After a trip to the Wordsworth Trust, I discuss the impact of biography on our poetry.

References: 'Expostulation and Reply / The Tables Turned: an evening scene, on the same subject' by William Wordsworth and 'Thursday 29th April 1802' (journal entry) by Dorothy Wordsworth, in Romanticism: An Anthology 4th Edn. Ed by Duncan Wu. Music by George Clarke and Portamento.

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I discuss liminal states of being/in creativity, and how this can help us with first lines.

References: 'Heaven, it must be heaven' by Rachel Long in Butcher's Dog issue 9 (2017). Music by George Clarke and Portamento.

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I talk about poems that instruct our reader... and cockney rhyming slang.

References: 'Pawnbroking for Beginners' by Chrissie Gittins in Obsessed with Pipework issue 103 / 'Instructions on How to Leave a Town' by Gabriel Jesiolowski. Music by George Clarke (Intro) and Portamento (Outro).

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Second person perspective!

References: 'Void' by Louise Glück from Poems 1962-2020 / 'Plans for a Future Romance' by Emily Berry from Dear Boy.

Music by Portamento.

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A short episode. I discuss community spaces and share some Keats.

References: 'Lines on The Mermaid Tavern' by John Keats in Poems of London (Everyman's Library). Music by Portamento.

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I chat about cabbage poems and give a first-line prompt.

References: 'The Vegetable Garden and the Runaway Horse' from Some More of Me Poetry by Pam Ayres / 'Skunk Cabbage' from The Stone Age by Jen Hadfield / 'If the Night Could Get Up & Walk' and 'One Must Try Behind the Hills' by Jonathan Williams from 'Beat' Poets selected by Gene Baro. Music by Portamento.

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I discuss allergies and Rilke and give a meditative poetry prompt.

References: 'Duino Elegies' - Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by David Young.

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I discuss how we can be inspired to write by creative TV shows and retelling stories.

References: 'Glow Up' - Netflix / 'Fat Alice' in Be Feared by Jane Burn.

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I discuss how I spent the weekend facing my writing fears and how it changed everything.

References: 'Caddisfly Larvae' from Ephemeron by Fiona Benson. Music by Portamento.

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I do a close-reading of The Fish by Elizabeth Bishop and talk about how we might use it as a writing prompt.

References: 'The Fish' from Complete Poems by Elizabeth Bishop; The Art of Description by Mark Doty; Conversations with Elizabeth Bishop ed. by George Monteiro

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