Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

05/05/2013

Roger McGough with poetry requests read by John Mackay. Poems praising the heavenly and the everyday, with work by RS Thomas, Paula Meehan, George Barker and Leontia Flynn.

Roger McGough with a varied selection of poetry requests.
Poems of praise to the lowly and the heavenly, including work by George Barker and RS Thomas who were both born one hundred years ago this year. RS Thomas's 'A Marriage' is tender and moving; "We met under a shower of bird notes", and he analyses the powerful stillness of the atmosphere 'In Church.' Poems by another priest poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins also feature, with his sonnet to Felix Randall, which he wrote after the death of a parishioner of his while he was a priest in Liverpool, as well as 'God's Grandeur'. There will be many secular exultations too though, with Les Murray paying homage to the bed, Emily Dickinson to the sea and a paean to the music of Bach by the Swedish poet Lars Gustafsson. With readings by John Mackay and guest poets Leontia Flynn and Paula Meehan.
Producer: Sarah Langan.

30 minutes

Last on

Sat 11 May 2013 23:30

This Week's Poems

Ìý

A MarriageÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

By R S Thomas

From R S Thomas – Collected Later Poems 1988-2000

Publisher: Bloodaxe

Ìý

In ChurchÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

By R S Thomas

From R S Thomas – Selected Poems 1946-1968

Publisher: Granada

Ìý

Gerard Manley - Hopkins

By Leontia Flynn

Unpublished

Ìý

Felix RandalÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

By Gerard Manley Hopkins

From Hopkins – Poems and Prose

Publisher: Everyman

Ìý

PaternosterÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

By Jen Hadfield

From Nigh-No-Place

Publisher: Bloodaxe

Ìý

Prayer to Saint GrobianusÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

By Roger McGough

From Roger McGough – Collected Poems

Publisher: Viking

Ìý

Homage to the Launching Place

By Les Murray

From Les Murray – Collected Poems

Publisher: Carcanet

Ìý

My Sister Lets Down Her HairÌýÌýÌýÌý

By Paula Meehan

From Dharmakaya

Publisher: Carcanet

Ìý

To My MotherÌýÌý

By George Barker

From George Barker – Selected Poems

Publisher: Faber

Ìý

Cyd CharisseÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

By Leontia Flynn

From Profit and Loss

Publisher: Cape Poetry

Ìý

God's GrandeurÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

By Gerard Manley Hopkins

From Hopkins – Poems and Prose

Publisher: Everyman

Ìý

Exultation is the GoingÌýÌý

By Emily Dickinson

From The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson

Publisher: Faber

Ìý

PostcriptÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

By Seamus Heaney

From The Spirit Level

Publisher: Faber

Ìý

The Stillness of the World Before BachÌýÌý

By Lars Gustafsson

Translated by Philip Martin

From The Stillness of the World Before Bach: New Selected Poems

Publisher: New Directions

Ìý

Ìý

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Roger McGough
Reader John MacKay
Reader Leontia Flynn
Reader Paula Meehan

Broadcasts

  • Sun 5 May 2013 16:30
  • Sat 11 May 2013 23:30