What might a zero-growth world mean for writers? The Verb offers this provocation to this week's guests, and asks how poets in particular can adjust to a world economy that's changing rapidly under long-down. Is there such a thing as a sustainable poem? Ian McMillan is joined by: Yanis Varoufakis, economist, author and member of the Greek Parliament, Dr Seren Griffiths, an archaeologist and Radio 3 New Generation Thinker (fascinated by time and the taxonomy of soil), by novelist and poet Patrick McGuinness who is intrigued by the idea of a poem that leaves the 'ordinary' just as it is, and we welcome Jade Cuttle, (critic and poet) back to the Verb for second time this season - she reads French eco-poetry to her house-plant for us and we listen to its reaction via special technology.

Yanis Varoufakis' new novel is 'Another Now', Jade Cuttle's album of poem/songs is called 'Algal Bloom', and Patrick McGuinness's most recent publication is the novel 'Throw me to the Wolves'.