy that coff…

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That Podcast - Trailer 1:26

4+ y ago1:26

1:26

Episode hosts Remona Aly, Desiree Burch, Sophie Duker, Terry Gilliam, Nish Kumar and Chris McCausland introduce us to... That Podcast - an ambitious collaboration between Storyglass and ETT featuring more than 100 writers, comedians, spoken word artists, scientists, journalists, musicians, and people from all walks of life, who tell tales of the ex…

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Episode 112: Hubris and Roller Skates 3:40

4+ y ago3:40

3:40

"Hubris and Roller Skates" is my ode to Physics, of which I am a fan (still rooting for that FTL workaround that's sure to come any day!), but alas only have a very basic grasp. Like, I get vector math and grasp the concepts, but I'm not up to the math. Respect and love to all the physicists out there, you make Space Exploration and all this amazin…

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Episode 111: The Growing Season 2:41

4+ y ago2:41

2:41

Sad, wistful, metaphorical even. "The Growing Season" is a poem I wrote while going through some things many years ago, and now I'm sharing it with you! Well, to be fair, it's been available in my book "Blue." for a while, so. It was also featured as a spoken-word piece a local college dance company used in a recital, but I can't find the video to …

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Episode 110: Pistachios and Life 3:11

4+ y ago3:11

3:11

After last week's dramatic reading, I've chosen something a bit more dialed back, though philosophical in nature. I also promise that I wasn't high when I wrote this week's poems -- this is how my brain naturally works, if you haven't figured that out for yourself by now. "Pistachios and Life" and "A Response to Pistachios and Life" punch above the…

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Episode 109: Fracture 4:31

4+ y ago4:31

4:31

Things get a little personal this week with "Fracture." I get low-grade headaches fairly often (yaayyyyy) but rarely, a full-blown migraine comes on. Less so now that I've learned to avoid certain triggers, but the experience inspired this poem. Also, Trigger Warning: If you're a migraine sufferer, listen with caution. You know the drill: I want to…

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Episode 108: Retinal Pressure in the wild on Mars and Adherence to Stricture, or Perseverance 4:22

4+ y ago4:22

4:22

It's a couple of mouths-full of titles for this week's episode, which I'm offering as a tribute to NASA and the JPL for all their hard work in getting another rover onto the surface of Mars. Well done all! "Retinal Pressure..." is as much a poem about longing for Spring after tiring of Winter as it is about Mars, if not more so. "Adherence..." is a…

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Episode 107: Why Do Men Go to Sea 3:15

4+ y ago3:15

3:15

As promised, this week it's the later version of the same draft that I forgot to remove from my list of draft poems. It's in many ways the same poem, and maybe in my next book I'll blend the two together and make some sort of super poem from them. Anyway, it's a nice little bit of verse and I'm happy to have shared it with you. I'll close on this b…