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This week Peter deGraft-Johnson (The Repeat Beat Poet) speaks to poet , educator, and writer Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan. The pair start by speaking about overcoming the fears of speaking your truth publicly, learning to trust readers and publishers outside of immediate live audiences, and Suhaiymah's journey discovering poetry. Next, we jump into the thick fogs of British colonialism, spend some time naming and shaming it and discussing the legacy of inequality it leaves in how histories are held and taught in our libraries, archives, and museums. Across an hour that felt like a minute, Suhaiymah also squeezes in some self-care tips, and gives another beautiful answer to the perennial ultimate question - why poetry? Suhaiymah reads three poems -  06:19 - Where Is My History? 35:03 - A Virtue Of Disobedience  42:17 - Bacon, Bank Notes, Benjamins Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON) For more from Suhaiymah: https://www.suhaiymah.com/  https://twitter.com/thebrownhijabi https://www.instagram.com/thebrownhijabi Buy Suhaiymah's debut collection Postcolonial Banter here, published by Verve Poetry Press - https://vervepoetrypress.com/product/suhaiymah-manzoor-khan-postcolonial-banter-pre-order-free-uk-pp-out-12-09-19/?v=79cba1185463  For more from PJ: linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet https://twitter.com/repeatbeatpoet https://www.instagram.com/repeatbeatpoet/ https://ko-fi.com/repeatbeatpoet For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod Buy the 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com  Our production team is Mystery Planet Productions. https://mysteryplanet.net/  Also mentioned on the podcast -  Dan Hicks - The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution http://www.plutobooks.com/9780745341767/the-brutish-museums/ Ian Cobain - The History Thieves Secrets, Lies and the Shaping of a Modern Nation https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-History-Thieves-by-Ian-Cobain-author/9781846275838

“A lot of the ethos that I learned from the punk scene – D.I.Y politics, inclusivity, that kind of thing – I brought with me into Burning Eye Books” - Bridget Hart This week Peter deGraft-Johnson (The Repeat Beat Poet) speaks to poet, editor, producer, publisher with Burning Eye Books, and Grease super-fan Bridget Hart. The pair start by discussing the ethos and success of Burning Eye as a leading independent poetry press in the UK, publishing spoken word artists, and Bridget shares a quick what-to-do (read the guidelines) and what-not-to-do (make transphobic jokes) when submitting. Bridget tells PJ about life as a poet in the DIY punk scene, touring in vans and playing house shows (ps - punks love Carly Rae Jepsen), and the value of emotional caretaking in the midst of the intensity of judging UniSlam - the UK's national university poetry slam & summit. Bridget also speaks about rediscovering a sense of freedom and joy in writing while working on their latest collection celebrating the campness, queerness, and playfulness we all know was the real star of the iconic teen classic Grease. (We don't speak about Grease 2 - who would?). Bridget reads one poem - 41:12 - 1000 Bits Of Gum Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON) Bridget's Links -  http://bridgethart.wordpress.com http://forbooksake.net http://burningeye.co.uk/submit PJ's Links - https://linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet https://twitter.com/repeatbeatpoet https://www.instagram.com/repeatbeatpoet/ Read PJ's poem 'What Does Black Power Mean?' in the Black Anthology, Language, available to read via 1010 Press or your local independent bookshop or library: www.sofiaamina.com/1010pressbookshop  For more from Lunar: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod Buy the 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com Our production team is Mystery Planet Productions. https://mysteryplanet.net/ Also mentioned on the podcast -  Neon, by Bethany Rose. Published by Burning Eye Books. https://burningeye.bigcartel.com/product/neon-by-bethany-rose Chips & Beans Podcast w/ Bridget & Cassie Agbenhu - https://www.instagram.com/chipsandbeanspodcast/  UniSlam - https://www.uni-slam.com/

This week Peter deGraft-Johnson (The Repeat Beat Poet) speaks to Hip Hop artist and former Sheffield Poet Laureate, Otis Mensah. They discuss how the concept of introspective documentarianism underpins Otis' work of building a personal identity and creative voice around artistic truth and vulnerability, through rap and poetry. There's also talk of surviving and decrying racial capitalism, and a breakdown of Otis' tenure as laureate.   Otis reads three poems -  17:12 - Contrary To The Intangible Grapevine 35:25 - The Thinks 1:00:00 - No Record Store Day Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON) For more from Otis: www.otismensah.com https://twitter.com/otismensah https://www.instagram.com/otismensah/ For more from PJ: linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet Repeat Beat Broadcast - https://www.mixcloud.com/ThreadsRadio/playlists/the-repeat-beat-broadcast/ https://twitter.com/repeatbeatpoet https://www.instagram.com/repeatbeatpoet/ For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com  Our production team is Mystery Planet Productions. https://mysteryplanet.net/  Also mentioned on the podcast -  Rhyme & Reason (series of filmed conversations as part of Otis' Artist Residency with Sheffield University, ft. Awate, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, and Open Mike Eagle) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKKXT6kV3PhsxOlnBZLxAg4mTWAN4IHy4  Pen-Ting Poetry - www.instagram.com/pentingpoetry Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon (2009) Warda Yassin, current Sheffield Poet Laureate.   Vanessa Kisuule's poem Hollow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3DKfaK50AU 

