In this rich and sweeping conversation, Kyeren Regehr speaks with poet and bass clarinetist, Toussaint St. Negritude about poetry as ritual and risk, liberation as artistic practice, and the living intersections of Blackness, queerness, place, music, and spirit. Together they explore the origins of his chosen name, the sacred and political resonances of Haiti and Vodou, the improvisational energies shared by poetry and jazz, and the civic possibilities opened by his time as Poet Laureate of Belfast, Maine. This episode also features three poems from Toussaint's award-winning collection, Mountain Spells, including the incantatory “Brothers and Brothers.” 

This episode of The Poet Laureate Podcast is supported by the Belfast Poetry Festival, a long-standing celebration of poetry, art, and community in Belfast, Maine. For nearly two decades, the festival has brought poets, performers, and audiences together each autumn for a weekend of readings, exhibitions, and deeply rooted creative exchange. This year marks its 21st annual festival. Entirely volunteer-run, the festival is dedicated to fostering connection through the literary arts and uplifting diverse voices across Maine and beyond. Discover more about upcoming events and this year’s festival at belfastpoetry.com. https://www.belfastpoetryfestival.com/

Winner of the 2025 Firebird Award for Mountain Spells (Rootstock Publishing 2024), Poet Laureate emeritus of Belfast, Maine, and 2024 Nominee for Poet Laureate of Vermont, poet, bass clarinetist, and composer, Toussaint St. Negritude conjures whole liberations in full tempo. Originally from San Francisco, Toussaint has lived and broadly thrived across the African Diaspora, from the sacred mountains of Haiti to the Coltrane District of North Philadelphia. He, along with bassist Gahlord Dewald, is the leader of the band Jaguar Stereo!, a free-form ensemble of his own poetry and improvisational jazz, and his works have been widely published and recorded for over 40 years. He is also an avid educator, annually teaching poetry for the Governor's Institute of the Arts, among other institutions. On an alpine sanctuary facing east, Toussaint St. Negritude continues to thrive in the farthest elevations of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. https://toussaintstnegritude.com/
https://toussaintstnegritude.com/mountain-spells/

We acknowledge with gratitude that this work was created on the unceded homelands of the lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples.

The Poet Laureate Podcast is recorded in studio at Haus of Owl: Creation Labs—supporting artists to create the best work of their careers. Original music by Chris Regehr. To learn more or reach out, visit www.thepoetlaureatepodcast.com or find us on Instagram @poetlaureatepodcast & [email protected].

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. / Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. 

This podcast is The Canada Council for the Arts mandate is to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. Through its grants, services, prizes, initiatives, and payments, the Canada Council supports a dynamic and diverse arts and literary scene. These activities generate a meaningful cultural, social and economic impact for over 2,000 communities in all parts of the country and beyond. The investments and leadership of the Council help advance public engagement in the arts from coast to coast to coast while also contributing to the international recognition of artists and arts organizations from Canada.