24 January was the 60th anniversary of the death of Winston Churchill. Today, Bill reads from Bernard Levin's "The Pendulum Years: Britain in the Sixties". Extracts describing the impact of Churchill's decline and his grand state funeral in 1965 gives us a glimpse of a passing era. 

For a visual accompaniment, take a look at this article: Winston Churchill's funeral - in pictures

In this episode, Bill reflects on Men's Test Cricket in 2024, reflecting on what made 2024 such a special year for the sport. 

For more essays and commentaries, visit https://billpavilionend.com/

Today's poem is a humerous, nonsensical narrative poem from chapter four of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass (1871). The poem is recited to Alice by Tweedledum and Tweedledee who ignores her request for help to get out of the woods. The poem tells the story of a walrus and a carpenter who were walking along the beach. They encounter a group of oysters and lure them into joining them for a walk, only to be eaten by the end of the poem. 

The poems' meaning and characters have been interpreted many ways in literary and popular culture, most famously perhaps in The Beatles' "I Am the Walrus" which was based on a (misreading) of the poem. 

Read the chapter here. 

The first poem reading for 2025 comes from a Victorian poet, Arthur High Clough. He was relatively unknown save for this one poem which then Prime Minister Winston Churchill quoted in a speech in February 1941, and was part of the literary exchange between Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

The poem speaks of the universal struggle against light and darkness, progress and retreat and urges the audience to persevere. It is an important reminder for us as we begin the new year, to hold on to hope. Find the poem here. 

We're starting a new season and a new year with an op ed on The Border-Gavaskar Trophy: The Real World Test Championship. 

In this piece, Bill explains the history and fierce competition between Australia and India, two of the most celebrated teams in Test cricket. From Australia's early dominance since the 19th century to India's transformative victories in the 1970s and beyond, recounting pivotal moments, legendary players, and unforgettable matches. 

As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy hangs in the balance next week, the stage is set for another enthralling chapter. 

It is Christmas Day today and the final edition of this year's literary Advent calendar.

A Christmas Carol is a familiar Victorian classic by Charles Dickens following the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who receives a visit from the ghost of his former business partner and three Spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Bill received a lovely illustrated version of this for Christmas decades ago and it remains a cherished tale of kindness and transformation. 

Merry Christmas all and stay tuned for more episodes in the new year!

Today's poem was first published as a pamphlet in 1927 as a commission by Faber & Gwyer, the first of T.S. Eliot's contributions to a series entitled 'The Aerial Poems'. The series paired an unpublished poem by a leading writer with new artwork from an eminent artist. Thomas Hardy, Siegfried Sassoon, Barnett Freedman and John Nash were among the contributors to the first set, which broadly carried a Christmas theme and which sold for one shilling. The publisher's hope was that the pamphlets might double-up as greeting cards, and Eliot himself sent them as festive gifts to the writers on Faber's poetry list. This poem was paired with a drawing by Edward McKnight Kauffer. 

Eliot takes on the familiar biblical story of the Magi, but suggests that for all their wisdom and intuition, the magi could not have known that this mysterious birth would unsettle them henceforth. Find the poem and an analysis here.

If you are still wondering about what to bring to the Christmas Potluck, how about a Shrimp Tree, dressed to impress? This recipe was found in a 1966 edition of Gourmet Magazine. Interestingly, in the same year, the Florida Department of Natural Resources also distributed a similar recipe card to encourage the use Florida seafood products in their holiday meal planning.

Intro music: Santa's Lunchhour, Free Music Archives

This poem was recorded in 2023, shortly after the death of British poet Benjamin Zephaniah. No surprises that he was also a vegan: be nice to yu turkeys dis Christmas!

Intro music: Santa's Lunchhour, DeeYanKey, Free Music Archives

Today's poem was written in 1942 by American poet Ogden Nash. It is about a child, not born in Bethlehem but Baltimore. All ye who sneer at Santa Claus, beware and take heed from this cautionary tale of Jabez Dawes. 

Intro music: Santa's Lunchhour, DeeYanKey, Free Music Archives