Bestselling writer of poetry and prose Maggie Smith to host flagship poetry podcast, The Slowdown
Beginning August 18, Smith with welcome listeners to “lean into wonder and joy and truth … to find hope” with a curated poem each weekday
ST. PAUL, Minn., August 5, 2025 – American Public Media and the Poetry Foundation today announce award-winning poet and writer Maggie Smith has been selected as the new host of the celebrated poetry podcast, The Slowdown. Starting August 18, 2025, Smith will carry on the tradition of sharing a selected poem and thoughtful reflection every weekday, offering listeners a daily opportunity to find connection and calm through poetry. Smith succeeds award-winning poet Major Jackson and former United States Poets Laureate Ada Limón and Tracy K. Smith.
Maggie Smith is the award-winning, bestselling author of eight books of poetry and prose, including Good Bones and Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life. Her latest book, The People’s Project: Poems, Essays, and Art for Looking Forward, an anthology Smith coedited with the writer and poet Saeed Jones, will be published by Washington Square Press/Atria in September 2025. A Suit or a Suitcase, Smith’s next collection of poems, will be published by Washington Square Press/Atria in March 2026.
Smith is perhaps best known for her poem “Good Bones,” which went viral in 2016, launching her into the spotlight. Her 2023 memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful, in part documented the effect of the resulting notoriety on her life and marriage and was a New York Times best-seller.
“I’m a listener and a fan of The Slowdown first and foremost, so I’m thrilled to be a part of its legacy. It's an honor to be welcomed into listeners’ lives, bringing them a poem as they make their morning coffee, or walk their dogs, or commute to work. I think we can all use time away from our to-do lists, and time away from the dismal, endless scroll, to share five minutes of perspective through the lens of poetry,” Smith said.
Smith has received a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Pushcart Prize, and numerous grants and awards from the Academy of American Poets, the Sustainable Arts Foundation, the Ohio Arts Council, and the Greater Columbus Arts Council. Her poems and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The Nation, The Atlantic and The Best American Poetry. She is on the MFA faculty of the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University.
The Slowdown was most recently hosted by Major Jackson, who said “Maggie Smith possesses an astonishing ability to read the undercurrents of our lives. An accomplished poet and prose writer, her impact and fine thinking have already enriched our conversations. I look forward to hearing her voice each morning.”
New episodes of The Slowdown are available every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all other podcast platforms. Listeners can subscribe to the show’s newsletter, and follow along for updates at SlowdownShow.org and at @SlowdownShow on Facebook and Instagram.
Maggie Smith writes about craft in her bestselling Substack newsletter, For Dear Life. You can find her on social media @MaggieSmithPoet.
The Slowdown is produced by American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation.
###
About American Public Media
American Public Media® (APM) is the national programming and distribution division of Minnesota Public Radio® and reaches nearly 15 million weekly listeners across 1,000 public radio stations. APM is one of the largest producers and distributors of public radio programming in the world, with a portfolio that includes BBC World Service, Marketplace®, and the leading classical music programs in the nation. For more information on APM, visit americanpublicmedia.org.
Source: Data are copyright Nielsen Audio, Nationwide DMA data, Persons 12+, Fall ‘23 + Spring ‘24.
About the Poetry Foundation
The Poetry Foundation recognizes the power of words to transform lives. The Foundation works to amplify poetry and celebrate poets by fostering spaces for all to create, experience, and share poetry. Follow the Poetry Foundation and Poetry magazine on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.