The Elixir Poetry Podcast

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Rod about an Irish Blessing, ‘May the road rise to meet you’.   Discover poetry through the heart of another… Find out more about the poems on Elixir and read them here! Receive our newsletter! The Elixir Poetry Podcast website : https://www.helenwing.com/the-elixir-poetry-podcast Let us know what you think of the episodes by replying to our emails or...

‘I do not crush the world’s corolla of wonders’ by Lucian Blaga is read by Andreea and the music is composed by Tom Platts . Scroll down or search the whole episode to hear why the poem means so much to Andreea:  7. "This Poem Is The Way I See The World!" - Andreea Discover poetry through the heart of another… Find out more about the poems on Elixir and read them here! Receive our newsle...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Nicole about a Persian poem called ‘The Guest House’ by Rumi. They discuss:  Sitting with your emotions Living a richer fuller life Does suppressing your emotions make you sick? ‘Being busy’ is a way to deflect from your emotions Teaching emotions in schools Yoga: locating emotion in our body and breathing into it Discover poetry through the heart of...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Amina Meshnuni about her own poem ‘Our Children’ written in Albanian and also about a poem by another Albanian poet, Mojkom Zeqo, called ‘The Mask of God’. They discuss: Amina's poem about her anger at the world The emotional importance of reading poetry from different countries Mojkom Zeqo Albania: the historical context of 'The Mask of God...

'Winter Swans' by Owen Sheers is read by Donna and the musical underscore is composed by Tom Platts . Simply scroll down to listen to the whole episode to hear why the poem means so much to Donna:  6. Winter Swans: "So Many Of Us Don't Have Someone To Rely On" - Donna  Discover poetry through the heart of another… Find out more about the poems on Elixir and read them here!...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Chen Du about ‘At Home’ by a modern Chinese poet, Zuo You. They discuss: Nostalgia in China Deaf poets including Raymond Antrobus Homesickness   Discover poetry through the heart of another… Find out more about the poems on Elixir and read them here! Receive our newsletter! The Elixir Poetry Podcast website : https://www.helenwing.com/the-elixir-poetr...

'Soneto de fidelidade' 'Sonnet of Fidelity' by Brazilian poet Vinicius de Moraes. It is read by Eduardo and the musical underscore is composed by Tom Platts . Simply scroll down to listen to the whole episode (6mins52): 4. Soneto de fidelidade: "We Must Enjoy Everything While It Lasts" - Eduardo Discover poetry through the heart of another… Find out more about the poe...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Emma about ‘Lord Ullin’s Daughter’ by Thomas Campbell (1777 – 1844) They discuss: Emma's connection to the poem through her mother Authoritarian fathers The "freshness" of Thomas Campbell's poem: the early work of young artists The power of hearing poetry read out The loss of a child Discover poetry through the heart of another… Fi...

