After the first series, some listeners asked for an episode about the host. So, for this last (and longer) episode, Tara is in conversation with the podcast’s editor, the performance poet, skateboarder and film-maker Rydian Cook (https://www.rydcook.com/). Tara and Rydian think about how their very different educations have shaped their attitudes toward poetry. This episode also acts as a commentary on the two series of Demystifying Poetry, making connections between the guests, their work, and their poems.

Creator & Host - Tara Stubbs

Recording, Editing & Producing - Rydian Cook

Funder: The British Academy

In this episode, Tara talks to award-winning poet and academic Dr. Erica McAlpine (https://www.ericamcalpine.com/). Erica shares poems from her latest collection Small Pointed Things, and Tara and Erica talk about a wide range of subjects including contemporary poetry and form, rhyme and comedy, and poetry and (auto)biography. They also discuss Erica’s study The Poet’s Mistake, which identifies errors in the work of poets such as John Keats. They ask why critics go to such efforts to excuse or deny poets’ errors, and wonder why we revere some poets more than others.

Creator & Host - Tara Stubbs

Recording, Editing & Producing - Rydian Cook

Funder: The British Academy

For this episode, Tara discusses how to approach more abstract ideas around poetry with Dr. Nicola Simpson, whose work straddles visual art, poetry and philosophy (https://norwichuni.ac.uk/about-us/meet-our-staff/dr-nicola-simpson). They talk about concrete poetry, sand poetry, and kinetic art; and. they even consider interactions between poetry and yoga. They think about how the poetry world might learn from the art world’s open-mindedness, while keeping the language around poetry accessible and inclusive.

Creator & Host - Tara Stubbs

Recording, Editing & Producing - Rydian Cook

Funder: The British Academy

In this episode, Tara talks to Oxford-based children’s and adults’ poet Kate Wakeling (http://www.katewakeling.co.uk). By writing for a curious young audience, Kate’s work redefines what might be meant by ‘children’s poetry’. Her thoughtful, explorative poetry reveals the influence of collaborations with illustrators, musicians and orchestras. Here, she shares one ‘adult’ poem and one ‘children’s’ poem, showing how the lines between the two might become blurred and demonstrating her wider interests in music, grief and memory.

Creator & Host - Tara Stubbs

Recording, Editing & Producing - Rydian Cook

Funder: The British Academy

For this episode, Tara talks to Will May, Professor of Modern and Contemporary Literature from the University of Southampton. They discuss Will’s research project on ‘Invisible Mentors’ in British poetry. Many of these mentors have been acting in these roles, largely unpaid, for decades. Tara and Will also talk about how ‘Invisible Mentors’ has helped to highlight wider issues around representation and diversity in poetry. (For more, see: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/research/projects/invisible-mentors-british-poetry-in-partnership-1960-2020.)

Creator & Host - Tara Stubbs

Recording, Editing & Producing - Rydian Cook

Funder: The British Academy

To kick off series 2, Tara talks to Manchester-based performance poet, children’s poet, and vegan activist Dominic Berry (https://dominicberry.net/).

Dominic reads some of his poems, and Tara and Dominic discuss inclusivity in the performance poetry world, the place of ‘rage’ in contemporary poetry, and the challenge of writing for different audiences. Throughout they consider the importance of spoken performance to Dominic’s work. [TW: use of strong language]

Creator & Host - Tara Stubbs

Recording, Editing & Producing - Rydian Cook

Funder: The British Academy

For more on Liz, go to https://societyofauthors.org/soa-member/liz-ison/. You can also find her on Instagram @liz.ison https://www.instagram.com/liz.ison/?hl=en

For more on Carol, go to https://britishartnetwork.org.uk/membership/members/carol-jacobi/. You can also find her on Instagram @caroljac0bi https://www.instagram.com/caroljac0bi/?hl=en

For more on Jacqueline, go to https://www.jacquelinesaphra.com/. You can also find her on Instagram @jacquelinesaphra https://www.instagram.com/jacquelinesaphra/?hl=en

For more on Dinah, and on her project on poetry and care, you can follow her on X (@preraphsrule) https://x.com/preraphsrule, and go to the project website, https://carerspoetry.org/.