“If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” E.B. White

There is no pleasure without pain. The two are inextricably linked. It is impossible to experience the unbridled joy of a pleasurable moment without the contrasting knowledge of the depths of despair. We are born with this inside of us. Babies weep and smile, often both in the same moment. We must not deny ourselves the experience of either pleasure or pain. Both are essential elements of what it means to be alive.

Nate Klug lives and works in Albany, California where he moved four years ago. At present he is finishing a new book of poems. He is a self-described slow writer who tends to produce a few poems per season. For him, the process of creating a manuscript is quite long. Poems usually begin for Klug with a phrase or two that pop into his head. From there he follows “the trail of sounds” as they unfold into a poem. Klug works as a Congregational Minister. To hear more about Klug’s work, his process of creating both poetry and sermons, and some live readings by the poet himself, listen to the complete interview.

Mireia Sallares Casas is an artist and writer from Barcelona, Spain. Living in Barcelona is increasingly difficult as the city gentrifies and housing costs soar so she recently moved out of the city where she is able to have more space to live and have her studio. She is preparing to present a project that has been seen around the world for over a decade titled The Little Deaths. The work examines violence, death, pleasure, legality, truth and love. To hear more about this and Mireia Sallarea Casas’ other work, listen to the complete interview.