Words That Burn - Poetry Podcast

Benjamin Collopy
  • 4.6 (11)
  • Education
  • Updated Biweekly

Are you curious about poetry but find it a bit intimidating? Tune into Words that Burn, the podcast that aims to demystify poetry, one captivating poem at a time. Hosted by Ben, an Irish poetry enthusiast, this podcast takes a closer look at the world of poetic expression and technique. Each episode offers a comprehensive analysis of a selected poem, exploring the poet's biography, the cultural and historical backdrop, and the literary techniques that make these works profoundly moving. Whether you're a seasoned poetry aficionado or a curious beginner, Words that Burn provides an engaging and approachable way to enhance your appreciation and understanding of poetry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. An Interview with Belfast Poet Matthew Rice

    Jun 24

    An Interview with Belfast Poet Matthew Rice

    In this episode of Words That Burn, the poetry podcast dedicated to literary analysis and poetic interpretation, I sit down with Belfast poet Matthew Rice to discuss his new collection Plastic: a book-length poem mapped across a single night shift in an invented plastics factory. It's published by Fitzcarraldo Editions. Born from his PhD at the Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Plastic sits at a rare intersection in contemporary poetry: a deeply personal account of fifteen years working factory floors, fused with literary devices and techniques drawn from medieval romance, Gothic literature, and pop culture. We discuss the historical context behind the collection, tracing Rice's place within a tradition of working-class and "factory poets" like Philip Levine and Larry Levis, and explore how Sir Gawain and the Green Knight becomes a recurring avatar for the speaker's own quest through the night. This conversation doubles as a poetry education in itself, perfect whether you're new to contemporary poetry or already fluent in poetic analysis. We chat about: How timestamps and form mirror the malleability of plastic itselfThe Gothic undercurrents running through a hyper-modern, industrial settingLiterary allusion: from Wolverine comics to Kubrick's Gotham to Fassbender's Prometheus, and how pop culture deepens poetic meaningThe poet biography behind the book: Rice's journey from factory worker to MA and PhD in poetryA live reading of two poems from the collection, including the recurring Gawain sequence Whether you're after rigorous poem discussion, a beginner-friendly entry point into poetry interpretation, or simply want to hear from one of the most original voices in Irish poetry and Global poets writing today, this episode of this poetry podcast offers a rich, accessible deep-dive into a genuinely singular collection. Follow Matthew Rice:On Instagram Buy His Collection Follow the Podcast: Read the Interview on Substack Follow the Podcast On Instagram Follow the Podcast on X/Twitter Follow the Podcast on Tiktok Follow the podcast on Bluesky Time Stamps: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:40 Inside the Book Plastic 02:17 Factory Poetry Gap 03:40 Molds and Poetic Form 06:05 Long Poem in Sections 07:38 Poetry as Escape 11:23 Dream Time and Imagination 12:34 Mapping Time on Shift 16:19 Gawain on the Factory Floor 19:47 Reading a Gawain Poem 21:00 Reviews and New Meanings 22:55 Pop Culture Allusions 24:14 Fosse One Sentence Novel 25:05 Wolverine And Prometheus 27:37 Factory As Monster 29:31 Kubrick City Character 31:28 Flesh Meets Machine 36:01 Gothic Hauntings And Swift 38:12 Gotham Politics And Capital 42:12 Prologue Ritual And Verbing 45:54 Hidden Easter Egg Poem 47:44 Final Thoughts And Thanks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min
  2. Interview with Dublin Poet Mark Ward