In his first full interview as host of the series, Peter deGraft-Johnson (The Repeat Beat Poet) speaks to poet, producer, and academic Katie Ailes. They speak about Katie's recent PhD study on performance and authenticity in UK Spoken Word poetry, the critical discourse around poetry, and firmly refute the idea that the talented craftspeople emerging from the spoken word scene are 'Noble Amateurs'. Katie reads three poems -  Outwith - 07:37 Soft Animal - 27:18 Spangled - 1:03:33 Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON) For more from Katie: www.katieailes.com  https://www.scottishdesignexchange.com/product-page/katie-ailes-homing @KatieAiles - Twitter I Am Loud Productions (@IamLoudPro) For more from PJ: linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet @RepeatBeatPoet - Twitter, Instagram. For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/snazzyrat Referenced in the episode -  Stage Invasion - Peter Bearder Spoken Word in the UK - ed. Lucy English + Jack McGowan

In his final episode as host of the series, David Turner talks to Stephen Lightbown about his debut poetry collection Only Air (Burning Eye Books), writing as a wheelchair user and his experience of attending online events during the UK Covid-19 lockdown. Stephen reads three poems. Download a full transcript of this conversation here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/ep125-stephen-lightbown.pdf For more from Stephen: https://www.stephenlightbown.com/ https://www.instagram.com/spokeandpencil/ https://twitter.com/spokeandpencil https://www.facebook.com/spokeandpencil/ For more from David Turner: https://twitter.com/Silent_Tongue https://www.instagram.com/david_turner_books/ For more from Lunar: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ https://www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts https://twitter.com/lunarpoetrypod Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/ 347445

David Turner is in Walthamstow talking to Caleb Klaces and publisher Jess Chandler to talk about Caleb’s latest book, Fatherhood. This conversation was recorded before Covid-19 hit Britain so is refreshingly free from any virus chat. Fatherhood was published by Prototype Publishing in 2019 and was long listed for the Republic of Consciousness Prize and is Caleb’s debut novel. After reading Fatherhood I became a little bit obsessed with the book and its combination of fragmentary prose and sequences of verse. Download a full transcript here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/ep124-caleb-klaces-transcript.pdf Buy Fatherhood here: https://prototypepublishing.co.uk/product/fatherhood/ Buy my book Contained, £10 for the book, £4 for the PDF, here: www.blurb.co.uk/b/9771405-contained Listen to PJ on the series here - Ep.93; https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/ross-monaghan-stuart-mckenzie-poetry-on-the-picket-line Ep.84: https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/thomas-ghetto-geek-owoo-andra-simons-poetry-unplugged-20yrs Ep.80: https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/suzie-gray-the-repeat-beat-poet-marthe-ramm-fortun More on Sanatorium by Abi Palmer here: http://www.pennedinthemargins.co.uk/index.php/2020/03/sanatorium/ For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

David Turner is in Walthamstow, east London talking to Vanessa Onwuemezi. The pair discuss how Vanessa came to be pursuing a life in writing and how she judges the quality of her writing. This episode includes a short tribute to friend and poet Mishi 'Dulwich Hamlet' Morath who sadly passed away before Christmas. Download a full transcript of this conversation here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/ep123-vanessa-onwuemezi-transcript.pdf For more about Vanessa: https://twitter.com/onwuemezi http://www.thewhitereview.org/fiction/at-the-heart-of-things/ http://mironline.org/swim-by-vanessa-onwuemezi/ Buy my book Contained, £10 for the book, £4 for the PDF, here: https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/9771405-contained Info about Contained book launches: London, 8th February - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/contained-london-launch-tickets-87610614707 Cardiff, 15th February - Flute and Tankard Pub, free entry. Bristol, 14th March -https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/contained-bristol-launch-tickets-85104699447 More about Mishi Morath: https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/mishi-morath https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/national-poetry-day-2016 https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/christmas-2015 http://footballpoets.org/poets/dulwich-poet/ For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

