Hi! Welcome to the poetic realm of ’We, the Poets’! Join us as we dive deep into the vibrant world of poetry, where some of the most electrifying legends in the field take center stage. Led by Mark Grist & featuring a hosting panel from across the midlands, we’re bringing you voices at the pinnacle of their craft, sharing poetry from our guests & listeners each month as we dive into our vibrant community & the remarkable journey we get to go on as poets. Forget about the endgame – we’re here ...
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Hey there, fellow writers! Are you ready to join a community of creative writers from all over the world? Then look no further than Write Club Open Mic, the podcast series that’s all about showcasing new writing and helping each other to grow. Hosted by multi-award-winning poet, teacher, author, and rap battler, Mark Grist, and recorded at Backland Studios in Oundle by Chris Barn. Each month we’ll share helpful tips and ideas to improve your writing alongside new work from writers around the ...
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A live performance podcast hosted by World Poetry Slam Champion Harry Baker featuring special guests from the worlds of poetry, comedy and music.
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Life…On Our Terms is the podcast that shines a light on amazing individuals who’ve rewritten the rules and forged their own successful paths. Presented by Gemma Cairney, this series with The Open University features sit-down chats with remarkable guests as we ask what they think about education, and how being able to learn in a way that works for them is key to achieving their ambitions. Each week, Gemma will be joined by a guest such as George The Poet, Jamal Edwards or Lavinya Stennett, as ...
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Episode 4 Crafting a National Tour (Ft. Harry Baker, Mark Grist, Keely Mills & Tony Nero)
1:04:42
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In this episode, we dive deep into the art of putting together a successful national tour with the incredible Harry Baker. Joining the conversation are Mark Grist and Keely Mills, with local arts legend Tony Nero guest hosting as well. We explore everything from knowing when your tour is ready, building a solid touring structure, mastering the art …
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S3E9: Laurie Bolger - It's Just The Best Thing Ever
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Hello friends! Our penultimate episode of series three brings to Margate the ultimate legend that is Laurie Bolger! It's impossible to listen to Laurie and not have a smile on your face so get your cheeks ready and dive on in. I celebrate having a brand new book out and Laurie clebrates having two brand new books out. I also share some big news tha…
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Episode 3: 'Alphabet of Identity' (Ft.Jasmine Gardosi, Charley Genever, Leanne Moden & Mark Grist)
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Mark Grist, Leanne Moden, and Charley Genever chat with Jasmine Gardosi about her experiences applying for and being the poet laureate of Birmingham, the knockbacks she received along the way, and the incredible ways Jasmine has evolved as she gained a greater understanding of the letters that help define her identity. Featuring additional poetry f…
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Episode 2: 'Transformations & Toolboxes' (Ft. Ross Sutherland, Keely Mills, Charley Genever & Mark Grist)
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How do you balance the act of creating poetry with the various other roles you have to play as a poet—editor, promoter, workshop leader, performer? Do you ever find it tiring juggling so many roles? In this episode Charley, Keely & Mark meet with Ross Sutherland to chat about Ross' poetry, theatre shows & even his recent opera. They also discuss th…
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Episode 1 'What Do You Want On Your Pizza?' (Ft.Salena Godden, Charley Genever, Keely Mills & Mark Grist)
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Welcome to the electrifying premiere of 'We, the Poets'! In this inaugural episode, we have the absolute honour of hosting poetry powerhouse Salena Godden. Salena's kicking off her 2024 tour with a visit to our humble abode to chat Bowie, pizzas, and how to accept your writing and performing monsters. Salena also takes us on a journey through her l…
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Episode 0: Let's Go! (Feat. Mark Grist, Keely Mills & Charley Genever)
18:54
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In our pre-series episode, hosts Mark Grist, Charley Genever, and Keely Mills sit down for a laid-back chat about their work, what inspired them to start 'We, the Poets', and what they're most looking forward to in the upcoming series. Plus, they make an ill-fated pact to rock kimonos when Salena Godden joins the party for Episode 1—because why not…
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S3E8: Brigitte Aphrodite - Crescendorious
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A lovely time with a local legend! Brigitte was on my wishlist for Something Borrowed for a while when out of nowhere I got a voice note from her asking if she could come on because she reckoned she'd be good at it - It was meant to be! Also she was 100% correct, as not only our best-dressed guest of all time, but a wonderful mix of storytelling, s…
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S3E7: Georgie Jones - It Just All Counts and Is All Fine
56:53
56:53
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We're back baby - February's edition saw the wonderful Georgie Jones come to Margate! It was our first time meeting in person but you wouldn't know because it was a vibey vibey time from start to finish. We talk slams, online vs in person performances, trying to write a poem a day for a whole month and much much more. Poems cover topics such as Gym…
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Happy New Year! I am single handedly extending the January blues by taking 6 weeks to edit this but i think we can all agree it is worth the wait. Raymond Antrobus is a poetry legend. It has been over a decade since we first shared a stage together and it has been a joy to see his work flourish since then, and an even bigger joy to find out that he…
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A mildly festive version of the podcast, in that I shoehorned Christmas into a few of my poems and Will made us delicious boozy hot chocolates while we recorded. I was having so much fun with this chat that it is the longest episode we ever recorded, before being ruthlessly trimmed down to just under an hour of pure gold. I share my epic Christmas …