    Jun 15

    Interview with Dublin Poet Mark Ward

    Welcome back to Words That Burn, the poetry podcast where host Benjamin Collopy takes a closer look at the verse that shapes our world. Whether you're here to deepen your poetry appreciation or are simply looking for accessible poetry for beginners, the goal is to make poetry education engaging for everyone. In this episode, Ben sits down for an in-depth poem discussion with Mark Ward, an incredible voice in modern Irish poetry. They explore Mark's compelling poet biography; from his early days writing in Dublin to his work as a playwright, before jumping into a full poem deep dive of his brand-new collection, Real Estate ( from Salmon Poetry). Listeners will get the mechanics of Mark's poetry explained by the poet himself. Through thoughtful poetry analysis, Ben and Mark unpack the evocative literary devices used to capture everything from the collapse of a relationship to the profound grief of losing a beloved pet. Key Topics DiscussedThe Architecture of Verse: Why Mark considers every line of a poem to be "prime real estate" and the importance of leaning into subjects that scare you.Grief and the Physical World: A close look at the sequence Nine Lives, dedicated to Mark's cat, Carbon, which beautifully captures the tactile realities of caregiving and loss.Body Horror & Metaphor: Exploring the complex imagery and literary devices in the poem Hunger, where inner anxieties warp physical, domestic spaces.Documenting Queer History: How poetry serves as an alternative lineage, with a focus on 1992, a piece that memorializes Dublin's 1980s and 1990s gay culture.Subverting Expectations: A reading and analysis of Slow Evening, a joyful and tender poem that acts as a poignant rebuke to the tragic "Bury Your Gays" narrative trope.About the Guest Mark Ward is a poet, playwright, and short story writer based in Dublin. He is the author of two full-length collections with Salmon Poetry: Nightlight (2023) and his latest release, Real Estate. His diverse body of work also includes six chapbooks ranging from sonnets to queer ekphrastic verse, and his plays have been staged at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. Follow & Support Mark: On Instagram Buy the book here or here Follow the Podcast: Read the interview on Substack Follow the Podcast On Instagram Follow the Podcast on X/Twitter Follow the Podcast on Tiktok Follow the podcast on Bluesky Time Stamps: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:01 What Real Estate Means 03:04 Building Poem Sequences 05:00 Revisiting Old Work 06:29 Writing Breakup Darkness 11:05 Nine Lives and Pet Grief 13:16 Reading Carer Aloud 14:44 Desire and Physicality 17:41 Hunger Image Craft 20:43 Reading Hunger Aloud 22:35 Desire Versus Self 24:15 Writing From Observation 26:04 Finding Poetry Mentors 28:14 Ekphrasis And Queer Lineage 31:42 Poetry As Cultural Memory 36:18 Reading Poem 1992 38:24 Slow Evening And Gay Joy 42:47 Closing Thanks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    43 min
  3. Deconstruction by Mary Ruefle

    May 26

    Deconstruction by Mary Ruefle

    Welcome back to Words That Burn, the podcast taking a closer look at poetry. In this episode, host Benjamin Collopy offers a close reading of Mary Ruefle’s four-line masterpiece, “Deconstruction.” This brief but devastating poem masterfully bridges ancient myth with the unbearable weight of modern existence. Benjamin situates Ruefle as a master storyteller and meticulous "sentence maker," breaking down how four short lines can bend time, space, and human memory. In This Episode, We Explore:The Sirens & The Metatextual Turn: How Ruefle uses Homer’s The Odyssey to force us to look inward. The poem presents a brilliant metatextual idea: that the Sirens actually sang The Odyssey itself, seducing listeners with the terrible, irresistible story of their own lives. We explore how the poem’s subtle shift from “I” to “we” invites shared introspection about how we remember, retell, and mythologise ourselves.Erasure vs. Found Poetry: Using Ruefle's own remarks, we distinguish her specific practice of erasure (or blackout) poetry from standard found poetry, highlighting the intent and precision required to carve a poem out of an existing text.Erasure as Survival: We connect "Deconstruction" to Ruefle’s broader lectures on reading, memory, and survival. Discover why picking apart existing texts isn't just an artistic choice, but a vital coping mechanism for processing life’s overwhelming excess. Mary Ruefle's Erasure Notebooks Follow the Podcast: Read the Script on Substack Follow the Podcast On Instagram Follow the Podcast on X/Twitter Follow the Podcast on Tiktok Follow the podcast on Bluesky The Music In This Week's Episode: 'Memories Of Stone' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Time Stamps: 00:00 Sirens and Self Story 00:27 Why This Poem 01:28 Mary Ruefle's Style 03:02 Erasure Poetry Explained 04:53 Reading the Poem 05:43 Metatext and Reading 06:50 Sirens in The Odyssey 08:21 Erasure as Survival 11:22 Title Does the Work 12:47 Why It Stays With Us Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    15 min
  4. Shannon Kuta Kelly on Liminal Spaces, Folklore, and Her Debut Collection The Tree is Missing

    Mar 25

    Shannon Kuta Kelly on Liminal Spaces, Folklore, and Her Debut Collection The Tree is Missing

