The Unrulies ponder freedom, a vast topic with much history and many implications. In the end, is freedom living the life you’ve always wanted? If only things were that simple. So many things go into the mix––social and political realities, relationships, jobs, passions and place to name a few. Lynn and John consider poems that evoke childhood and youth, times when many people feel most unfettered, fiction that is about the liberation from an oppressive other, and songs that emphasize breaking out. We invite you to breathe free as you listen!
Song 1: Ride Downtown (composed & performed by John V Modaff, with Dave Merrill on 2nd & 3rd guitars and harmonica)
Poem 1: “Eleanor Remembers” by Susan Aizenberg, published in 2025 in On the Seawall, a community gallery of new writing, art, and commentary. Susan is a poet living in Iowa City; her latest book is:A Walk With Frank O’Hara (U of New Mexico Press, 2024.)
Fiction: “She Always Knew What She Wanted,” a short story by Lynn C. Miller. Her fifth novel, The Surrogate, comes out March 31, 2026 from the University of Wisconsin Press. https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/T/The-Surrogate
Feed the Cat Break: “Estranged” (composed & performed by John V. Modaff)
Poem 2: “Fireflies,” by Rebecca Aronson, poet, professor and editor. She is the author of three collections of poetry, most recently Anchor, and is a winner of several awards for her poetry. https://www.rebeccaaronsonpoetry.com/
Song 2: Beyond the Other Side (by David R. Merrill / performed by D.R. Merrill and J.V. Modaff on bass & percussion)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and incidental music by John V. Modaff
The Unruly Muse is recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY
Produced at The Creek Studio, Morehead, KY
NEXT UP: Mar/ 2026, Episode 57: “Hello, is anyone there?”