Spring Poetry: ambivalence and beauty

As a new season arrives, Ian McMillan and guests consider ambivalence and beauty in writing about spring. This week Ian peers into the yellow heart of the daffodil to find out what makes a great spring poem, and shares poetry by some of the most remarkable poets of our moment, as well as those inspired by the colours of crocuses past. Spring is always beautiful, but there is earthiness and grief in the language of the season too. His guests will include writers and those who work with and study the earth itself. Ian is joined by Booker Prize-winning novelist and keen gardener Penelope Lively who has contributed an essay to the new anthology 'In The Garden' (Daunt) on 'the Gardening Eye', passing the passion for growing on to her daughters, and gardening later in life. In his poem 'Here Too Spring Comes to Us with Open Arms', Caleb Femi takes us to spring on a South London Estate. In books such as the T.S Eliot prize shortlisted collection 'The Mizzy' (Picador), Paul Farley turns our attention to the overlooked and unloved places, finding spring thrives here just as in the meadow. We also hear a selection of poems read by Colin Tierney and Indira Varma: Crocuses - Richard Meier

Lines Written in early Spring - William Wordsworth

April - Mona Arshi

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now - AE Housman

March - Patrick Kavanagh

I So Liked Spring - Charlotte Mew Presenter: Ian McMillan

Producer: Jessica Treen