The epidemic may have been one of history’s greatest widely shared experiences. For some, the pandemic was an uncomfortable combination of positive and negative feelings for many people. Armando Iannucci’s reaction to the epidemic was not a film or television show. His experience of the pandemic unexpectedly manifested itself as a poem. He has labelled […]
Pam Ayers to be broadcast in the event of a national emergency
Pam Ayers has always had the propensity to raise the nation’s spirits. She has a warm, funny, and quirky take on the world. Poems like ‘Oh I Wish I’d Taken Better Care Of My Teeth’ and ‘Will I Have To Be Sexy At Sixty’ have earned her national treasure status. She has legions of fans […]
Poems and gambling
Many people have read Dostoevsky’s poem The Gambler. It’s clear that there has always been a link between gambling and poetry. In fact gambling has been a source of inspiration for a number of novels and poems. There are many examples when gambling is used as a metaphor for life. Other times a writer will […]
Robert Burns was told not to write in Scots
Through works like the classic Auld Lang Syne and other famous pieces, Scotland’s beloved son Robert Burns has perhaps done more than any other artist to promote the Scots language around the globe. Some of it may be incomprehensible to many, yet his popularity and influence has lasted for over 200 years. His poem To […]
Ai-Da the robot performs poetry created by her AI
Dante’s Divine Comedy has influenced numerous artists. However, an exhibition commemorating the poet’s 700th birthday features the work of a far more modern devotee. Ai-Da the robot made history by becoming the first robot to publicly read poetry created by AI algorithms. Ai-Da is named after computing pioneer Ada Lovelace and was designed in Oxford […]
What’s the difference between rap and poetry?
Poetry and rap have a lot in common in terms of styles and tenets. The boundaries and parameters between rap and poetry are fluid and open. Because their functions and origins are so intertwined, it is difficult to totally separate the two when defining their relationship. Some regard rap as a natural progression of African […]
Walks inspired by poetry
The following poetry walks include ready-to-go walks, which are best enjoyed with headphones and, where feasible, an audio link to the poems. All of these options are available on Spotify and some are recited by the poets themselves. Other resources are available on the internet as well. William Blake, London and Felpham, Sussex Blake’s genius […]
The best poem ever written
This probably won’t come as a surprise but a poem by Shakespeare has been voted the greatest of all time. His poem Sonnet 18 came in first place in a UK-wide poll of the nation’s favourite poetry. Despite the fact that it was penned 400 years ago, the 14-line musing on beauty, mortality, and the […]