David Turner is in central London talking to experimental poet and artist Steven J Fowler. The pair discuss Steven's approach to writing and editing (or lack of it), whether it helps to sometimes be ignored as a writer and his work as a curator of European and international literature events. Download a full transcript here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/ep122-steven-j-fowler.pdf Steven is organising the first Nordic Poetry Festival to be held in the UK and will take place 11-17 October 2019 at various venues. For more information go here: https://www.europeanpoetryfestival.com/nordic Listen to Steven on the Scaffold Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/scaffoldpodcast/ep-12-steven-j-fowler For more from Steven: http://www.stevenjfowler.com/ https://twitter.com/stevenjfowler For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

David Turner is in Walthamstow, east London talking to experimental poet and artist Astra Papachristodoulou about the importance of collaboration and the visual look of words on a page in her practice. Astra is pretty determined not to be restricted by conventional definitions of what it is to be a poet and happily exists on the boundary of different media, so it was interesting to hear why she’s so keen to introduce rules and constraints into her writing. Download a full transcript of this episode here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/ep121-astra-papachristodoulou-transcript.pdf For more from Astra: https://www.astranaut.co.uk/books https://twitter.com/HeyAstranaut For more from us: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Order 'ten cups of coffee' here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ten-cups-coffee-David-Turner/dp/1094842893/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=david+Turner+ten+cups+of+coffee&qid=1560961593&s=gateway&sr=8-1 Listen to David chat to Naomi Woddis on her 'The Two Of Us' show here: https://www.mixcloud.com/The_Two_of_Us/the-two-of-us-featuring-david-turner/ Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

David Turner is in Bristol chatting to Tom Sastry about his debut pamphlet, 'Complicity' (Smith|Doorstop) and the link between his writing and performing style. This is the final episode of this 'series'. Lunar Poetry Podcasts will return April 2019. For more from Tom: http://www.poetrybusiness.co.uk/tom-sastry https://andotherpoems.com/2018/11/16/three-poems-by-tom-sastry/ http://www.ninearchespress.com/publications/poetry-collections/a%252520man%27s%252520house%252520catches%252520fire.html Download a full transcript here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/lpp-ep120-tom-sastry-transcript.pdf For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Download a full transcript of this conversation here: lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/…t.pdf Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

David Turner chats to Shagufta K. Iqbal. David met up with Shagufta back in early October 2018 at her home in Bristol, to discuss her writing and the collaborative nature of providing platforms for other writers, focusing on the role she played in founding the YoniVerse collective, a platform and support network for South Asian women writers. For more from Shagufta: http://www.shaguftakiqbal.com/ https://twitter.com/shaguftakiqbal https://www.yoniversepoetrycollective.com/ For more from us: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ https://www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ https://twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Our episode about Developing Your Creative Practice: https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/ep114-special-developing-your-creative-practice-transcript-available Our 100th episode featuring Octavia Collective: https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/ep100-octavia-collective-a-takeover-transcript-available Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Download a full transcript of this conversation here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/ep119-shagufta-k-iqbal-transcript.pdf

To celebrate the fourth anniversary of Lunar Poetry Podcasts (01/10/2018) host and founder of the series David Turner chats to Abi Palmer about how and why LPP began. The pair discuss how the podcast has evolved since October 2014 and the changes made because of growing audiences and funding from Arts Council England. Abi and David also talk about the brand new anthology of poems by 28 former podcast guests, 'Why Poetry?' (VERVE Poetry Press), out now in bookshops nationwide. For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ twitter.com/Silent_Tongue www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Download a full transcript of this conversation here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/ep118-4th-birthday-special-episode-trancript.pdf For more from Abi: http://abipalmer.com/ https://twitter.com/abipalmer_bot Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

I am in Manchester chatting to Andrew McMillan about his new and second full collection of poetry, Playtime (Cape Poetry). In 117 episodes, this is the first time I've met up with a poet to specifically discuss the transition from debut collection to second book. I found Andrew’s reflections on confidence in his writing, audience expectation and reaction and placing growing demands on readers just fascinating. As with his debut Physical, Playtime deals with what it is to be a man in general, what it is to be a queer man specifically and how as boys, they or we learn about other male bodies, only this time around, more so, as it were. For more from Andrew: https://www.andrewmcmillanpoet.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/AndrewPoetry For more from us: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ https://twitter.com/Silent_Tongue https://www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts Order our anthology, 'Why Poetry?': https://vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Download a full transcript of the episode here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/ep117-andrew-mcmillan-transcript.pdf Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: https://snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

This episode is in two parts: Part one - David Turner is in Peterborough chatting to Ross Sutherland about his podcast 'Imaginary Advice' and how it now informs his writing. The pair discuss Ross' recent British Podcast Award in the 'Best Fiction' category, how sound engineering can help with character development and pushing literary ideas and devices to 'breaking-point'. Links relating to this section: https://www.imaginaryadvice.com/ https://twitter.com/rossgsutherland Part two (1:06:54) - David Turner is at Verve Poetry Festival in Birmingham talking to Consuelo Marshall about her Verve Poetry Competition winning poem 'Myself as a Playboy Bunny', in front of a live audience. The pair also chat about the influence of San Francisco and long distance running on Consuelo's writing. Pre-order 'Why Poetry? - The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology' here - https://vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry-the-lunar-poetry-podcasts-anthology-pre-order-free-postage-in-the-uk/ For more info about the podcast - https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ https://twitter.com/Silent_Tongue https://www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/?ref=bookmarks Download a full transcript here - https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/ep116-ross-sutherland-transcript.pdf Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here - https://snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

