Poetry

Break, Break, Break' by Alfred Lord Tennyson | My Life in Verse

Sheila Hancock explores an early poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Keats's 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art' | Poetry: Between the Lines

Akala presents a reading and discussion of Keats's poem.

Robert Browning's 'The Laboratory' | The Power of Poetry

A contemporary dramatisation of Browning's poem, with the poisoning set in a nightclub.

Hardy's early life | The Heart of Thomas Hardy

Griff Rhys Jones discusses Hardy's early life and its effect on his poetry.

William Blake's 'London' | Poetry: Between the Lines

Akala presents a reading and discussion of 'London' from Blake's Songs of Experience.

Wordsworth and the Lake District | A Poet's Guide to Britain

An introduction to Wordsworth's life and his love for the Lake District.

Reading and analysis of Wordsworth's 'The Prelude'.  | Poetry: Between the Lines

Akala discusses and analyses the 'Boating' extract from Wordsworth's 'The Prelude'.

Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802' | A Poet's Guide to Britain

A reading and introduction to William Wordsworth's poem 'Composed upon Westminster Bridge, S...

Analysis of 'Composed upon Westminster Bridge' | A Poet's Guide to Britain

Owen Sheers explores the atmosphere, structure, punctuation and vocabulary used by Wordsworth in '...

Siegfried Sassoons influence on Anthem for Doomed Youth | Wilfred Owen: A Remembrance Tale

Jeremy Paxman looks at original manuscripts and discovers how integral Siegfried S...

A Reading of 'Anthem for Doomed Youth' | Songs of Praise

Dame Patricia Routledge discusses how Wilfred Owen captured the horror of war in his poetry before reading Anthem fo...

Dulce et Decorum Est | English File

Dramatisation of the meeting between Owen and Sassoon, and a reading of Owen's Dulce et Decorum Est.

Philip Larkin's writing style | My Life in Verse

Robert Webb explores Philip Larkin's poetic writing style.

Malorie Blackman and Grace Nichols | My Life in Verse

Malorie Blackman talks about her family and upbringing in relation to the poem 'Wherever I Hang' by Grace Nichols.

Sylvia Plath | Great Poets in Their Own Words

Sylvia Plath in her own words.

i carry your heart with me' by E. E. Cummings | My Life in Verse

Robert Webb discusses the poem that was read at his wedding, 'i carry your heart with me' by E. E. Cummings.

The complexity of T. S. Eliot | My Life in Verse

Robert Webb discusses the complexities of T. S. Eliot's poetry with an old teacher.

T. S. Eliot and modernism | My Life in Verse

Robert Webb discusses modernism, youth and Paris in 'The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock'.

The Waste Land' by T. S. Eliot | Great Poets in Their Own Words

A reading and analysis of T. S. Eliot's modernist poem 'The Waste Land'.

Jackie Kay | My Life in Verse

Jackie Kay talks about the inspiration for her writing.

The importance of poetry | My Life in Verse

Jackie Kay and Malorie Blackman talk about why poetry is so important.

Jackie Kay reads 'Old Tongue' | Blethering Scots

Jackie Kay discusses her love of the Scots language and reads her poem 'Old Tongue'.

Jackie Kay's role as the Makar | Beyond Burns

Jackie Kay talks about being the Scots Makar, the National Poet for Scotland

Jackie Kay on Scottishness and her influences | Beyond Burns

Jackie Kay considers her influences and the influence she has had on others.

Woman Seated on the Underground' by Carol Ann Duffy | Intermediate English: Poetry

Carol Ann Duffy discusses her poem 'Woman Seated on the Underground' and the painting by H...

Education for Leisure' by Carol Ann Duffy | Intermediate English: Poetry

Carol Ann Duffy discusses the inspirations for her poem 'Education for Leisure'.

A View of Scotland/ Love Poem' by Liz Lochhead | Intermediate English: Poetry

Liz Lochhead reads her poem 'A View of Scotland/ Love Poem'.

