大象传媒

Vanessa Kisuule returns with a new series of The Poetry Detective, a radio show about the poems that go with us through life.

Vanessa meets people with a poem that is precious to them, and then she digs in to the backstory of the poem. Why does it mean so much to them? Who wrote it and why? What's the story behind how it came to be written? How does it work on us?

The many acts of care we exchange are subtle and largely unsung. Care is the invisible thread that keeps the fabric of society from fraying, and yet we overlook the strength it involves to take good care of ourselves and each other, day in and day out. Caring for someone is the ultimate show of love, patience and perseverance, building profound bonds between people. It can also be lonely and frustrating, sometimes placing the carer at the periphery of their own life. Does poetry have anything to offer in this context? Can a poem be an act of care, or at the very least a brief respite from it?

We meet Kirsteen McNish, a writer and special events curator whose interests are focussed on people, places, and lesser heard stories. She tells us about a poem that has become precious to her: 'Selkie' by the Shetland poet Roseanne Watt, from her collection Moder Dy (Mother Wave). Vanessa gets in touch with Roseanne to ask her about the inspiration behind the poem. Why did the selkie myth appeal to her, and what are the skins that Kirsteen and Roseanne might both wish they could slip out of at times? Can writing itself be an act of care and profound communication between poet and reader?

We speak to stroke-survivor Anna Zvegintzov who is using poetry as an act of self-care and tool of recovery. And we meet two doctors working in intensive care for whom a poem became 'like a hymn'. Jane Hirshfield, the author of that poem - The Weighing - speaks to Vanessa about writing and care.

Produced in Bristol by Mair Bosworth and Alice McKee for 大象传媒 Audio