Beyond the Verse

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse, the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe and Maya delve into T. S. Eliot’s groundbreaking 1922 poem, ' The Waste Land .' Widely hailed as one of the most significant works of modernist poetry, ' The Waste Land ' reshaped literary history with its fragmented structure, interwoven voices, and provocative allusions to m...

TW: Discussions of suicide In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse, the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , hosts Joe and Maiya dive into Sylvia Plath’s posthumous collection " Ariel ," focusing on ' Daddy ,' ' Lady Lazarus ,' and other landmark poems from the collection. The episode begins with an exploration of Plath’s life , from her early literar...

In this episode of Beyond the Verse, the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , hosts Joe and Maiya conclude their mini-series on the poets of the First World War with an in-depth exploration of Siegfried Sassoon . They discuss his privileged early life, his pre-war poetry as a Georgian Romantic, and his transformation into one of the most outspoken critics of the war. The episode delv...

In this episode of Beyond the Verse , the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , hosts Joe and Maiya continue their exploration of First World War poets by diving into the life and works of Wilfred Owen . They discuss his experiences as a soldier, his time recovering from shell shock at Craiglockhart War Hospital, and his mentorship under Siegfried Sassoon —key influences that shaped h...

In the opening episode of Season 2 of Beyond the Verse , the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , hosts Joe and Maiya launch into a three-part mini-series on First World War poets.  The episode dives into the patriotic and idealistic poetry of Rupert Brooke , highlighting his early contributions before and at the onset of the war in 1914; Joe and Maiya explore Brooke’s background, hi...

In this special bonus episode of Beyond the Verse , hosts Joe and Maiya take on Taylor Swift's incredible legacy, delving into an insightful conversation with Kristie Frederick-Daugherty - editor of the poetry anthology ' Invisible Strings: 113 Poets Respond to the Songs of Taylor Swift ' - to discuss poetry, music, and the 'invisible strings' that connect it all. Frederic...

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse , the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , hosts Joe and Maiya delve into Chinua Achebe’s ' Love Cycle ,' an evocative exploration of Igbo tradition, cosmology, and the dynamics of relationships. The episode opens with a deep dive into Achebe’s life, tracing his journey from a colonized Nigeria to the publication of his renowned no...

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse , the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , hosts Joe and Maiya delve into the hauntingly serene world of Emily Dickinson with a close reading and analysis of her iconic poem, ‘ Because I Could Not Stop for Death .’  They analyze Dickinson’s portrayal of death as a kind companion, exploring themes of immortality, religious context, and classi...

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse , the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , hosts Joe and Maiya delve into the world of Percy Bysshe Shelley with a close reading and analysis of his 1818 sonnet, ' Ozymandias .' They explore the poem’s profound reflections on power, legacy, and the inevitable passage of time as Shelley critiques the hubris of rulers who believe the...

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse , the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry + , Joe and Maya explore William Blake’s 1794 poem, ' The Tyger ,' from his collection ' Songs of Innocence and of Experience. ' They dive deep into the complex symbolism of the tiger, discussing its contrast with ' The Lamb ,' another of Blake’s celebrated works , and exp...

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse , the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe takes us on a journey through the world of William Wordsworth’s beloved poem, ' I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud ,' also known as ' Daffodils .' Exploring the poem’s portrayal of nature’s serenity, Joe and Maiya delve into Wordsworth’s life , his connection to the Lake District,...

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse , the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe and Maiya delve into Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s timeless Sonnet 43 , ‘How Do I Love Thee?,’ exploring its profound portrayal of love’s transcendence and the poet’s relationship with Robert Browning. They discuss the sonnet’s enduring appeal, from its heartfelt imagery to its structure as a Pet...

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse , the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe and Maya explore Wole Soyinka’s powerful poem ' Telephone Conversation ,' delving into themes of white subjectivity, racial politics, and the power dynamics embedded in language. The duo discusses the significance of Soyinka’s lyric ‘I,’ addressing the poet’s bold reclamation of person...

