Apples and Snakes: The Podcast

In this episode, Yomi speaks to T.S Eliot prize winning Anthony Joseph on what it means to be a poet and the various transitions through that journey. Anthony touches on the different landscapes he’s encountered, from firstly being on stage in a rock band in the 80s to traveling the world and the surprising pleasures along the way.  Anthony reads his poem ‘Elbows of the land’  Apples and Snakes:Th...

This week Yomi speaks with Ty’rone Haugton, founder and artistic director of Literati Arts,a non profit that promotes the art of poetry / spoken word and its role in community organising and healing. Ty’rone explores the sacrifices he has made to follow his path in poetry, the impact of Tupac and how the way poetry is taught in school kept him silent for 5 years.    He reads his poem ‘Daddy don’t...

In this week's episode, Yomi and Tolu talk about the various pressures, obstacles and communities they have encountered over the years. They discuss the late writing nights, juggling work and writing and the complexity of trusting your voice.   Tolu shares her poem ‘Things I can't say’ Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

In this week's episode, Yomi and Shirley discuss Shirley's journey to poetry. From freestyling to crafting poems and how poets that she had poured so much into, finally helped her layout and push her own collection.   Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

For our first episode of this brand new season, Yomi talks live with Malika Booker as part of our 40th Birthday Celebrations at Roundhouse. Yomi and Malika talk about poetry, lessons and the rituals that have formed a big part of their lives and writing journey. Malika shares her poem ‘Jesus in the wilderness’ Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at La...

Our final episode of the season has us back with Kenny Baraka and John Bernard about the work that poets do when it comes to reaching those that are labelled "Hard to Reach". Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

For our penultimate episode of the season, Yomi speaks with Kenny Baraka and John Bernard about the work that poets do when it comes to reaching those that are labelled "Hard to Reach". Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

Welcome to the second part of our conversation with Josephine 'Realitie' Rollins and Adrian B. Earle talking about what it is like to experience the UK poetry scene as someone with a disability. Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

This episode, Yomi chats with Josephine 'Realitie' Rollins and Adrian B. Earle talking about what it is like to experience the UK poetry scene as someone with a disability. How does it manifest in the work and what is it like during a performance.  Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

We are back for the second part of the convo with with Be Manzini and Tanaka Fuego discussing personal and artistic wellbeing.  What does it look like when create wellbeing spaces for themselves? What can you do to create your own safeguarding boundaries?   Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

For our first episode this season, Yomi talks with Be Manzini and Tanaka Fuego.   Artists spend so much time creating wellbeing sessions for others but what does it look like when you do that same thing for yourself? What can you do to create your own safeguarding boundaries?   Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

WE ARE BACK!! Welcome to season 2 of Apples and Snakes: The Podcast! Have a listen here to find out what you are in store for. Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios. Thanks for listening to Apples and Snakes: The Podcast! If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to find out when the next episode will drop, and leave us a review on Apple Podc...

For this seasons final episode, we come back to the conversation between our host Yomi Sode, Kat Francois and Reece Williams They talk about they therapy that exists in Black poets having the space and scope to tell their own stories and spend some time considering how we can make platforms for younger Black and mixed Black poets to take up the mantel and pass the traditions on.  Reece shares his...

In the penultimate episode of season one, host Yomi Sode talks about the importance of owning and telling our own stories with Kat Francois and Reece Williams. They discuss bravery, worrying about how people will receive your authentic voice, how it is a fight for Black poets being able to tell their real truth and how they have had to unlearn the actions associated with silencing themselves. Kat...

Back with host Yomi Sode and guests Casey Bailey and Que to continue the conversation around Poetry in education. This time they talk about access points to poetry and how we need to consider, more carefully, how to make poetry accessible and relatable to audiences that don’t see themselves or their lives reflected in poems that are taught in school. Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi...

And we’re back!! In this episode our host Yomi Sode talks to Casey Bailey and Que AKA Quethewolf about poetry in education and some of the unlearning that we have all had to do because of the way that we poetry has been taught to us. Has the curriculum made poetry unattractive to many children and young people and does that stay with them into adulthood?  Casey shares some of his journey to this p...

We come back to our conversation with our host Yomi Sode and Khadijah Ibrahiim and Malaika Kegode discussing the importance of including regional voices when we talk about Black British poets. Spaces for development and growth are so important when poets are just starting out as the scene can feel very isolating. Both Malaika and Khadija have spent a lot of time creating spaces for this kind of de...

In this episode our host Yomi Sode talks to Khadijah Ibrahiim and Malaika Kegode about the importance of including regional voices in the conversations about the landscape of Black British Poetry. Khadijah talks about her poetry journey, why she founded Leeds Young Authors and Malaika discusses how rural voices are still sometimes left out of the conversation and why that needs to change. Malaika...

Returning to the conversation of music and poetry, Yomi Sode continues to talk with Zena Edwards and Eklipse about music and poetry and the colonial implications that surround the page vs stage conversation. They talk about how Black poets are breaking the barriers that have been put in place when it comes to cultural authenticity and starting to ignore these restrictive ideals.  Eklipse shares hi...

In this episode our host Yomi Sode talks to Zena Edwards and Eklipse about the use of music when it comes to poetry and what that means to the Black community as well as the isolation it can cause in the wider poetry community. Zena shares some stories about her journey over the past two decades and Eklipse talks about why he made the move from poetry to Grime and the space and freedom that music...

As we return to the conversation of Publishing, in this episode, our host Yomi Sode talks with Caleb Femi and Nii Ayikwei Parkes about the the uniqueness of the point in time we are experiencing. Are poets are the true rock stars of the literary world? Why are there so many  strange expectations and rules placed on poets in regards to what they should do, be and look like. Nii shares his poem ‘To...

In this episode our host Yomi Sode talks to Nii Ayikwei Parkes and Caleb Femi about Publishing when it comes to Black British Poets. Nii is celebrating 20 years since he founded Flipped Eye Publishing and Caleb has just been shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize. They talk about the difficulties that Black people face when it comes to navigating publishing and the things that have been done to...

Welcome to the first series of our new Podcast.  This season, we will be focusing on what it means to be Black, British and a poet or spoken word artist.  In this episode our season host, Yomi Sode, talks with series Producer, Natalie Fiawoo about her journey into poetry and why it was important for Apples and Snakes to curate a series that focused solely on the experiences of Black British Poets....