Extract of 'The Ruin' an Anglo-Saxon poem from The Exeter Book . It is read by Kate and the musical underscore is composed by Tom Platts . Simply scroll down to listen to the whole episode (13mins30): 1. The Ruin: "I Feel Less Lonely When I Read This Poem" - Kate Discover poetry through the heart of another… Find out more about the poems on Elixir and read them here! Receive ou...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to (our second) Tom about, ‘Mother any distance’ by Simon Armitage. They discuss: Family relationships Maternal love Teaching children emotional literacy through poetry  The truth of why this poem makes Tom so emotional Discover poetry through the heart of another… Find out more about the poems on Elixir and read them here! Receive our newsletter! The El...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Richard about an extract from book 22 of the Iliad by Homer. Richard explains the tale of Achilles, and hones in on the brutality of war which the story portrays. Richard is reminded of the Iliad by the violence he sees in the modern world as a war correspondent. How does Homer's work affect us today? All this and much more in this episode! Disco...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Vivienne Lo about 2 Daoist poems: Chapter 8 of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching and Zhangzi's (Chuang-Tzu's) Butterfly Dream Parable. They discuss: Learning about Chinese philosophy from European hippies (as a Chinese person). Feminism in Chinese Daoist poetry and philosophy.  Violence, sexism & racism: ‘growing up fighting’ being drawn to martial...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Martyn about [i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] by e.e. cummings (1894–1962). They discuss:  The portability of love e.e. cummings conveys in the poem  Otherness due to being an immigrant, or minority in a country - an experience Martyn shares with his wife. Being rooted in a place through one’s love & relationship. Assimilation & accu...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Tom, our producer, about one of his own poems, ‘Sharp Edges’. The poem is read twice with a musical underscore on the second reading.  They discuss:  - Seamus Heaney - Tom's cycling accident and lucky escape - How and why he started writing poetry after the accident - How time slows down in a moment of survival - Applying poetry writing to songwr...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Andreea about a Romanian poem called ‘I do not crush the world’s corolla of wonders’ by Lucian Blaga. They discuss: How the poem has shaped Andreea's view of the world Romanian poet and philosopher Lucian Blaga Being comfortable with mystery, unknown, and surprise in life Overcoming anxiety Love and kindness - finding light in the dark Translatin...

In this episode of Elixir hosted by Helen Wing , Donna tells the heartbreaking story of why ‘Winter Swans’ by Owen Sheers means so much to her. They discuss: Reading vs Hearing Poetry How Poetry Should Be Taught In Schools The Importance Of “Feeling Poetry” Why ‘Winter Swans’ Is So Emotional Original musical underscore on the second reading. Discover poetry through the heart of another… Find out m...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Lijia Zhang about ‘Assembly Line’ by Shu Ting. Find out more about the poems on Elixir and read them here! Receive our newsletter! The Elixir Poetry Podcast website : https://www.helenwing.com/the-elixir-poetry-podcast Let us know what you think of the episodes by replying to our emails or in the comments or our DMs on Instagram @elixirpoetry.podcast...

In this episode of The Elixir Poetry Podcast, Helen talks to Eduardo who reads a Brazilian poem called ‘Soneto de fidelidade’ by Vinicius de Moraes.  Find out more about the poems on Elixir and read them here! Receive our newsletter! The Elixir Poetry Podcast website : https://www.helenwing.com/the-elixir-poetry-podcast Let us know what you think of the episodes by replying to our emails or in the...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Bryn about ‘The Masque of Anarchy’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Read all the poems on Elixir here! Receive our newsletter! The Elixir Poetry Podcast website : https://www.helenwing.com/the-elixir-poetry-podcast Let us know what you think of the episodes by replying to our emails or in the comments or our DMs on Instagram @elixirpoetry.podcast Free texts o...

In this episode of Elixir, Helen is talking to Julia about a poem called ‘La medida de mi madre’ or ‘The Measure of My Mother’ by Begoña Abad. Read all the poems on Elixir here! Receive our newsletter! The Elixir Poetry Podcast website : https://www.helenwing.com/the-elixir-poetry-podcast Let us know what you think of the episodes by replying to our emails or in the comments or our DMs on Instagra...

Helen Wing is talking to Kate from Gosport  (England) about an Anglo-Saxon poem called ‘The Ruin’ from The Exeter Book. If you resonate with 'The Ruin' like Kate, or think you might take something different from it you can... Read it here! Receive our newsletter! The Elixir Poetry Podcast website : https://www.helenwing.com/the-elixir-poetry-podcast Let us know what you think of the epis...

Welcome to The Elixir Poetry Podcast! We are excited to announce that Episode 1 will air on Wednesday 5th June where Helen's guest reads an Anglo-Saxon poem! Receive our newsletter for further commentary and episode updates! The Elixir Poetry Podcast website : https://www.helenwing.com/the-elixir-poetry-podcast Let us know what you think of the episodes by replying to our emails or in the com...