Poetry Pause

You're most welcome to eavesdrop here as we review our poetry podcast year - what worked and what didn't - and send dedications of love and appreciation on behalf of others and ourselves. Thanks to poets Luise Thomas and Christian Donovan for their contributions, and to all other contributors and listeners this year. 

We discuss Gwyneth Lewis in this episode, first National Poet of Wales. One of us is a massive fan-girl and the other is a little bit out of her depth...

This episode is dedicated to super-humanist, super-culture-lover, super-hippy and super-gardening-guru Alan Tuck, who lived next door to the cowshed and enjoyed our podcast. 

In this episode, we chat about Edward Thomas, 'the delicate poet', his contribution, fascinating life and tragic death on a First World War battlefield.

We both write quite experimental poems, inspired by his approach. 

We find huge affinity with the poet, and are big fan girls! 

RS Thomas is our subject in this episode, and we discuss him with writer and vet, Lewis Griffiths. 

Despite his austere reputation, we find a poet of relatable contradiction and humour, who is working it out like the rest of us.

In this episode, we investigate the amazing poetry of medieval poet, Gwerful Mechain. She champions body positivity, humour, standing up for women's rights - and all from  fifteenth century Wales.

We also discuss  poems by Menna Elfyn, Sheenagh Pugh, Gwyneth Lewis, Amanda Lovelace and Sharon Olds.  

In this special Christmas in Wales episode, we take a trip around poetry and writing based on folklore, nostalgia and landscape.

We include poems from Seren's anthology Christmas in Wales, and the Black Bough anthology 2, with dollops of Dylan and RS Thomas.

Other poems included are by Vernon Watkins, Menna Elfyn, Matthew MC Smith, Damien B Donnelly, Kathy Miles, Stuart Nolan, Emma Baines and Philippa Davies.

We discuss why poetry gives us hope and heals us, with guest poet Natalie Holborow, coming from Llandeilo Lit Fest. We include poems by Seamus Heaney, Adrienne Rich and Grace Nichols. Natalie's collection 'Small' is published by Parthian Books. 

In this episode, we look at the poem 'Human Chain' by Seamus Heaney, and discuss his life, contribution and distinctiveness. 

Our guest contributor is Christian Donovan, and the three of us get inspired by Seamus Heaney to write three very different poems. 

In this episode, we discuss and consider Imtiaz Dharker's story, her gifts and contribution. 

Our guest contributor, Luise Thomas, chooses Imtiaz Dharker's 'Litter' as inspiration for item poems, which we write in response.

Luise Thomas is a published poet whose collection is called 'Life Love Loss'.