Authors, poets, actors, artists, ok people, tend to live troubled lives. I am not yet aware of anyone who has not had a troubled existence of one sort or another. Celebrity does not guarantee riches, but it does mean their lives are played out in view of public scrutiny.

T S Eliot was no different. His work touched many and he remains respected as a poet, essayist and critic almost 60 years after his death.

His work brought him the Nobel Prize in 1948. It also brought him criticism for some of his anti-Jewish characterisations.

He had difficulties in his personal life and struggled at times with poor health. His pain is reflected in his art, though not always as perceived. It was said at the time that this poem, The Waste Land, embodied the despair of the post war years. In 1931 he reflected: "When I wrote a poem called The Waste Land, some of the more approving critics said that I had expressed ‘the disillusion of a generation’, which is nonsense. I may have expressed for them their own illusion of being disillusioned, but that did not form part of my intention.”

This poem is known for its obscurity. There is an opaque tinge to its many meanings and shifts of voice. It is not easy to follow when simply listening. There are language changes, times and places move. It flows from form to form. I find it deeply challenging and thoroughly enjoyable. I hope you do too!

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PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.