We, The Poets

wethepoets
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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 to celebrate the wild, messy, and utterly glorious process of creating something beautiful with words. We’d love you to join us!

  1. Episode 1

    S3 E1 – Be Kind To Yourself? (Ft. Tim Clare, Keely Mills & Mark Grist)

    We, The Poets is back for Season 3 — and we’re kicking things off with writer, performer and game enthusiast Tim Clare. Recorded at Ellie Spirrett on Instagram ✨ Sandy Wardrop – sharing new work later in the episode. Sandy Wardrop on Instagram If you’ve ever drifted away from writing, struggled with performing, or wondered how other poets keep going — we hope this one resonates. 📚 Find Tim’s books, podcasts and work at: Tim Clare official website 🎧 Check out: Couch to 80k Death Of 1000 Cuts The Game Changers 📬 Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode? Email: mark@wethepoets.com 🎧 Produced at Backland Studios with public funding from Arts Council England.

  2. Episode 2

    S3 E2 – Poetry as a Verb (Ft. Joelle Taylor, Charley Genever & Mark Grist)

    We, The Poets returns with one of the UK's most celebrated poets, performers and mentors, Joelle Taylor. Winner of the TS Eliot Prize for C+nto & Othered Poems, Joelle joins Mark Grist and Charley Genever for a conversation about why poetry isn't just something we write—it's something we do. Together they explore world-building, writing cinematically, stage fright, community, performance, and how poems can evolve into theatre, opera and film. They also discuss imagery, metaphor, finding your artistic voice, and why the best poems leave readers with questions rather than answers. Note: This episode includes discussion of sexual abuse, anti‑LGBTQ+ violence, and uses reclaimed queer language. There’s also some strong language. ✨ Featured poems from Edalia Day and Helen Cross. Edalia Day's work can be found here: https://www.edaliaday.co.uk/poetry Buy Maryville by Joelle Taylor here: https://www.poetrybooks.co.uk/products/maryville-by-joelle-taylor?srsltid=AfmBOorq7P-_kt4qTiY6CoDR60nxUERH6-Rm1e2mRxX2JTCYQzYFbOrw 📬 Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode? Email: mark@wethepoets.com 🎧 Produced at Backland Studios with public funding from Arts Council England.

  3. Episode 3

    S3 E3 – The Hidden Curriculum (Ft. Hannah Lowe, Jay Sandhu & Mark Grist)

    What are the most important lessons you've ever learned... that nobody actually taught you? Award-winning poet Hannah Lowe joins Mark Grist and Jay Sandhu at Backland Studios for a conversation about the things education leaves out. From classrooms and colonial history to creativity, assessment, awards and finding your own voice, they explore the hidden lessons that shape us as writers—and as people. Winner of the Costa Book Award for The Kids, Hannah reflects on growing up between cultures, writing poetry for the page rather than the stage, balancing teaching with creativity, and why some of the most important parts of becoming a poet happen long after you leave school. Note: This episode includes discussion of colonialism, racism, dementia, bereavement, smoking-related illness and some strong language. ✨ Featured poems from Hannah Walker and one of our younger listeners, Alice. 📝 Hannah Walker's poems can be found here: www.hannahpoems.co.uk 📚 Buy The Kids by Hannah Lowe here: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/the-kids-1277 📚 Find more of Hannah Lowe's work here: https://hannahlowe.me/ 📬 Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode? Email: mark@wethepoets.com 🎧 Produced at Backland Studios with public funding from Arts Council England.

  4. Episode 4

    S3 E4 – How Big Do You Want To Be? (Ft. Dean Atta, Leanne Moden & Mark Grist)

    Award-winning poet and author Dean Atta joins Mark Grist and Leanne Moden at Backland Studios for a conversation about ambition, community, comparison and building a life as a writer. With his new adult novel Big Man about to hit the shelves, Dean talks about moving between poetry and fiction, getting older, finding the right home for your work and the strange gap between how successful you might look from the outside and how you actually feel. We also explore why showing up for other writers matters, the dangers of comparing your career to somebody else's, and how the relationships you build along the way can shape where your writing takes you. Dean reflects on the writers and communities that helped him find his feet, including the extraordinary support and mentorship he received from Benjamin Zephaniah, and why he now feels a responsibility to pass that generosity on. There's also plenty about collaboration, taking chances on projects that might go nowhere, saying yes to unexpected opportunities, and the years of work behind the successes everybody else eventually sees. Dean reads his poem ‘Darling’, and we also get a little exclusive as he reveals the title of his forthcoming middle-grade portal fantasy, Enter the Clock, for the very first time. ✨ Featured poems from Bradley Taylor and Abi Willock. Bradley Taylor opens the episode in style with a brilliant piece called ‘Announcement’. Bradley is an award-winning Birmingham poet and won the Roundhouse Poetry Slam in 2024. Later in the episode, Abi Willock shares a playful and evocative poem about Paris, romance and the stories we attach to places. 📝 Find Bradley Taylor's work here: https://www.bradleytaylorpoet.com/ 📝 Find Abi Willock here: Instagram: @poeticabi 📚 Find Dean Atta and his work here: DeanAtta.com 📚 Buy Big Man by Dean Atta here: https://bit.ly/4zNTOjH 🎬 Watch Two Black Boys in Paradise on Channel 4 — Dean's BAFTA-winning stop-motion animation here. https://www.channel4.com/programmes/two-black-boys-in-paradise 📬 Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode? Email: mark@wethepoets.com  🎧 Produced at Backland Studios with public funding from Arts Council England.

  5. Episode 5

    S3 E5 – Getting Your Words Out There (Ft. Henry Normal & Nottingham Poetry Festival)

    How do you get your poetry published, performed, played on the radio or heard by new audiences—especially when your budget is precisely £0? In this Nottingham Poetry Festival special, Mark Grist and producer Chris Barn look back on a day of poetry, conversation and live recording at Rough Trade Nottingham. Jay Sandhu hosts an industry panel featuring Amy Acre from Bad Betty Press, Dean Jackson from BBC Upload, Hannah Trevarthen from Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature and Mark representing We, The Poets. Together, they discuss what they look for in new work, how to approach publishers and poetry organisations, recording good audio with nothing more than a phone—and why rejection is an essential part of building a creative career. There’s practical advice for emerging poets, including how to find the right home for your writing, why you don’t need expensive equipment and a great way to turn rejections into a well-earned reward. Mark also interviews writer, poet and producer Henry Normal, whose collection New Modelling for the Afterlife was one of the books that first made Mark believe he could write and perform poetry himself. Henry talks about failure, humour, AI, imposter syndrome, writing for the page and stage, knowing when a poem is finished and why creativity is ultimately about communicating with another human being. He finishes with his poem “Better Days”. ✨ This episode also features poetry from Elizabeth Harrison, Chris Oliver, Binny, Emily Ralph and Hal The Poet. Content note: one featured poem contains references to racism and domestic abuse connected with football and alcohol. Find out more: Nottingham Poetry Festival: https://nottinghampoetryfestival.com Henry Normal: https://henrynormal.com Bad Betty Press: https://badbettypress.com Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature: https://nottinghamcityofliterature.com Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode? Email mark@wethepoets.com. Recorded at Rough Trade Nottingham and produced by Chris Barn at Backland Studios, with public funding from Arts Council England.

  • 5 Episodes

About

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 to celebrate the wild, messy, and utterly glorious process of creating something beautiful with words. We’d love you to join us!

Information

  • Creator
    wethepoets
  • Episodes
    22
  • Seasons
    3
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    We, The Poets