    In this episode of Words That Burn, I sit down with poet Shannon Kuta Kelly to explore the beautifully haunting landscapes of her debut poetry collection, The Tree is Missing (coming this April from Faber and Faber). Shannon’s work has been featured in the New England Review, Poetry Ireland Review, and The Irish Times. As a PhD graduate from the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen's University Belfast and a 2025 Ciaran Carson Fellow, she brings a profound depth of knowledge and intuition to her craft. We discuss the tension between the past and present, the eerie realities of urbanisation, and how transient living shapes our identities. This episode explores: The Meaning of "The Tree is Missing": Unpacking the symbolic, ecological, and geographical resonances behind the collection's title.Liminality and Urban Sprawl: How manmade borders, transient city living, and the meeting point between nature and concrete influence her writing.History’s Phantom Limbs: Grounding the tragic, echoing histories of places like Tarnów, Poland, through human-centric storytelling and everyday images.Folklore and Dream Logic: Why poetry and myth are a "match made in heaven," and how Shannon taps into our shared subconscious and collective symbols.An Exclusive Reading: Shannon treats us to a reading of her poignant poem, Gost, and discusses the linguistic overlap between "ghosts" and "guests." Whether you are a writer looking for advice on peeling back the layers of your own poetry or a reader fascinated by the intersection of myth and reality, Shannon’s insights are not to be missed. Follow the Podcast: Read the Script on Substack Follow the Podcast On Instagram Follow the Podcast on X/Twitter Follow the Podcast on Tiktok Follow the podcast on Bluesky Time Stamps: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:05 Why The Tree Is Missing 02:25 Borders Urban Sprawl Erasure 03:33 Liminal Life and POV Shifts 04:49 Observing Strangers and Details 06:00 From Reality to Spare Images 08:43 Tarnov and Haunted History 12:44 Storytelling Women and Three Sisters 15:20 Poetic Truth and Let It Be August 16:58 Endings Claustrophobia and Book Shape 19:58 Editing Influences and Breathing Space 22:28 Decay in Pastoral Scenes 24:56 Folklore and Poetic Logic 26:48 Two Brothers Divided 29:31 Nostalgia and Lost Homes 32:11 Dream Time Symbols 34:45 How Poems Are Collected 36:07 Gost Guests and Ghosts 39:50 Refrain and Repetition 42:05 Advice for other poets Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  5. Oidhreacht by Louis De Paor

    Mar 14

    Oidhreacht by Louis De Paor

    Celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge with a closer look at "Oidhreacht" (Heredity), a powerful piece by Irish poet and Gaeilgeoir, Louis De Paor. In this episode of Words That Burn, we explore the complex psychogeography of Ireland and the tension between holding onto the past and embracing the future of the Irish language. Discover how De Paor captures generational trauma and linguistic lineage through striking metaphors, from an ancient, shouting Ogham stone to a snarled tooth that evokes the myth of the Salmon of Knowledge (Bradán Feasa). We also unpack the cultural tug-of-war that helped shape modern Gaeilge, highlighting how the modernization of the language is not a betrayal, but a necessity. This episode takes a loot at: An in-depth analysis of the poem "Oidhreacht" (Heredity) and its exploration of Irish identity and guilt.The history of Innti, a radical 1970s literary journal that brought beat poetry techniques to Irish language literature.The historic clash between "old school" Nativists seeking to preserve a pure, pastoral form of Gaeilge and the progressive movement striving for modern European influence.How De Paor expertly weaves the folklore of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Salmon of Knowledge into his modern reflections. Theo Dorgan Essay Follow the Podcast: Read the Script on Substack Follow the Podcast On Instagram Follow the Podcast on X/Twitter Follow the Podcast on Tiktok Follow the podcast on Bluesky The Music In This Week's Episode: 'Memories Of Stone' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  6. Coping by Audre Lorde

    Feb 17

    Coping by Audre Lorde

    Does the constant barrage of global news make you want to turn off the screens and bury your head? You aren’t alone. In a world that feels like a "round puddle of sunless water," how do we keep going? In this episode of Words That Burn, I analyse Audre Lorde’s powerful poem, "Coping." Written by the self-described "Black lesbian mother warrior poet," this piece from The Black Unicorn collection offers a vital lesson on resilience, parenting as revolution, and the refusal to drown easily. We explore Lorde’s legacy as a "bridge builder" and how her seminal philosophies, including The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master's House; inform this seemingly simple image of a boy bailing rainwater from a garden. In this episode, I cover: The Poem: A line-by-line analysis of "Coping" and its biblical vs. humanist metaphors.The Context: How Lorde’s travels to Benin and her experience with motherhood shaped her activism.The Philosophy: Understanding the "architecture of difference" and intersectionality.The Takeaway: Why preserving "young seeds" is crucial for the future of society. If you are feeling the weight of the world, let Audre Lorde’s words be the spark you need to keep doing the work. Follow the Podcast: Read the Script on Substack Follow the Podcast On Instagram Follow the Podcast on X/Twitter Follow the Podcast on Tiktok Follow the podcast on Bluesky The Music In This Week's Episode: 'Penumbra' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min
  7. The Solstice by W.S. Merwin

