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Donald Hall and Jane Kenyon Discuss their Marriage and Work.

Two poets, married to one another, coming to grips with illness and mortality: Donald Hall and Jane Kenyon. Hall's new memoir of life on his New Hampshire farm and his "absorbedness" with writing are the subject of his new book "Life Work" (Beacon Press). Halfway through its completion, Hall was diagnosed with liver cancer; the following surgery and recovery provided rich material for his work and Kenyon's: a new book of poems entitled "Constance" (Graywolf Press).

22:34
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Other segments from the episode on September 1, 1993

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, September 1, 1993: Interview with Donald Hall and Jane Kenyon; Interview with Jack Sheldon; Review of Carol De Chellis Hill's book "Henry James' Midnight Song."
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16:02

Jazz Musician Jack Sheldon.

Trumpeter and Singer, Jack Sheldon. For many years he was bandleader and sidekick for Merv Griffin's talkshow. Sheldon has been involved with some of the great names of jazz: he sang with Benny Goodman, was a childhood friend of Chet Baker's, and played burlesque with Lenny Bruce. He has a new record of standards: "On My Own" (Concord Records). (REBROADCAST from 6/9/93)

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14:13

Remembering Poet Jane Kenyon

Kenyon died Saturday of leukemia. She and her husband, poet Donald Hall, had both been struggling with cancer for years. Many of their works were inspired by their battles with the disease. Their last book of poems, entitled Constance, is about Hall's surgery and recovery. We replay our 1993 interview with the couple.

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12:07

Donald Hall: A Poet's View 'Out The Window.'

The 83-year-old former poet laureate reflects on how life has changed as he's grown older. "My body causes me trouble when I cross the room, but when I am sitting down writing, I am in my heaven — my old heaven," he says.

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