The Man in the Comic Strip' by Liz Lochhead | Intermediate English: Poetry

Liz Lochhead reads her poem 'The Man in the Comic Book'.

Liz Lochhead's groundbreaking poetic voice | Beyond Burns

Liz Lochhead and her poetry considered in terms of class and feminism.

Origins of ''Ae Fond Kiss'' | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

The popular poem "Ae Fond Kiss" was born from an affair conducted over letter where Burns and Agnes spoke in re...

''To a Mouse'' contextualised | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

A performance of "To a Mouse" by Robert Burns, followed by an analysis by Professor Gerad Carruthers.

Context of ''Tam o' Shanter'' | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

"Tam o' Shanter" was a way for Burns to face his demons and is a true echoing of his thoughts.

Summing up Burns | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

A summing up of Burns' relevance to today. Featuring a fitting performance of "A Man's a Man".

Phrenology and diagnosing Burns | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

Burns' grave was moved and in doing so his skull detached. Now widely disputed, scholars then were encourag...

Burns addressing politics | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

The 1790's was a turbulent time for politics and Burns was wary to shroud his leanings in his work, committing to...

Burns and depression | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

Modern scholars agree that Burns was treated for "melancholia" and discuss how profound an affect this would have had ...

Burns as a ''fornicator'' | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

After getting a farmgirl pregnant, Burns was made to do penance in front of the church congregation, much to his ...

Burns, fatherhood and family | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

Despite the law and church being against his illegitimate child, he proclaimed that all that mattered was his ...

Burns, racism and the slave trade | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

Burns considered going to work in the slave trade, which was at odds with his later documented abolitioni...

Burns, ''The Merry Muses'' and sexuality | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

Burns' "The Merry Muses of Caledonia" is a collection of bawdy songs that scholars say were actual...

Burns and adultery | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

Seemingly Burns' wife Jean Armour was aware of Burns' extra-marital affairs as he wrote in code about his exploits.

Heaney on learning to love poetry | Seamus Heaney: Out of the Marvellous

Heaney reads sections from his poems and talks about developing a love for poetry.

Ancient history in Heaney's poetry | Kirsty Wark Talks To

Seamus Heaney talks to Kirsty Wark about the influence of ancient history on his poetry.

Seamus Heaney's early poetry | Great Poets in Their Own Words

An exploration of Seamus Heaney's early poetry.

Out of the Bag' | Seamus Heaney and the music of what happens

A reading of Heaney's poem 'Out of the Bag'.

Clearances | Kirsty Wark Talks To

Seamus Heaney reads a section from his book 'Clearances'.

Requiem for the Croppies | Kirsty Wark Talks To

Seamus Heaney discusses his poem 'Requiem for the Croppies'.

Introduction to the life and work of John Donne | Simon Schama's John Donne

Simon Schama introduces the life and work of John Donne.

To His Mistress Going to Bed' | Simon Schama's John Donne

A reading and analysis of John Donne's poem 'To His Mistress Going to Bed'.

The Canonization' | Simon Schama's John Donne

A reading and analysis of John Donne's sonnet 'The Canonization'.

The Good-Morrow' | Simon Schama's John Donne

A reading and analysis of John Donne's poem 'The Good-Morrow'.

Holy Sonnet XIV' | Simon Schama's John Donne

A reading and analysis of John Donne's sonnet 'Holy Sonnet XIV'.

John Agard's poem Half-caste | English File

John Agard discusses and reads his poem 'Half-caste'.

Moniza Alvi's 'Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan' | English File

Moniza Alvi discusses and reads her poem 'Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan'.

Malorie Blackman reading 'The British' by Benjamin Zephaniah | My Life in Verse

Malorie Blackman talks about why she loves Benjamin Zephaniah's poem 'The British'.

Benjamin Zephaniah | My Life in Verse

Benjamin Zephaniah talks about racism in Britain and his journey to becoming a poet.