    12/18/2025

    The Solstice by W.S. Merwin

    In the final episode of Words That Burn for 2025, we turn our attention to the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, and the American poet who captured its delicate balance of darkness and light: W.S. Merwin. This episode's poem "The Solstice," a work of minimalist verse that explores the intersection of nature, personal vulnerability, and the cyclical nature of time. This episode traces Merwin’s evolution from a rigid formalist to an experimental voice for environmental activism. It looks at how the poet was heavily influenced by the Vietnam War and the ecological fragility of his adopted home in Hawaii. As we close out a difficult year marked by global conflict and uncertainty, this episode asks: How do we find hope when the days seem at their darkest? Merwin’s work reminds us that even when the sun goes away, it always comes back. Topics Explored: W.S. Merwin’s Evolution: From the classical influence of W.H. Auden to the stark, grounded style of The Lice.Ecopoetry & Activism: How the Vietnam War and the destruction of Hawaiian flora (like the ʻōhiʻas and honeycreepers) radicalised Merwin’s work.Poetic Analysis: Deconstructing the structure of "The Solstice" and how its shrinking stanzas mimic the dwindling daylight of December 21st. Follow the Podcast: Read the Script on Substack Follow the Podcast On Instagram Follow the Podcast on X/Twitter Follow the Podcast on Tiktok Follow the podcast on Bluesky The Music In This Week's Episode: 'Penumbra' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min
  8. An Interview with Irish Poet Clíodhna Bhreatnach

    12/08/2025

    An Interview with Irish Poet Clíodhna Bhreatnach

    In this episode of Words That Burn, I'm joined by Irish poet Clíodhna Bhreatnach to discuss her debut pamphlet, Pink Roses and Green. Together, we chat about a collection that sits at the intersection of the "nine-to-five grind," Millennial burnout, and a deep, tactile longing for the natural world. Clíodhna breaks down her unique approach to the "Millennial Lyric"; moving away from the pastoral and into the office kitchenette. We discuss how she navigates the Post-Celtic Tiger landscape, using poetry to document the deformation of human time under late-stage capitalism. We cover other topics like: The Romantic Office: Applying the philosophy of Keats and Wordsworth to photocopiers and Excel spreadsheets.Digital Intimacy: Finding beauty in the "randomised screensavers" of Windows desktops.The "Sick Addiction to Soft Things": Why tactile textures (paper, nature) are vital in a digital world.Writers Groups: The importance of community (specifically the Frustrated Writers Group) in banishing impostor syndrome.References & Recommendations:Bandit Country by James Conor PattersonUnstoppable Utopia by Cassandra MossThe Perfect Season by Sean PearsonThe Lover's Discourse by Anahid Nersessian (Criticism on Keats) About the poet: Clíodhna Bhreatnach is from Waterford and lives in Dublin. Her poems have appeared in Poetry Ireland Review, The Stinging Fly, and The Forward Book of Poetry 2023. She has recently been awarded a Dublin City Council Arts Bursary for 2025. She is the former poetry editor of Frustrated Writers Group. Find the book and the poet: https://cliodhnabhreatnach.com https://greenbottlepress.com/product/pink-roses-green-by-cliodhna-bhreatnach/ Follow the Podcast: Read the Interview on Substack Follow the Podcast On Instagram Follow the Podcast on X/Twitter Follow the Podcast on Tiktok Follow the podcast on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min
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About

Are you curious about poetry but find it a bit intimidating? Tune into Words that Burn, the podcast that aims to demystify poetry, one captivating poem at a time. Hosted by Ben, an Irish poetry enthusiast, this podcast takes a closer look at the world of poetic expression and technique. Each episode offers a comprehensive analysis of a selected poem, exploring the poet's biography, the cultural and historical backdrop, and the literary techniques that make these works profoundly moving. Whether you're a seasoned poetry aficionado or a curious beginner, Words that Burn provides an engaging and approachable way to enhance your appreciation and understanding of poetry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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