Poetry Corner 2015 got off to a wonderful start on Wednesday night when host W. Joe Hoppe introduced us to the fascinating François Pointeau (pictured below).

François was born in Rennes, France, but moved to the States with his family as a child. He first self-published his poetry collection, Beer Songs for the Lonely, in 2006, and then completely rewrote it in 2013-14. As well as writing poetry, he talks about it on the radio—he’s the producer and host of KOOP Radio’s Writing on the Air, where he interviews poets, writers, and storytellers of all types. (Have a listen: Wednesdays, 6pm, at 91.7FM.)

Check out the footage below to hear “Vacuum Dance,” learn about how the act of (secret) translation can be invaluable to poets, and find out why Baudelaire beats Rimbaud! And be sure to keep an eye on our events calendar for details of W. Joe’s upcoming guests.