School of Poetry

Host Dr Oli Tearle is joined by Dr Barbara Cooke and Dr Kerry Featherstone to for the first-ever video version of the show, where they discuss John Milton's 'On His Blindness' ('When I consider how my light is spent'), poetry by artificial intelligence that is 'So Bad, It's Good' and a (not so) contemporary poem by Carolyn Forché - 'The Visitor'.

Dr Oliver Tearle hosts another episode of 'School of Poetry', and is joined by returning guests Dr Sarah Parker and Dr Andrew Dix. The trio discusses transport poetry, including 'Ballade of an Omnibus' by Amy Levy, Heathcote Williams's 'Autogeddon', some interesting entries from Henry David Thoreau... and the works of Hope Mirrlees.

“For secondly”... School of Poetry’s second episode of season two looks at Christopher Smart from Jubilate Agno, A Popular Personage at Home by Thomas Hardy and more as part of Poets and their Pets...

Dr Oli Tearle is joined by Anne-Marie Beller and Dr Andrew Dix for the new season of School of Poetry, kicking off on World Poetry Day with a bumper edition featuring the likes of Lewis Carroll, Anne Bradstreet, T. E. Hulme, Sterling A Brown and John Updike.

Dr Oli Tearle is joined by Dr Sara Read and Dr Barbara Cooke for the School of Poetry Christmas special... though there seems to be a lot of doom and gloom... Find out why.

Dr Oli Tearle is joined by guests Dr Sarah Parker and Dr Claire O'Callaghan for another entertaining discussion. This episode, the trio focus on Emily Jane Bronte’s 'If Grief for Grief Can Touch Thee', the works of Iris Tree and a Royal rap poem penned for Prince William's 21st birthday.

Returning for the second episode of ‘School of Poetry’, host Dr Oli Tearle is accompanied by guests Dr Carol Bolton and Dr Nick Freeman to discuss Emily Dickinson, Arthur Symons, cats and share a laugh over our ‘So Bad, It’s Good’ moment.‘School of Poetry’ is a podcast dedicated to discussing and analysing the good – and the not so good – within the world of poetry. With fresh poems and new themes to discuss in each episode, Loughborough University’s Dr Oli Tearle and other guest academics will bring their knowledge and expertise to this fun – yet educational – show.

As March draws to a close, host Dr Oli Tearle is accompanied by guests Dr Sarah Parker and Dr Kerry Featherstone to contemplate the theme of spring. Kicking off with a reading of ‘Spring’ by Edna St. Vincent Millay, our experts discuss an interesting ‘Dairy Ode’ that is So Bad It’s Good, when you should read aloud to your cat, and the modern poetry of Leicestershire. Featured poem: To what purpose, April, do you return again? Beauty is not enough. You can no longer quiet me with the redness Of little leaves opening stickily. I know what I know. The sun is hot on my neck as I observe The spikes of the crocus. The smell of the earth is good. It is apparent that there is no death. But what does that signify? Not only under ground are the brains of men Eaten by maggots. Life in itself Is nothing, An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs. It is not enough that yearly, down this hill, April Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers. To follow updates on the podcast, check out @lboroenglish on twitter.

School of Poetry is a podcast dedicated to discussing and analysing the good – and the not so good – within the world of poetry. Our first show launches on World Poetry Day, 21 March 2018, so hit the subscribe button to listen in.Follow us on Twitter - @LboroEnglish