Best Poetry After Dark Podcasts (2024)

1
ANZAC Day: letters from the front 54:54

4m ago54:54

54:54

For 100 years Australia has been collecting tens and thousands of letters and diaries from deployed service personnel. These are just some of the moving, beautiful and tragic stories among themBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
How Rhonda defied expectations 53:12

20h ago53:12

53:12

When Dr Rhonda Wilson was in year 10, she was told she should drop out of school and settle for becoming "just a mum". This is how Rhonda defied the expectations others, and she, had for herselfBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Dr Sutapa Mukherjee on how to sleep well 47:24

3h ago47:24

47:24

From muscle paralysis and sleepwalking, to the power of our subconscious, Dr Sutapa Mukherjee takes you into the secret world of sleepBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Ray and the great language recovery 54:25

1d ago54:25

54:25

When Ray Kelly Snr's grandfather was asked to translate "telephone" into Gumbayngirr, he responded with “muuya barrigi”, or flying breath (CW: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners please be advised this program contains discussion of people who have died. Please take care when listening)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama on making peace and living in poetry 53:30

6m ago53:30

53:30

Pádraig Ó Tuama survived conversion therapy and exorcism as a young gay man in a church in Ireland, then became a leading peace negotiator and a poet (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

151
Carly-Jay on dying, living, and learning to breathe 52:24

17h ago52:24

52:24

Carly-Jay Metcalfe lives with cystic fibrosis, and has faced a double lung transplant, a rare cancer and other huge medical challenges. But through it all humour and hope have fuelled her survival (CW: this story discusses organ transplant and donation, drug use and self harm)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
A portrait of Peter Dutton 52:39

1d ago52:39

52:39

Writer Lech Blaine on Peter Dutton, the former policeman who became the leader of the Liberal Party of AustraliaBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
The secret life of slime mould 49:00

3d ago49:00

49:00

Scientist Tanya Latty on how a single-cell organism, slime mould, can solve complex problems in some remarkable ways (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Bettany Hughes takes you to the hottest sightseeing spots of the ancient world 52:42

4d ago52:42

52:42

What was on the "must-see" lists for tourists in 200 BCE? From the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to the Great Pyramids at Giza, historian Bettany Hughes is your tour guide through the seven wonders of the ancient worldBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Finding a new version of family 50:54

7d ago50:54

50:54

Journalist Marina Kamenev on the changing story of our families in the 21st century (CW: discusses donor conception)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Louise Milligan on justice, family and Ireland 52:21

13d ago52:21

52:21

The investigative reporter reflects on her beloved Ringsend relatives and what drives her work holding powerful organisations to account (CW: discussion of suicide and confronting material)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Tom Gleeson: the hard man of Australian comedy 49:42

13d ago49:42

49:42

Tom Gleeson discovered and honed his distinctively caustic, laconic style of humour in some unlikely places (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Jellyfish, sharks, grease and goggles: the life of a marathon swimmer 51:36

12d ago51:36

51:36

Dean Summers became a long-distance swimmer in midlife. Now he swims with sharks, jellyfish and bioluminescence in wild oceans around the worldBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
The strange origins of our immense oceans 51:42

11d ago51:42

51:42

For writer James Bradley, the ocean is the connective tissue that holds all of life on Earth together. But how did it get here in the first place?By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
When the family circus comes to town 38:30

19d ago38:30

38:30

From the rodeo to the dining room table, this is a collection of strange, funny and sombre stories from real familiesBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Glennon Doyle's untamed life

15d ago

—

Glennon was the world's most famous Christian mummy blogger when she fell wildly in love with U.S Women's Soccer star Abby Wambach (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Ayesha is not an escape artist 51:12

16d ago51:12

51:12

Ayesha Jehangir left her rural village to get a better education; she left Pakistan to explore Afghanistan; and she left an abusive marriage to find her place in Australia. But she remains deeply proud of her Pashtun rootsBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
How Bri Lee became an incendiary 51:42

17d ago51:42

51:42

Bri Lee on the brutal series of events which began her life as a writer tackling injustice in our courts, the beauty industry, and in our schools (CW: description of legal processes relating to sexual assault)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Family folklore: spies, secrets and suffering 47:54

18d ago47:54

47:54

Phil Kafcaloudes grew up hearing stories about his legendary grandmother Olga, who became a spy for the British in WWII. When he grew up, he went in search of her story (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Jane Fonda - writing her own script 45:54

21d ago45:54

45:54

Jane Fonda's big life has included Barbarella, activism, three husbands, workout videos and hair epiphanies. Now in her 80s, she's devoting her energy to raising awareness about climate change (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Joseph Tawadros – from Egypt with love 51:31

22d ago51:31

51:31

The oud virtuoso reflects on his path to the instrument, via a stamp collection and an Egyptian movie starBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Crime scenes, lost wallabies, and coal-covered possums 53:15

23d ago53:15

53:15

Best-selling crime writer Candice Fox has written 17 books. But she also has a second life hurtling around Sydney rescuing stranded wallabies, cockatoos, possums, lizards and frogsBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
The secret world of servos after dark 51:12

24d ago51:12

51:12

David Goodwin spent years working the graveyard shift at his local service station in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. The grungy work quickly took over his lifeBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Va — the sacred space between us 50:19

25d ago50:19

50:19

Australia's first Pasifika university Professor, Jioji Ravulo was just a boy with the flu when a trip to his father's homeland turned him into a chiefBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Anton Clifford-Motopi on finding his full name 47:42

28d ago47:42

47:42

Anton Clifford-Motopi didn't see a face that looked like his until he became a father. And it would take several more years before he learned who he truly wasBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
On birds, fathers and fairy possums 52:36