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Here it is! Our final episode of this season. We're slowing down & reflecting on the year we've had whilst also speeding forward into 2024 with some great news. And we have 10 new pieces of writing to share with you that all relate to our episode's theme! Many thanks to everyone who made it in today Artists with timestamps: Andy Aspen (1.43) Latera…
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BONUS EPISODE: Donna Ashworth - Do It Do It Do It Do It
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Surprise! We interrupt your monthly recordings for a bonus episode with the one and only Donna Ashworth - My reading of Donna's poem went viral on instagram which means I now have a new cult following of mostly American Yoga instructors, and quite frankly I am here for it. One of the many lovely things that have come out of this is me and Donna wer…
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Hello friends, and welcome to possibly my favourite episode we've ever done! Gemma is a fantastic poet and a warm and wonderful human, and in this episode we cover the big three Ps, Palestine, Pegging and Postcodes, as well as so much more. This episode was recorded live in Margate and you could feel the magic in the room, so I really hope is trans…
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S3E3: Neelam Saredia-Brayley - So Precious And Fragile
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Hello Friends! The something borrowed train continues to steam ahead and this month we have on board the fantastic Neelam Saradia-Brayley! This was such a gorgeous conversation to have at a time when the rain outside seemed to reflect a general sense of foreboding about the world in general, and yet there was light and warmth within! We covered wed…
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This episode is a bit of a special one - featuring new work exclusively from young aspiring writers around the world. We've got eight original poems and stories to share with you this time around - submissions from China, South Korea, Scotland & even nearby Huddersfield(!). We've also got a special guest Louis Jaffa (@louis_jaffa) in the studio wit…
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This episode is all about taking up space and features lots of new work (& some occasional chat) from the following writers: Sammy Nour (you can find Sammy's collection here) Dave Wood Joe Williams Joy Rice Carol Carman Lateral G Laura Walker Antony Brough Joshua Batterley Louis Jaffa (The beat is the instrumental to Lupe Fiasco's Kick, Push & can …
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It's Harry and Chris! The Comedy-Rap-Jazz pioneers are reunited live on stage in front of a beautiful Margate audience. Chris shares a couple of absolute stunners, I go as old as possible for my Something Old, there is a glorious freestyle moment involving Robbie Williams, and even a spontaneous extra jazz song, something nobody has ever asked for …
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In this episode we're talking money: how we feel about it as artists, the financial realities of life as an artist in the UK during a cost of living crisis and we're exploring one way you could gain access to up to £12,000 to develop your work: Arts Council England's Develop Your Creative PRactice Grant.. We've got Leanne Moden back in the studio, …
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S3E1: Helen Seymour - Elephants Are Blue, Aren't They?
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We're back with a live studio audience! Season 3 kicks off in my beloved hometown of Margate for what will hopefully be a monthly occurrence of being joined by a special guest to share something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. To kick off this chapter/season I've got fan fave Helen Seymour for a glorious time including a …
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This episode is all about drawing upon our inner reserves and releasing the power within. And it's competitive too - as two previous Peterborough Poet Laureates (Charley Genever & Keely Mills) join Mark & Chris for a Write Club Battle Royale. Mark, Charley & Keely have each curated 10 minutes of new writing based upon the theme of 'MAXIMUM POWER'. …
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Episode 3: ’I’m getting too old for this sh*t’
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In this episode of Write Club Open Mic we're sharing new work from writers around the world about the joys (& frustrations!) of getting older. We loved listening to these submissions & hope you will too. Just to warn there may be one or two moments of spicy language (the word 'sh*t' thanks to our theme suggestion). Otherwise you're all good. If you…
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In this episode of Write Club Open Mic, hosted by Mark Grist with sound production by Chris Barn, we're here to help you set ambitious yet achievable targets as a writer. Join us as we talk about success, failure & the importance of the occasional milkshake. Throughout this episode we'll also guide you towards creating three meaningful & helpful ta…
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Welcome to Write Club Open Mic! Episode 1 is all about introductions. You'll be introduced to our host, Mark Grist & Chris Barn, our sound producer at Backland Studios. You'll also get to hear five aspiring writers' takes on the theme of 'introductions'. Writers featured: Ann Atkins Maire Stevens Andy Aspen Mel Bradley Leanne Moden --Useful links--…
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Happy Easter! This week I am joined by the completely wonderful Inua Ellams, a fantastic poet and playwright who I last shared a stage with in a crowded basement in early March 2020 in one of the last gigs pre-pandemic. Since then he had had his debut full collection of poetry The Actual published and it is completely gorgeous, we also talk about h…
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Welcome back! This week I am joined by fellow Roundhouse Poetry Collective alumni and brilliant musician Isabel. As well as a shared love for attempting covers of pop songs with cheap keyboards and mutual appreciation of Zia Ahmed, we discuss the sea and water in general, as well as the power of poetry to shift our view on the world. Izzy's Somethi…
