All right? This month, we were absolutely delighted for King Ink stalwart Pauline May to launch her first poetry book. Planets, Plants and the Taste of Salt explores Pauline’s relationship with her parents, and one of her sons, Sam, has also provided some music for this episode.

From our open mic legends this month we have The Weaver of Lydia by John Appleton, Sorrow’s Kin by Helen Rogers, A Melange of Aggregate by Hester Dowling, and A Hollow Underside by Jack Wallace-Hunter. And from Pauline’s book we have Grinding the Lens, Reasons for Bending, and Dirty Hands.

Thanks, as ever, to Pop Recs for hosting us, to Pauline for launching her book at our event, and to our heroic hordes of contributors. Toodle-oo!

King Ink's podcast is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.

All right? We’re on the eve of a Brave New Day, so who better than King Ink legend, Aaron Wright, to steer us through the choppy waters ahead. Aaron has consulted leading politicians and political pundits, from this century and others, to help you decide how best to waste your vote in the 2024 Election.

A popular member of the north-east poetry scene, Aaron often performs at King Ink and other spoken word nights around the region. This year he released a collection entitled Poetry of the Slug with his manager and writing partner, Dr. Erasmus Croc.

Huge thanks to Aaron, who recorded this special way back at the end of 2023, and to Pop Recs for allowing us to record upstairs.

King Ink is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.

All right? Somehow managed to miss Degna Stone at Glastonbury, did you? Well, do we have a treat for you! A couple of weeks before the big festival, Degna popped along to King Ink for an unofficial Glasto Warm-up, and we've got a taste of their incredible performance here for your ears.

From our open mic heroes we have Open Mic Surgery by Aaron Wright, 80% of Your Stomach by Auburn Langley, Memorandum to Murmurations by Keith Ford, and Barbican Garden by AJ McKenna. And from Degna's moving headline set we have Love, Red Light, and A Manifesto of Tiny Commitments.

Thanks once again to our hosts, Pop Recs, to Degna for their headline performance, and to our legions of contributors. Toodle-oo!

King Ink's podcast is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.

All right? What a night we had this month! Electric open mic (with emergency mic tech from Gary the Hat), and a proppa-scran powered headline set from Darlo's own Lizzie Lovejoy.

From the epic open mic we have Auto-Gothik by Barry Hall, A New Year by Cath Mills, A Tribute to a Tree by Emily Kitching, and Saying Sorry to the Chocolate Sex Witch by the irrepressible Carl Steabler. And from Lizzie Lovejoy's gorgeous headline set we have You Are What You Eat, The Power of Books, and The River Wear Poem.

Thanks, as always, to Pop Recs for hosting us, to Lizzie for headlining, and to all our many, many contributors. Toodle-oo!

King Ink's podcast is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.

All right? We were joined this month by the delightful Ann Porro, bookseller by day... performance poet by night!

The open mic was rammed again (sorry, Luke) and from them we have I Have a Plan by Christine Fowler, Letter From an Atheist by Kev Robson, Before by Milky Brookes, and Leaving the Lakes by our very own Helen Wilko. Ann shared some wonderful poems on the night, including An Arthouse Movie Vampire Takes a Walk, Ms Nightingale, and Boy With the Red Balloon.

Thanks, as always, to Pop Recs for hosting us, to Ann for a truly wonderful headline set, and to all our many, many contributors. Toodle-oo!

King Ink is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.

All right? In March, we were visited by the eternally puckish Harry Gallagher, who read from his most recent book, There Is An England.

From our open mic poetswe have... Born of Bad Dreams by James Holbrook, Emotional Warriors by Auburn Langley, Writer's Block by Gillian Harrison, and The Dandelion Field by Jack Wallace-Hunter. And from Harry we have You Do Not Speak For Me, Youth Training (which made James cry a bit), and We Are Each Other.

Thanks again to Pop Recs for hosting us, to Harry for a headline set that was equal parts tub-thumping and whimsy, and to all our contributors, debutants and veterans alike. Toodle-oo!

King Ink is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.

All right? In this month's episode, we're delighted to include poems recorded at the "soft launch" of Keith Ford's book, Matters of Life and Death, along with all the usual King Ink shenanigans.

From our packed open mic, we have a haiku by Auburn Langley, Holiday by Mwelwa Chilekwa, Tory Helpline by Andy Sutton, Friendshifting by Liz Dean, and Charlie Care's signature piece, A Roman Legionary Has a Vision of the Future. And from Keith's set we have Son of the North, Playlist For Mam, and (the highly NSFW) Before This City Stunk of Skunk.

Thanks, as ever, to Pop Recs for hosting us, to Keith (and Andy) for travelling all the way from Nottingham, and to our merry horde of contributors. Toodle-oo!

King Ink is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.

All right? Happy 2024 and welcome to our first podcast of the year. Headlining this month was the fiery Julie Easely. Hailing from Teeside, Julie is a working-class poet, a queer ally, and let me tell you, she is angry!

From the open mic this month we have Imagine a River by Philip E. Cassidy, Chalice Well by Rebecca Kime, Smile by Kevin Robson, and This Gift by Helen Rogers. And from Julie's headline set we have Let Them Eat Chips, Imagine, and They Really Don't Care.

Massive thanks to Pop Recs for hosting us, to Julie for travelling all the way from Saltburn, and to all of our many, many contributors. Toodle-oo!

King Ink is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.

All right? For our last event of the year, we wanted to celebrate the pamphlet launch of popular King Ink regular, Gary the Hat. From his first readings in 2022 to headlining across the region and releasing his first pamphlet, Gary is an inspiration to any aspiring poet.

From this month's open mic we have Some Presents from Auntie Barb (deceased) at a Night of Mediumship by Liz Dean, All Beset the Phobics by Just Think Phil, Endless Thirst by Scott Bentley, and Nil Desperandum by Helen Wilko. And from the Hat himself we have Should I...?, Neurotic, and Music To My Ears.

As usual, huge thanks to Pop Recs for hosting us, and to all of our many contributors. Next year promises to be even bigger, now that we are officially a Community Interest Company. For now, enjoy some time with your loved ones, and we'll see you in 2024.

King Ink is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.

All right? Another month, another packed Pop Recs. This month we had a whopping 35 open mic performers, and we were visited by Teeside's finest, Bob Beagrie.

From the open mic we have To a Friend by RW Thorne, Raise the Dead by Cara Brooke, Times That Cannot Be Reversed by Folasade Fasoyiro, and the long-awaited Dad Dancing by Keith Ford. And from the brilliantly bearded Bob Beargie we have It's Like..., Spell, and Kite Over Morton Castle.

Massive thanks to Pop Recs for hosting another massive night, and to all of our many, many, many contributors. See you next month for mince pies and crackers!

King Ink is hosted by Helen Wilko and produced by James Whitman.