dial-a-poem.org brings all Dial-A-Poem recordings together. The original recordings by John Giorno exist alongside the ones in other languages from all international editions—captioned, accessible, and in randomized order.
Dial-A-Poem began in 1969 as a radical experiment: pick up the phone, dial a number, and hear a poet reading you a poem.
Today, it’s a global network. While maintaining the original phone number, GPS also works with partners around the world to record contemporary poets, artists, and musicians in their native languages in an ever-expanding series of international phone numbers. There are poems, performances, mantras, and calls to action, spoken in many languages by a chorus of voices across generations.
Today, it’s a global network. While maintaining the original phone number, GPS also works with partners around the world to record contemporary poets, artists, and musicians in their native languages in an ever-expanding series of international phone numbers. There are poems, performances, mantras, and calls to action, spoken in many languages by a chorus of voices across generations.
But the internet doesn’t have country codes and long-distance charges. There are no busy signals. Everything is mixed, fluid, and just a click away from something else.
At dial-a-poem.org, all Dial-A-Poem recordings are combined—in many languages and captioned for better accessibility—and the experience of surprise and discovery that comes with randomly encountering poetry is brought into the World Wide Web.
Click on the phone to listen. Click it again to hang up. Click it once again to hear another one. There are hundreds.
Learn more about the history of Dial-A-Poem.
At dial-a-poem.org, all Dial-A-Poem recordings are combined—in many languages and captioned for better accessibility—and the experience of surprise and discovery that comes with randomly encountering poetry is brought into the World Wide Web.
Click on the phone to listen. Click it again to hang up. Click it once again to hear another one. There are hundreds.
Learn more about the history of Dial-A-Poem.
Currently featured on dial-a-poem.org:
Dial-A-Poem Original
produced by John Giorno
Dial-A-Poem USA
produced with The Poetry Project
Dial-A-Poem Mexico
produced with Casa Wabi
Dial-A-Poem France
produced by GPS
Dial-A-Poem Brazil
produced with coleção moraes-barbosa
Dial-A-Poem Original
produced by John Giorno
Dial-A-Poem USA
produced with The Poetry Project
Dial-A-Poem Mexico
produced with Casa Wabi
Dial-A-Poem France
produced by GPS
Dial-A-Poem Brazil
produced with coleção moraes-barbosa
Coming up in 2026:
Dial-A-Poem Italy
produced with MAMbo, Bologna
Dial-A-Poem Thailand
produced with Bangkok Kunsthalle and Khao Yai Art Forest
Dial-A-Poem Switzerland
produced with MAMCO, Geneva
Dial-A-Poem Hong Kong
produced with M+
and more to come
Dial-A-Poem Italy
produced with MAMbo, Bologna
Dial-A-Poem Thailand
produced with Bangkok Kunsthalle and Khao Yai Art Forest
Dial-A-Poem Switzerland
produced with MAMCO, Geneva
Dial-A-Poem Hong Kong
produced with M+
and more to come