In this episode of 'Beyond the Verse,' podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , hosts Joe and Maiya present a detailed exploration of Edgar Allan Poe's ' The Raven .' They investigate the poem's intricate structure, analyzing its use of trochees, internal rhyme, and Gothic elements, touching on how ' The Raven ,' published in 1845, contrasts with Poe's...

In this episode of 'Beyond the Verse,' the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , podcast hosts Joe and Maiya delve into the poem ' An Introduction ' by Kamala Das . They explore the poem's themes of female liberation, colonial oppression, and the importance of language, contextualizing Das's 1965 work as a pivotal moment in Indian literature. They touch o...

In this week’s episode of “Beyond the Verse,” the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry + , Maiya and Joe delve into the depth and complexity of William Shakespeare's sonnets . Beginning with a reading of ' Sonnet 18' , they explore the characterization of the Fair Youth and the Dark Lady, the sonnet form, and Shakespeare's lasting legacy . The hosts delve into the te...

In this milestone 10th episode of ' Beyond the Verse ,' hosts Joe and Maiya welcome Will, the founder of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ to share his journey, insights and learnings in the 10+ years he's been running the site. Will shares his journey of creating the website as a young entrepreneur, inspired by his GCSE revision notes, which has now grown into a significant resource for...

In this week’s episode of "Beyond the Verse " , brought to you by PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe and Maiya take a deep dive into William Butler Yeats ’ apocalyptic poem ' The Second Coming ' . They explore Yeats’ use of biblical allusions, the recurring themes of societal collapse, and his cyclical view of history, which reflects the chaos and uncertainty of the post-World...

In this week’s episode of “Beyond the Verse,” the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe and Maiya delve into Rudyard Kipling’s renowned poem ‘ If— ,’ exploring its lasting legacy and the complex interplay between Victorian ideals, masculinity, and Kipling’s own life experiences. They discuss ‘If—' (1895), examining not only the poem’s advice-filled verses but also its cultura...

On today's episode of Beyond the Verse, a poetry podcast brought to you by PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Maiya and Joe dive into the ancient Greek poet Sappho's Fragment 16, commonly referred to as the Anactoria poem .  To complete the podcast, get the PDF Resources for this poem, created by the team at PoemAnalysis.com: Full PDF Guide Poetry Snapshot PDF Poem Printable with optional Me...

This week's episode of “Beyond the Verse,” the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , sees Joe and Maiya answering questions from Poetry+ members about all things poetry. To send in questions to the Beyond the Verse podcast, you can sign up to Poetry+ and email beyondtheverse@poemanalysis.com. From a behind the scenes discussion of how they approach analysing and breaking down poe...

In this week’s episode of “Beyond the Verse,” the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe and Maiya explore the poem ‘ dear white america ’ by Danez Smith, a powerful piece by one of the most influential contemporary poets. They discuss ‘ dear white america ’ (2017), examining not only the systemic injustices and racial trauma addressed in the poem, but also the cultural and persona...

In this week's episode of “Beyond the Verse,” the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe and Maiya explore the poem ' Digging ' by Seamus Heaney, a poem from one of the most revered Irish poets of all time. They discuss ' Digging ' (1966), exploring not only the cultural inheritances imbued in the poem, but the physical manifestations of labour, as well as...

I shall be telling this with a sigh / Somewhere ages and ages hence: / Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference. In this week's episode of “Beyond the Verse,” the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe and Maiya explore the poem ' The Road Not Taken ' by Robert Frost, and its induction into the soc...

' You may write me down in history / with your bitter, twisted lies. / You may trod me in the very dirt. / But still, like dust, I'll rise.'   In this week's episode of “Beyond the Verse,” the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+ , Joe and Maiya explore the monumental career and work of Maya Angelou, commemorating 10 years since her passing. In this episode, they di...