Poetry To Your Ears

We talked about writing in English compared to Portuguese, how Romina’s working-class roots inspire their poetry, growing up in-between Portugual and England and how that is expressed in Sardines, creating her poetry event Natter Bolton and the benefit of having a poetry community, and getting in touch with Rebecca, the founder of Bent Key Publishing.

“In this stunning collection of poetry, Romans Ramos explores the nature of displacement and the experiences of a young person new to British shores. Uncovering their own feelings of isolation, their connections to their family history and customs and, ultimately, their acceptance of a new dynamic, the pieces in this collection evoke a sense of both fractured identity and a longing for understanding in the face of a society that often lacks any really understanding of the nuance of migration and movement.” Bent Key

Poetry To Your Ears is sponsored by Write Bloody UK and Bent Key Publishing, two British independent publishers. You can get a 10% discount on all books with the code POETRYTOYOUREARS (www.writebloodyuk.co.uk) POETRYTOYOUREARS10 (www.bentkeypublishing.co.uk). We hope you’ll find a poetry book you like and tell us on social media if you purchase one!

CREDITS: Poetry To Your Eears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The episode was recorded on Riverside.fm in January 2022. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues.

Instagram/TikTok/Youtube: @poetrytoyourears Twitter: @poetry2yourears Substack: www.poetrytoyourears.substack.comEmail: poetrytoyourearspodcast (at) gmail (dot) comAll links: www.linktr.ee/poetrytoyourears

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com

Loulou & Tom talk to Mayor & Zayden Lindsay, father and son poets from Nottingham. Mayor Lindsay is a poet originally from Jamaica, now living in Nottingham, England, where he performs about racism, knife crime, poverty and more recently, the cost of living crisis. Zayden’s poetry deals with bullying, growing up, compassion ansd race. Zayden is fifteen and started writing poetry when he was nine.

We talked about their article in the BBC, performing poetry as father and son, organizing the event Power in Poetry, talking about race as Black people to a broad audience, the difference between life in Jamaica and in England, balancing poetry with work and school, and other bits.

You can follow Mayor and Zayden on Instagram @mayorlindsay and @zaydenlyricalgenius.

Poetry To Your Ears is sponsored by Write Bloody UK and Bent Key Publishing, two British independent publishers. You can get a 10% discount on all books with the code POETRYTOYOUREARS (Write Bloody UK) POETRYTOYOUREARS10 (Bent Key). We hope you’ll find a poetry book you like and tell us on social media if you purchase one!

CREDITS: Poetry To Your Eears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The episode was recorded on Riverside.fm in January 2022. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues.

Instagram/TikTok/Youtube: @poetrytoyourears Twitter: @poetry2yourears Substack: www.poetrytoyourears.substack.comEmail: poetrytoyourearspodcast (at) gmail (dot) comAll links: www.linktr.ee/poetrytoyourears

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com

Listen to our conversation with Maggie Bowyer about their latest poetry collection Allergies, poems about grief and love. (Maggie Bowyer, 2023)

We talked about Maggie’s mother’s death and their first love’s death, the process of writing about grief, why this collection is relevant for all of us after two years in a pandemic, writing from home about home as a chronically ill person, finding beauty in the specific, writing list poems, self-publishing, the different poetry scenes in the South of the United States, and much more.

Maggie Bowyer (they/them/theirs) is a poet, cat parent, and the author of various poetry collections including Ungodly (2022) and When I Bleed (2021). They are an essayist with a focus on Endometriosis, chronic pain, and trauma. They have been featured in Bourgeon Magazine, Capsule Stories, Plainsongs Poetry Magazine, The Abbey Review, Troublemaker Firestarter, Wishbone Words, and more. The were the Editor-in-Chief of The Lariat Newspaper, a quarter-finalist in Brave New Voices 2016, and they were a Marilyn Miller Poet Laureate. You can find their work on Instagram and TikTok @maggie.writes.

Poetry To Your Ears is now sponsored by Bent Key Publishing, an indie micro-publisher that champions neurodiverse artists and writers from other marginalised groups. You can get a 10% discount on all books with the code POETRYTOYOUREARS10. This code doesn’t apply to zines but it covers all books on their website www.bentkeypublishing.co.uk. We hope you’ll find a poetry book you like and tell us on social media if you purchase one!

CREDITS: Poetry To Your Eears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The episode was recorded on Riverside.fm in January 2022. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues.

Instagram/TikTok/Youtube: @poetrytoyourears Twitter: @poetry2yourears Substack: www.poetrytoyourears.substack.comEmail: poetrytoyourearspodcast (at) gmail (dot) comAll links: www.linktr.ee/poetrytoyourears

Poetry To Your Ears is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com

Listen to our conversation with Loll Perkin, author of Fewmin (Bent Key, 2022).