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Hey friends, we have a birthday special this week! Not only is it my birthday and sort of the birthday of the show (after first trying out the format on a little thing called Instagram live as a mini-party online because we were just entering a pandemic..) it is also the birthday of my mum, Grace, AND my fabulous guest, the wonderful Jake Wild Hall…
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S2E2: Zena Kazeme - In The Arab World, Live
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It's Episode 2! This week it was such a treat to get to speak to and hear from the Wonderful Zena Kazeme - We both shared some old old poems and some new old poems, as well as borrowing some stunners from our all-time faves, before finishing on a slightly blue mood (with a caveat of hope!). We also touch on how poems can be both light and heavy, ti…
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We're back baby! Season 2 of Something borrowed kicking off with a bang in the form of the lizardy wizard Gecko. Since season 1 Gecko has released a new album from which he treats us to a new song, as well as a gorgeous cover, another creative response to something blue and a song I love so much he played it at my wedding, but which has found new l…
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Mental Health...On Our Terms ft. Lorraine Pascale
33:27
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This week, it’s the series finale of Life...On Our Terms and we’re joined by the wonderful Lorraine Pascale! Lorraine is of course a renowned TV chef and model, but recent years have seen Lorraine dive headfirst into mental health advocacy. In this episode, Lorraine and Gemma will discuss Lorraine’s approach to mental health, how she believes in he…
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Entrepreneurship...On Our Terms ft. Jamal Edwards
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On this week’s episode of Life...On Our Terms, host Gemma Cairney is talking to entrepreneur, film maker and music executive Jamal Edwards MBE. As founder of SBTV he was able to grow the online music channel into a YouTube heavyweight with over a million subscribers, making Jamal the ideal voice to help us understand how other budding entrepreneurs…
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Science...On Our Terms ft. Dr. Ranj Singh
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This week on Life...On Our Terms, host Gemma Cairney is talking to NHS Doctor and BAFTA Award-Winning TV Presenter Dr. Ranj Singh. Dr. Ranj has worked across a range of roles related to health, medicine and the broadcast industry and has as such found lifelong learning to be one of the guiding principles in how he keeps achieving his goals. Togethe…
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On this week’s episode of Life...On Our Terms, host Gemma Cairney is talking to teacher, poet and rap-battle extraordinaire Mark Grist. Mark joins Gemma to ask how the power of language can unlock that creative spark for anyone. Together they discuss how being able to explore things in your own way, without fear of making mistakes, is the key to op…
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This week, Life...On Our Terms host Gemma Cairney is talking to Sharmadean Reid, founder of the digital beauty and wellness platform Beautystack. From Beautystack, to WAH Nails and Future Girl Corp, Sharmadean has made it her goal to empower and connect both customers and professionals with the use of technology. In this episode, Gemma asks Sharmad…
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Historical Awareness…On Our Terms ft. Lavinya Stennett
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29:39
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On this week’s episode of Life...On Our Terms, host Gemma Cairney is talking to education activist Lavinya Stennett, founder and CEO at The Black Curriculum. By campaigning for black history to be embedded in the national syllabus, Lavinya is working tirelessly to ensure the future of education involves a curriculum that reflects all of us. Togethe…
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On this episode of Life…On Our Terms host Gemma Cairney takes a look at how to do things differently in the world of sport with a genuine modern-day innovator - Rasmus Ankersen. Rasmus is a performance specialist, an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and, most notably, Co-Director of Football at Brentford FC. We hear how Rasmus uses some fresh ap…
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Education...On Our Terms ft. George The Poet
23:45
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In our debut episode, Gemma is joined by the supremely talented George the Poet to talk all things education. George joins Gemma to talk about his love of lifelong learning, how we can make education more inclusive, and the many ways in which we can learn and unlock our full potential. As well as George the Poet, Gemma is later joined by Syed - who…
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Life…On Our Terms is the podcast that shines a light on amazing individuals who’ve rewritten the rules and forged their own successful paths. Presented by Gemma Cairney, this series with The Open University features sit-down chats with remarkable guests as we ask what they think about education, and how being able to learn in a way that works for t…
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Ep 20: Rachel Long - The Blueness Of Youth
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It's the season Finale! The Incredible Rachel Long, founder of Octavia Collective and author of the brand new My Darling From The Lions joined me on Zoom and I can't think a more perfect way to bring season one to a close. Alongside me sharing two poems on the environment 10 years apart, we talk about the shift of language and how old poems morph i…
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Episode 19 brings us the unstoppable force of joy and energy and truth that is Josh Idehen. Live from Stockholm, Josh single-handedly makes up for me not having been able to perform to audiences full of people for 6 months. We have poetry wheel-ups, we discuss Arch Nemes-lines, Josh brings a new old and a new new poem as well as borrowing two that …
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Hey friends! This weeks episode was an absolute delight - Featuring the wonderful Katie Ailes, we go from flooffy cats to quakerism via Norwegian death metal and insta-poetry, there's a spontaneous story time and some one-direction Karaoke, but mainly some lovely lovely poems and warm and wise chat in-between. We shared some Jo Bell and George The …
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Ep 17: Hollie McNish - What's The Parsnips In The Pass The Parcel?
