North Dakota Poetry Out Loud
Leah Hochhalter: "Listening in Deep Space"
4/21/2025 | 2m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
Poetry Out Loud Champion Leah Hochhalter recites "Listening in Deep Space" by Diane Thiel
Poetry Out Loud is a high school program that encourages students to learn about poetry while they master public speaking skills and build self-confidence. Leah Hochhalter, from Valley City High School, was the 2025 North Dakota Poetry Out Loud State Champion. Listen as she recites "Listening in Deep Space" by Diane Thiel.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
North Dakota Poetry Out Loud is a local public television program presented by Prairie Public
North Dakota Poetry Out Loud
Leah Hochhalter: "Listening in Deep Space"
4/21/2025 | 2m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
Poetry Out Loud is a high school program that encourages students to learn about poetry while they master public speaking skills and build self-confidence. Leah Hochhalter, from Valley City High School, was the 2025 North Dakota Poetry Out Loud State Champion. Listen as she recites "Listening in Deep Space" by Diane Thiel.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch North Dakota Poetry Out Loud
North Dakota Poetry Out Loud is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- "We've always been out looking for answers, telling stories about ourselves, searching for connection, choosing to send out Stravinsky and whale song, which, in translation, might very well be our undoing instead of a welcome."
"Listening in Deep Space" by Diane Thiel.
I loved the way that Diane Thiel wrote the poem, and just the connection she made from humans to the beyond and talking about connecting with each other.
Lately, I've just been really drawn to the stars, because I've lost friends, and when I look up there, I think of them.
That was the first reason I got drawn to that.
And then just really looking at the lyrics and the stanzas.
All the poems I choose, I really choose them because they have a deeper meaning than just the surface meaning, and so I love being able to dig a little deeper ourselves.
Searching for connection.
"Listening in Deep Space" by Diane Thiel.
"We've always been out looking for answers, telling stories about ourselves, searching for connection, choosing to send out Stravinsky and whale song, which, in translation, might very well be our undoing instead of a welcome.
We launched satellites, probes, telescopes, unfolding like origami, navigating geomagnetic storms, major disruptions, rovers with spirit and perseverance, mapping the unknown.
We listen through large arrays, adjusted eagerly to hear the news that we are not alone.
Considering the history at home, in houses across continents, oceans, even in quests armed with good intentions, what one seeker has done to another.
What will we do when we find each other?"
(gentle music) - [Announcer] Funded by the North Dakota Council on the Arts and by the members of Prairie Public.
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North Dakota Poetry Out Loud is a local public television program presented by Prairie Public