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The Sonnet

20210523

In this series, free verse poet Andrew McMillan meets a diverse group of contemporary British poets who are re-framing traditional techniques to write about the modern world, exploring why form is fashionable again.
In today's programme, poet and academic Aviva Dautch goes back in time to unpick the history of the classic but flexible sonnet, with poems read by Juliet Stevenson. She traces the sonnet's European origins and the poetic revolution that happened once it reached the UK and became a mainstay of English poetry in a modern multicultural Britain.
This year sees the publication of three books of sonnets with new takes, ranging from playful to dark, on the traditional form. We'll meet Jacqueline Saphra, author of 100 Lockdown Sonnets, as well as sonneteers Vidyan Ravinthiran and Hannah Lowe, hearing poems that travel from Limehouse canals to inner-city classrooms.

The reader is Juliet Stevenson.

Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys

Producer: Mohini Patel

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again. This week: the sonnet.

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.

The Sonnet

20210523

20210529 (R4)

The reader is Juliet Stevenson.

Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys

Producer: Mohini Patel

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again. This week: the sonnet.

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.

The Ghazal

20210530

In this series, free verse poet Andrew McMillan meets a diverse group of contemporary British poets who are reframing traditional techniques to write about the modern world, exploring why form is fashionable again.
For hundreds of years, writers have experimented with the ghazal - one of the oldest and most popular verse forms in the world. First written in pre-Islamic Arabia, the ghazal spread to Africa and Spain where it was often used as a form of lyrical across-cultural dialogue. It has been central to Persian writing since the 13th century, then became a mainstay of traditional verse throughout the Indian Sub-Continent, and is now appearing in contemporary English language poetry.

In today's programme, poet and academic Aviva Dautch who translates ghazals as well as writing her own, takes us around the world to unpick the music and meaning of the form and explores its use in political and religious dialogue. She considers the elements of the ghazal, from its traditional rhymes and refrain to the register of tone and images with which it is often associated.

We meet Syima Aslam, director of Bradford Literature Festival, who tells us about the importance of the ghazal to her community. Our Guest poet, award winning poet writer Mona Arshi describes how her experimental English ghazals draw on the Indian and Spanish traditions, and Afghan refugee poet Suhrab Sirat explains why the ghazal has given him a home in language.

The reader is Juliet Stevenson.

Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys

Producer: Mohini Patel

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again. This week: the ghazal.

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.

The Ghazal

20210530

20210605 (R4)

The reader is Juliet Stevenson.

Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys

Producer: Mohini Patel

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again. This week: the ghazal.

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.

The Villanelle

20210606

In the third and last of this series, Andrew McMillan meets a diverse group of contemporary British poets who are reframing traditional techniques to write about the modern world, exploring why form is fashionable again.

In today's programme, poet and academic Aviva Dautch, traces the roots of the villanelle back to its musical origins and explores how it developed into a poetic form with fixed rules. To understand the interplay of the form's complex refrains and rhymes we hear Juliet Stevenson reads classic twentieth century villanelles: Do Not Go Gently' by Dylan Thomas and One Art' by Elizabeth Bishop, exploring how these poets use the form to contain grief.

We meet bestselling poet, Wendy Cope, a former teacher whose comic villanelles play with the formal counterpoint between repetition and surprise. Irish poet Gail McConnell describes how her experimental villanelle helps her articulate what it means to be part of non-traditional family structures, and the transition from the one she grew up in to the queer one she has created with her partner. And finally, Marvin Thompson, winner of this year's National Poetry Competition with a villanelle variation, tells us about his passion for the form and reads his award-winning poem about his Jamaican-British identity.

The reader is Juliet Stevenson.

Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys

Producer: Mohini Patel

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.

The Villanelle

20210606

20210612 (R4)

The reader is Juliet Stevenson.

Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys

Producer: Mohini Patel

Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	The Sonnet	20210523		In this series, free verse poet Andrew McMillan meets a diverse group of contemporary British poets who are re-framing traditional techniques to write about the modern world, exploring why form is fashionable again. In today's programme, poet and academic Aviva Dautch goes back in time to unpick the history of the classic but flexible sonnet, with poems read by Juliet Stevenson. She traces the sonnet's European origins and the poetic revolution that happened once it reached the UK and became a mainstay of English poetry in a modern multicultural Britain. This year sees the publication of three books of sonnets with new takes, ranging from playful to dark, on the traditional form. We'll meet Jacqueline Saphra, author of 100 Lockdown Sonnets, as well as sonneteers Vidyan Ravinthiran and Hannah Lowe, hearing poems that travel from Limehouse canals to inner-city classrooms. The reader is Juliet Stevenson. Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys Producer: Mohini Patel Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again. This week: the sonnet. Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.
01	The Sonnet	20210523	20210529 (R4)	In this series, free verse poet Andrew McMillan meets a diverse group of contemporary British poets who are re-framing traditional techniques to write about the modern world, exploring why form is fashionable again. In today's programme, poet and academic Aviva Dautch goes back in time to unpick the history of the classic but flexible sonnet, with poems read by Juliet Stevenson. She traces the sonnet's European origins and the poetic revolution that happened once it reached the UK and became a mainstay of English poetry in a modern multicultural Britain. This year sees the publication of three books of sonnets with new takes, ranging from playful to dark, on the traditional form. We'll meet Jacqueline Saphra, author of 100 Lockdown Sonnets, as well as sonneteers Vidyan Ravinthiran and Hannah Lowe, hearing poems that travel from Limehouse canals to inner-city classrooms. The reader is Juliet Stevenson. Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys Producer: Mohini Patel Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again. This week: the sonnet. Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.
02	The Ghazal	20210530		In this series, free verse poet Andrew McMillan meets a diverse group of contemporary British poets who are reframing traditional techniques to write about the modern world, exploring why form is fashionable again. For hundreds of years, writers have experimented with the ghazal - one of the oldest and most popular verse forms in the world. First written in pre-Islamic Arabia, the ghazal spread to Africa and Spain where it was often used as a form of lyrical across-cultural dialogue. It has been central to Persian writing since the 13th century, then became a mainstay of traditional verse throughout the Indian Sub-Continent, and is now appearing in contemporary English language poetry. In today's programme, poet and academic Aviva Dautch who translates ghazals as well as writing her own, takes us around the world to unpick the music and meaning of the form and explores its use in political and religious dialogue. She considers the elements of the ghazal, from its traditional rhymes and refrain to the register of tone and images with which it is often associated. We meet Syima Aslam, director of Bradford Literature Festival, who tells us about the importance of the ghazal to her community. Our Guest poet, award winning poet writer Mona Arshi describes how her experimental English ghazals draw on the Indian and Spanish traditions, and Afghan refugee poet Suhrab Sirat explains why the ghazal has given him a home in language. The reader is Juliet Stevenson. Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys Producer: Mohini Patel Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again. This week: the ghazal. Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.
02	The Ghazal	20210530	20210605 (R4)	In this series, free verse poet Andrew McMillan meets a diverse group of contemporary British poets who are reframing traditional techniques to write about the modern world, exploring why form is fashionable again. For hundreds of years, writers have experimented with the ghazal - one of the oldest and most popular verse forms in the world. First written in pre-Islamic Arabia, the ghazal spread to Africa and Spain where it was often used as a form of lyrical across-cultural dialogue. It has been central to Persian writing since the 13th century, then became a mainstay of traditional verse throughout the Indian Sub-Continent, and is now appearing in contemporary English language poetry. In today's programme, poet and academic Aviva Dautch who translates ghazals as well as writing her own, takes us around the world to unpick the music and meaning of the form and explores its use in political and religious dialogue. She considers the elements of the ghazal, from its traditional rhymes and refrain to the register of tone and images with which it is often associated. We meet Syima Aslam, director of Bradford Literature Festival, who tells us about the importance of the ghazal to her community. Our Guest poet, award winning poet writer Mona Arshi describes how her experimental English ghazals draw on the Indian and Spanish traditions, and Afghan refugee poet Suhrab Sirat explains why the ghazal has given him a home in language. The reader is Juliet Stevenson. Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys Producer: Mohini Patel Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again. This week: the ghazal. Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.
03	The Villanelle	20210606		In the third and last of this series, Andrew McMillan meets a diverse group of contemporary British poets who are reframing traditional techniques to write about the modern world, exploring why form is fashionable again. In today's programme, poet and academic Aviva Dautch, traces the roots of the villanelle back to its musical origins and explores how it developed into a poetic form with fixed rules. To understand the interplay of the form's complex refrains and rhymes we hear Juliet Stevenson reads classic twentieth century villanelles: Do Not Go Gently' by Dylan Thomas and One Art' by Elizabeth Bishop, exploring how these poets use the form to contain grief. We meet bestselling poet, Wendy Cope, a former teacher whose comic villanelles play with the formal counterpoint between repetition and surprise. Irish poet Gail McConnell describes how her experimental villanelle helps her articulate what it means to be part of non-traditional family structures, and the transition from the one she grew up in to the queer one she has created with her partner. And finally, Marvin Thompson, winner of this year's National Poetry Competition with a villanelle variation, tells us about his passion for the form and reads his award-winning poem about his Jamaican-British identity. The reader is Juliet Stevenson. Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys Producer: Mohini Patel Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.
03	The Villanelle	20210606	20210612 (R4)	In the third and last of this series, Andrew McMillan meets a diverse group of contemporary British poets who are reframing traditional techniques to write about the modern world, exploring why form is fashionable again. In today's programme, poet and academic Aviva Dautch, traces the roots of the villanelle back to its musical origins and explores how it developed into a poetic form with fixed rules. To understand the interplay of the form's complex refrains and rhymes we hear Juliet Stevenson reads classic twentieth century villanelles: Do Not Go Gently' by Dylan Thomas and One Art' by Elizabeth Bishop, exploring how these poets use the form to contain grief. We meet bestselling poet, Wendy Cope, a former teacher whose comic villanelles play with the formal counterpoint between repetition and surprise. Irish poet Gail McConnell describes how her experimental villanelle helps her articulate what it means to be part of non-traditional family structures, and the transition from the one she grew up in to the queer one she has created with her partner. And finally, Marvin Thompson, winner of this year's National Poetry Competition with a villanelle variation, tells us about his passion for the form and reads his award-winning poem about his Jamaican-British identity. The reader is Juliet Stevenson. Photo of Andrew McMillan credited to Urszula Soltys Producer: Mohini Patel Andrew McMillan explores why poetic forms are fashionable again.