Weekend America

The Brutal Poetry of the Iraq War

There's a whole group of Americans who won't be home for the holidays this year. Over 140,000 US troops are in Iraq right now. And holidays at war can be strange times. Poet Brian Turner served as an infantry team leader in Iraq in 2003. To get through the holidays, he put home out of his mind. But on his last night in Iraq, with home in sight, Brian wrote a poem called "Cole's Guitar."

How to Up-Sell in a Down Market

Countless American homeowners are feeling the pinch of the subprime meltdown. Caught in the middle are real estate agents, who are increasingly relying on creative ways to lure potential buyers. John Moe explores what some agents are doing to help close the deal.

Thai-ing the Mortality Knot

David Maxon's father is on an extended trip to Thailand, a trip he began with a group that matches American men looking to marry Thai women. But Maxon found the trip was also about the apprehension father and son both feel about mortality.

Weekend Soundtrack

'Letting Nature Into Your Ears'

Haans Petruschke's Weekend Soundtrack is provided by the beauty that greets him outside his door every day.

Change of Seasons

Homesick for Her Heartland

We asked our listeners to share their memories of spring. Sherry Connot from Nebraska wrote us about her freshman year in college, when she was homesick for her family's ranch. A song about springtime brought all those feelings bubbling up one day....

The Growing Influence of Kids

Children and young adults seem to be gaining more and more influence on the decisions of their parents. It's natural to want to "empower" kids as they get older, but are we giving our kids too much power?

Big Boi's Hip-Hop Ballet

Antwan "Big Boi" Patton, one half of the hit-making musical group OutKast, is teaming up with the Atlanta Ballet for a series of performances matching traditional ballet with hip-hop.

Tales for Tax Time

Whether you're filing this weekend or you finished two months ago, take a break from your deducting or your gloating to enjoy some of this year's best tax stories from our listeners.

'The Happy Death Song'

It was Benjamin Franklin who first famously said that nothing in this world is certain but death and taxes. So while some people are doing their taxes this weekend, Jeff Horwich looks around him and sees that other thing.

Good News, Bad News, No News

Let's Play San Francisco Hide-a-Torch!

Our panel of non-experts reviews the week's news -- Yale literature professor Amy Hungerford, Simon Doonan, author and creative director of Barneys New York, and writer John Ridley, who has an NPR blog called "Visible Man."

The Weekend Shift

Having Fun, Making Magic in the Kitchen

Michael May has known chef Ian Pierce since high school. He was sort of a hippie and class clown -- so May was a bit surprised when he read the reviews calling Pierce one of St. Paul's best chefs, and decided to visit his kitchen.

The Sing-Song Rhythm of Poet Speak

Its National Poetry Month, which means lots of people reading poetry. Question: Why do most poets read their work in the same slow, ponderous manner? Weekend America contributor and poet Jeremy Richards investigates.

Playing with Food... And Utensils

Umami is the fifth taste sensed by the tongue -- it's Japanese for "savory" or "meaty." Umami is also a food and art festival happening this weekend in New York City. And for that festival, composer Fast Forward -- his real name -- debuts music played using only kitchen utensils and foodstuffs.

From Golf Hustler to PGA Pro

Al Duhon started out as a golf hustler in South Los Angeles and was making money playing golf before the first black player broke the PGA race barrier. At 83, he still teaches kids about the game that has him hooked.