“One of Manchester’s most passionate poets and a massive name on the poetry scene, Loll Perkin is here and she has something to say. Combining politics and pride with a hefty dose of the forthright attitude she is known for, this is not your nana’s poetry — this is an exclusive tour through a complicated, candid and clever mind that has fought its demons and come out the other side. Using words as her weapon and raw vulnerability as her shield, this collection explores family ties, the effects of trauma and the trials and tribulations of living as a woman in the 2020s, all with a twist of the lyrical genius she is loved for. Expression is magic — and Loll Perkin has it in droves.”

We talked about the poetry scene in Manchester, writing about trauma for recovery and empowerment, writing happy poems, writing for spoken word versus writing for the page, being a poet and a barber, the experience of getting published as a dyslexic person, and a lot more.

Follow Loll Perkin on Instagram @loll.the poet and buy Fewmin on Bent Key Publishing here.

CREDITS: Poetry to your ears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The episode was recorded on Riverside.fm in December 2022. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues. The artist photography is by No Margins Media.

Instagram/TikTok/Youtube: @poetrytoyourears Twitter: @poetry2yourears Substack: www.poetrytoyourears.substack.comEmail: poetrytoyourearspodcast (at) gmail (dot) comAll links: www.linktr.ee/poetrytoyourears

Publish your poetry today. Use the button below to create your Substack and connect your publication with Poetry to your Ears

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com

Kofi is a London-based spoken word artist and self-proclaimed storyteller. He'll speak on anything, from sunsets to fascism. Kofi performed from Brighton seafront to Islington. He managed to worm his wayinto a Hammer and Tongue slam final and got a piece published when hewas 9.

In this episode, we talked about winning the Queer The Mic feature slot, writing in lockdown, Kofi’s journey from making hip-hop beats with his sister to becoming a spoken word artist, and the London poetry scene.

Watch the video podcast on YouTube here.

You can follow Kofi on Instagram @kofi_achina

CREDITS: Poetry to your ears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The episode was recorded in a Platform B Studio in Brighton and produced by Solomon. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues. The thumbnail picture is by Tyrone Lewis.

Instagram/TikTok: @poetrytoyourears Twitter: @poetry2yourears Substack: www.poetrytoyourears.substack.comEmail: [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com

First birthday and 20th episode of Poetry to your Ears!

Loulou, co-host and Sprigs of Heather, a previous guest, discuss the publishing of their respective poetry books Pink Goo and Woman of Nature, on the eve of their book launch at The Queery in Brighton.

Pink Goo is about a spiral down to anxiety and depression and the following journey to find peace. After trying to shed light on social injustice, sexual harassment and the climate collapse, the poet finds herself in the darkness and explores many corners within herself, rough and soft. In the deep furrows of her mind, Loulou finds a white canvas on which she paints with colours to lift her spirit while allowing nuances of grey to tell the depth of reality. These poems are to aid the reader who wants to scream but doesn’t find the words. They are a balm to spread on trauma wounds. They care for the soul after a storm.

Woman of Nature is a brave, bold, and beautiful foray into the lands of hope, heart and healing. Faced with a harsh winter, a dark night of the soul: Heather takes us on a poetic journey of graceful resilience, riding the ebbing waves and flows of her recovery until she reaches new shores. Every step of the way, nature is there to soothe, provide solace, fierce love, and compassion. Nature becomes the voice of wisdom, the roots system that supports and inspires Heather to grow, blossom and flourish. This is the story of a woman of nature.

You can follow Heather on Instagram @sprigsofheather or go to her website www.sprigsofheather.com.

You can follow Loulou on Instagram @loulou.docx

Both their books are available on a pay as you feel basis, send them a message to get a signed copy.

CREDITS: Poetry to your ears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The episode was recorded in a Platform B Studio in Brighton and produced by Solomon. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com

Georgina Langford is a Brighton writer who focuses on the millennial experience. She is a former music journalist turned poet and author, whose debut novel is a coming-of-age story set in 2005, due to be published next year. She runs a Substack called Millenial Horror Story publishing essays steeped in mid-2000s nostalgia and subculture. She is also working on her debut poetry collection.

You can subscribe to Georgina’s Substack Millenial Horror Story here and follow her on Instagram @by_georginalangford.

This episode is sent as part of a Susbtack newsletter, come subscribe and receive all episodes in your inbox!

There is a paid subscription option that supports us in affording transcripts in order to make our podcast more accessible for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community and anyone who would benefit from reading the podcast alongside hearing it.

We are Poetry to your Ears @poetrytoyourears on Instagram and @poetry2yourears on Twitter.

CREDITS: Poetry to your ears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The episode was recorded at Platform B. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com

Charlotte Shevchenko Knight is a British-Ukrainian poet with a Masters from Goldsmiths University. She was recently commended in the National Poetry Competition, and forms part of the Poetry Translation Centre’s Undertow Eight. Her work centres on womanhood, Ukrainian history, and folklore. She has written pieces for the United Nations, Magma, and bath magg, amongst others.

