James Richardson on Within the Hour: Poems and Aphorisms, 1971-2026
Poet James Richardson joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and Christian Barter to talk about his collection of new and selected poetry, Within the Hour. Richardson discusses how his early fascination with science and his enjoyment of science fiction has influenced his.
James Richardson is a poet who recently published a collection titled Within the Hour: Poems and Aphorisms, 1971-2026. This book includes new and selected works spanning over five decades of his career. Richardson discussed his collection in a podcast interview with co-hosts Whitney Terrell and Christian Barter, reflecting on his creative process, influences, and the challenges of compiling such a wide-ranging body of work. Richardson has also published other notable collections, including Interglacial (2004), For Now, During, By the Numbers, and Vectors. His poetry often explores themes of science, time, and the universe, drawing from his lifelong interest in scientific concepts and science fiction.
Putting together Within the Hour involved Richardson and his wife, Connie, reviewing his work from the past 55 years. They selected poems for the collection while adhering to the rule that old poems could not be revised, as altering them risked unintended changes to their meaning. Richardson noted that this constraint made the process both challenging and revealing, as some older poems surprised him with their enduring quality. He acknowledged that the final selection is not exhaustive but aims to present his best and most consistent work. Richardson also mentioned that he is already thinking beyond this collection, as he continues to explore new poetic directions.
Richardson’s fascination with science began in childhood, when he read a science fiction story at age nine that described particles spontaneously decaying. This idea stuck with him and influenced his poetry, which often incorporates scientific concepts and a sense of scale. Richardson initially pursued science in school, even studying chemistry and physics independently, but ultimately chose poetry after being inspired by Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Though he did not study science in college, he continued reading science magazines alongside literary works. His poetry reflects a blend of scientific curiosity and poetic imagination, using facts and theories to explore themes like the vastness of the universe and the fragility of human consciousness.
Richardson’s collection includes both lyric poems and aphorisms, which are short, concise statements that express a general truth or insight. In the interview, he discussed how aphorisms serve as a counterbalance to his more expansive lyric poems. Aphorisms are brief, often thought-provoking statements that distill complex ideas into a few words. Richardson has written extensively in this form, including in his book Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays. The interplay between aphorisms and longer poems allows him to explore ideas in different ways, offering both depth and brevity in his work.
A recurring theme in Richardson’s poetry is the exploration of endings and the paradoxical nature of time. He often questions whether anything truly ends or if endings are merely illusions. For example, in his poem As If Ending, he writes that a migration ending nothing because "nothing ends." Richardson also reflects on the structure of time, suggesting that beginnings and endings are interconnected. This idea is echoed in his aphorism: "A beginning ends. What an end begins." His work challenges the reader to consider the fluidity of time and the cyclical nature of existence.
Richardson noted that politics has played an increasing role in his newer work, particularly since 2016. While he did not elaborate on specific political themes in the interview, this shift suggests a growing engagement with contemporary social and political issues in his poetry. Despite this, Richardson emphasized that he is always searching for new poetic forms and ideas, indicating that his work continues to evolve. The collection *Within the Hour* reflects both his established style and these newer explorations, offering a glimpse into the ongoing development of his craft.