29d ago52:36

52:36

Ecologist David Lindenmayer first went into the Mountain Ash forests of Victoria in search of the tiny Leadbeater Possum, and he discovered an amazing world of songbirds, rare gliders, and fierce leechesBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
The death on the pitch which changed Andy's life 48:16

30d ago48:16

48:16

Football tragic Andy Paschalidis was in his 50s when a dear friend and fellow player died during an over-35s soccer game. The tragedy altered the course of his lifeBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Jarvis Cocker and the Pulp master plan 51:30

1M ago51:30

51:30

The former frontman uncovered boxes from his adolescence in his attic, and he was amazed at his early, detailed plans to take over the music industry (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Sex, law, and life on Mars 53:06

1M ago53:06

53:06

What would a human settlement on Mars look like? How would humans procreate in space? And what on earth is a 'snuggle tube'? These are all questions Dr Kelly Weinersmith is trying to answerBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
From Yale to psychiatric prison: the undoing of a brilliant friend 52:12

1M ago52:12

52:12

When Jonathan Rosen was a child he had a neighbourhood friend called Michael Laudor. Their very similar pathways in life dramatically, and darkly, diverged after they graduated from Yale UniversityBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Zoya Patel on horses and homecoming 52:30

1M ago52:30

52:30

When Zoya Patel became besotted with horses as a child, she could never have imagined how they would help shape her life and relationshipsBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Shaun's giving heart 50:15

1M ago50:15

50:15

Shaun Christie-David's parents came to Australia fleeing civil war in Sri Lanka. By age 13, he knew he wanted to be a banker. But life inside the world of money and Maseratis was nothing like he'd imaginedBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Rescuing the forgotten animals of war 50:18

1M ago50:18

50:18

Marcus Fillinger has taken his military experience and wildlife rescue charity to Ukraine, where, as a civilian, he evacuates abandoned lions, wolves and caracals from active war zonesBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
How Ross Gittins found his calling 50:30

1M ago50:30

50:30

After a dispiriting stint as a Chartered Accountant, Ross found his perfect job: explaining the Australian economy, in plain English, to millions of peopleBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Episode 5: 🎁 Friday Night Giftisode 🌮 1:08:09

1M ago1:08:09

1:08:09

With love, Robyn LINKS: The De Palma trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97XoMjwoZ5w Indiebound for buying absolute any of the books I mention, always: https://www.indiebound.org/ Cowboy Tommy // Cowboy Teddy Bear // Electric Fireplace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSqVnHN3q9E

1
Jodi Rodgers on loving our neurodiversity 50:42

1M ago50:42

50:42

As a teenager, Jodi Rodgers got a job as a disability support worker and met a 6-year-old girl who would change her lifeBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Death, with love and dignity 53:30

2M ago53:30

53:30

When Pauline McGrath's husband David was diagnosed with a brain tumour, she supported him as he chose a different path to death (CW: discussion of death and dying)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Mary Beard's Roman Empire 53:12

2M ago53:12

53:12

Some of the wildest stories about Roman emperors involve playing the violin while watching the city burn, and appointing a horse as consul. Classicist Mary Beard is fascinated by how much truth there could be to these talesBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Mic's way out of the woods 51:48

2M ago51:48

51:48

Deeply ashamed of what he had done, Mic Whitty retreated into the Welsh wilderness for almost a year. Eventually an unexpected goal pulled him out of homelessness and back into the worldBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Satu Vanksa on faith, love and music 51:12

2M ago51:12

51:12

Satu Vanska grew up in Japan as the child of Lutheran Missionaries. When the family moved back to Finland, she felt isolated and alien. But Satu knew she had a ticket out - her violinBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Guilty feminist Deborah Frances-White 53:09

2M ago53:09

53:09

The podcaster and comedian on her early life in Queensland, where she yearned to wear a coat; lessons from improv comedy; and how eyebrows were the key to finding her biological family (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Trent Dalton on life before Boy Swallows Universe 51:10

2M ago51:10

51:10

As a child Trent was a quiet observer of the drama of his family and his neighbourhood. He became an award-winning writer (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Brigitte and the seven peaks 51:31

2M ago51:31

51:31

Brigitte Muir's dream to climb the seven highest mountains on each of the seven continents took much longer and cost her more than she expected, but she also discovered more about herself than she could have imaginedBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Jayashri Kulkarni: our hormones and our minds 52:34

2M ago52:34

52:34

Dr Jayashri Kulkarni on her Indian-Australian upbringing and her groundbreaking research into women's hormones and mental healthBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
From ploughs to cash cows: a short history of economics 52:22

2M ago52:22

52:22

Federal MP Andrew Leigh is a former professor of economics who is fascinated by how economics can create magicBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
A matter of trust 52:29

2M ago52:29

52:29

How Jeanne Ryckmans fell for a dashing Irish Professor who was far from what he appeared to beBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
The magnificent history of the Huxleys 53:10

2M ago53:10

53:10

Historian Alison Bashford with the story of the Huxley family, who founded one of the great dynasties of the worldBy Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
The bookbinder's luck 1:19

2M ago1:19

1:19

Dominic Riley on how a chance encounter with a bookbinding monk named Brother Bede changed the course of his life (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
Paul Kelly and the poetry 48:33

2M ago48:33

48:33

Australia's storyteller in song on the poems he's loved since childhood, and how reading and learning great poetry has changed his songwriting (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1
The calligraphy of the outback: the art and life of David Rankin 51:02

2M ago51:02

51:02

Artist David Rankin on his turbulent early life as a the son of a bootmaker, his unexpected path into painting, and his passionate love story with writer Lily Brett (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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