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We're back baby - This week we have the glorious Hollie Mcnish! One of my favourite poets and people in general, a fellow member of Team GB slam team with myself and Vanessa Kisuule once upon a time, and all round hero. My something old this week is the first poem I ever wrote, and Hollie kicks off with a Scottish-ish theme, we talk about the joys …
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Ep 16: So Viele Leute (Director's Commentary)
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Special Bonus Episode! This week marked the release of the music video for 'So Viele Leute', a song originally debuted as the 'something new' for Episode 13 with James Kiely, and to celebrate we have the full track in its mastered glory for your ears, as well as some context on how it came about. You can listen to the standalone track on Spotify He…
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Ep 15: Bridget Minamore - A King Of The Game (Brainchild Special)
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Hey Friends - Episode brings us the one and only Bridget Minamore! A brilliant poet and reluctant lockdown-gigger, it is a rare treat to be able to have Bridget share some of her fantastic poems with us, as well as talking all things Brainchild Festival, Roundhouse Poetry Collective, Rap Battles and beyond. As well as revealing how a bacon sandwich…
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Ep 14: James Kiely - A Sort Of Delicate Choir Boy
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Hey friends - This weeks episode is the first one where my guest has been in the same room as me! Introducing a man who was next door to me in halls for a year and who has been quarantined with me for the last month, It's the one and only James Kiely ! As well as sharing our seminal hit 'I love Christmas', we feature a world premiere debut of an im…
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Ep 13: Helen Seymour - Hula Dancing, Hip Hop and Hieroglyphics
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Hey Friends - episode 13 brings us one of my favourite poets I've come across in the last year and my now very good friend, Helen Seymour! Helen kicks us off with the best poem about a mammoth you will ever hear before sharing something from her new collection she is working on, then calls a taxi with unexpected consequences and finishes with a ren…
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Hey Friends! Welcome to episode 12 of something borrowed featuring fantastic poet and recent UK representative at the World Poetry Slam via Zoom screen share (!) Tyrone Lewis. We talk about how it is to have your poetry judged in different languages and what references may or may not make sense. I share my thoughts on So Solid Crew's 21 seconds to …
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Ep 11: Tony Walsh - Heavy Subjects In Light Verse
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Hey friends - this weeks episode brings us the completely wonderful Tony Walsh, one of my favourite poets in the country and another guest who I feel like I could talk to for hours. We geek out over the nerdiness of rhyme and how it can be used for the serious as well as the frivolous, we both try and capture the movement of music in poems. I share…
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Ep 10: Phoebe Katis - We Have A Theme Song!
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Hey Friends - This episode brings us back firmly into the world of music with the glorious Phoebe Katis! Phoebe is a fellow fringe-r, a good friend and a brilliant musician, and her new album came out this week! We're lucky enough to hear some of the new tracks from it as well as some classic Carole King and an extra very special Something Borrowed…
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Ep 9: Malaika Kegode - Aggressively Life-Affirming
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Hey friends - Episode 9 brings us the warm and wonderful Malaika Kegode! I got to know Malaika when I moved to Bristol where she now runs her fantastic Milk poetry nights which we talk about in the show, she finds something really old to share with us, as well as some poems from her new (shiny!) book and her borrowed poem being Thom Gunn's The Hug …
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Ep 8: Mark Grist - It's Still a F*cking Poem
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Episode 8 brings us one of my absolute favourite people from poetry world - the wonderful Mark Grist! Amongst other things we discuss how we went head to head in my first ever slam, the art of univocalisms, the joy of performing at weddings, and what is or isn't a poem. For my Something Borrowed this week I share an absolute fave with Dr Seuss's Oh…
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