Ways of Healing is an embodied collection with a distinctive and tough but tender voice. Charlotte Shevchenko Knight explores themes of longing, of loss, and of pain and its remedies. These poems are alive with their own vulnerability, are at times unnerving, and are always packed with astonishing sensations and images.

We discussed the writing and themes of Ways of Healing, studying Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, being a spokesperson on the media about the Ukrainian war, and the bilingual writing of her new poetry collection that explores Ukrainian folklore.

You can follow Charlotte on Instagram: @lottishevchenkoknight, on Twitter: @shevchenkoknight

You can buy Ways of Healing here: https://poetrybusiness.co.uk/product/ways-of-healing/

This episode is sent as part of a Susbtack newsletter, come subscribe and receive all episodes in your inbox!

There is a paid subscription option that supports us in affording transcripts in order to make our podcast more accessible for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community and anyone who would benefit from reading the podcast alongside hearing it.

We are Poetry to your Ears @poetrytoyourears on Instagram and @poetry2yourears on Twitter.

CREDITS: Poetry to your ears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The episode was recorded on Riverside.fm. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com

Kimberly Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American poet and the author of ghosts in the stalks and Here I Am Burn Me. She is originally from Omaha, Nebraska but currently living in New York City. She is a graduate of Vassar College where she holds a degree in both English and Russian Studies. Additionally, she studied abroad at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. She is a recipient of the Beatrice Daw Brown Prize for excellence in poetry and two Best of the Net nominations, and she was a finalist for Kundiman’s 2021 Mentorship Lab and the Asian American Writer’s Workshop 2022 Margins Fellowship. She was a 2021 Emerging Voices Fellow at PEN America and is currently a Poetry Coalition Fellow.

We chatted with Kimberly about her poetry collection Here I Am Burn Me, coming out on Monday! We talked about writing about herself, the anxieties of writing an intimate book about family, growing up in Nebraska, footnote poems, intergenerational trauma, her upcoming book tour and more.

You can follow Kimberly here: Instagram/Twitter: @knguyenpoetry www.kimberlynguyenwrites.com

You can order Here I am, Burn Me. At the moment, shipping is available in the US only.

This episode is sent as part of a Susbtack newsletter, come subscribe and receive all episodes in your inbox!

There is a paid subscription option that supports us in affording transcripts in order to make our podcast more accessible.

We are Poetry to your Ears @poetrytoyourears on Instagram and @poetry2yourears on Twitter.

CREDITS: Poetry to your ears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com

CW: a lot of F-bombs in this episode. Explicit

This episode is a bit of a special one, it is a recording of a live poetry event in Brighton. It’s called Queer The Mic, it was in July and it was their first one!

Note: This episode is sent as part of a Susbtack newsletter, come subscribe and receive all episodes in your inbox! Subscribe There is a paid subscription option that supports us in affording transcripts in order to make our podcast more accessible.

Queer The Mic is a glittery community stage for queer & trans poeming. We have for you to listen to One Inky Queer (co-host of Queer The Mic), AFLO. the poet (headliner) and Noah Sumptions (feature). We had One Inky Queer and AFLO. the poet on the show before, don’t hesitate to listen to these episodes to have an in-depth insight into their poetry!

One Inky Queer is “a trauma poet keeping it light. Serving you queer cripple realness honey. Big stylistic range, or possibly just quite confused. Insistently and unstoppable intimate and inappropriate, but not in the fun way. Aldo does children’s poetry (no, really).”

AFLO. the poet is a Brighton-based spoken word artist, activist and academic who embraces creative expression to disrupt the status quo and inspire social change. AFLO. uses poetry as a vehicle to address hard-hitting topics, particularly racism and mental health, and has performed to crowds of thousands at Black Lives Matter protests.

Noah Sumptions is a fruitful yolk of queerness that will make you chortle, and then some. A regular at The Actors, Rebel Soapbox and any mic that can survive them, you’ll leave amused and most probably faintly disgusted…

We hope you will enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed the night!

You can follow Queer The Mic on Instagram @queerthemic, One Inky Queer @oneinkyqueer, AFLO. the poet @aflo.thepoet and Noah Sumptions @noah_sumptions.

We are Poetry to your Ears @poetrytoyourears on Instagram and @poetry2yourears on Twitter.

CREDITS: Poetry to your ears is an independent podcast co-hosted and co-produced by Tom O’Dwyer and Éloïse “Loulou” Armary, in partnership with YDN Radio Brighton. The soundtrack is ‘Dans la peau’ by Circus Marcus and the art cover is by Charlotte Gray - @grayglues. The sound recording of Queer The Mic is by Blue Dot Studios - @ollidaffarn.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poetrytoyourears.substack.com