This episode is in two parts: Part one - David Turner is in London chatting to Jane Yeh about assuming personas and writing characters into her poetry, why fiction is such a common starting point for her poems and the influence that fine art, particularly 'old-master paintings' has on her creative practice. Some links relating to this section: https://www.janeyeh3.com/ https://twitter.com/JaneYeh3 https://www.carcanet.co.uk/cgi-bin/indexer?owner_id=838 https://tornn.me/ Part two (00:48:07) - David Turner is in Birmingham at this year's Verve Poetry Festival interviewing Roy McFarlane in front of a live audience. Roy explains how important it is for him to try and convey the sounds of his home city through his poetry and how, often, characters in his poems are a composite of many people. Some links for this section: http://www.roymcfarlane.com/ https://ninearchespress.com/publications/poetry-collections/the%20healing%20next%20time.html Download a full transcript here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/ep115-jane-yeh-roy-mcfarlane-transcript.pdf Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: https://snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

In this 'special' episode David Turner is at the London office of Arts Council England talking to Gemma Seltzer about the new funding scheme 'Developing Your Creative Practice'. The pair discuss how the funding will work, who will benefit from this scheme and how it differs from previous types of funding. *PLEASE NOTE - this funding scheme is only open to artists living in England* Download the funding guidance form here: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/Developing_Your_Creative_Practice_Guidance_for_applicants_210518.pdf Download the application questions here: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/DYCP_questions_character_counts.pdf You can read my accompanying blogpost here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/2018/06/12/ep-114-developing-your-creative-practice/ Download a full transcript of this conversation here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/episode-114-developing-your-creative-practice.pdf Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: https://snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

This episode is in two parts - Part one: David Turner is in London talking to bilingual poet, Leo Boix. The pair chat about translating poetry from one language to another, the different processes at play when Leo writes in either English or Spanish, why Leo doesn’t translate his own writing and the positive influences various writing collectives have had on his own writing and Invisible Presence - a developmental platform for British Latino writers. Leo reads three poems: (00:02:24) - The Somnambulist (00:27:04) - Rìo Nuevo (00:52:45) - Peregrination Some links relating to this episode: Leo on Twitter - https://twitter.com/leoboix Invisible Presence - https://leonardoboix.wixsite.com/invisiblepresence The Complete Works - https://thecompleteworkspoetry.com/ Ten: Poets of the new generation - http://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/ten-poets-of-the-new-generation-1164 Episode 86 of LPP - https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/carlos-maurizio-rojas-nadia-drews-agnes-torok Part two (00:53:40): Poet Chrissy Williams talks to Amaan Hyder about his debut collection At Hajj (Penned in the Margins). This interview is an extension of an ongoing project in which Chrissy has been inviting a number of poets to reflect on their debut collections, roughly a year after publication. Amaan reads two poem: (00:55:12) - Coats (01:12:21) - Mohammed's Mobile Links relating to this episode: Chrissy's blog -https://chrissywilliams.blogspot.co.uk/p/hullo.html Chrissy on Twitter -https://twitter.com/chrissywilliams Amaan' collection, At Hajj - http://www.pennedinthemargins.co.uk/index.php/2017/04/at-hajj/ Download a full transcript of this episode here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ep113-leo-boix.pdf Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: https://snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

This episode is in two parts: Part one - David Turner talks to Mary Jean Chan about her debut pamphlet, 'a hurry of english' (Ignition Press), finding queer and gender-bending identities in classic English literature and how it feels to be demanding space as a published queer writer. Mary Jean also reads three poems: (00:04:00) - Rules for a Chinese Child Buying Stationery in a London Bookshop (00:28:11) - Dragon Hill Spa (1:00:30) - Tea Ceremony http://www.maryjeanchan.com/ https://www.brookes.ac.uk/poetry-centre/ignition-press/ Part two (1:02:06) - David Turner is at Verve Poetry Festival in Birmingham interviewing Sandeep K Parmar in front of a lovely crowd of festival goers. The pair discuss whether poems are always retrospective or if they can ever exist in the moment, what role live literature events play in the development of Sandeep's writing and how Sandeep balances the dual roles of writing and literary criticism. Sandeep also reads two poems: (1:05:20) - Invocation (1:15:49) - Against Chaos https://www.poetryarchive.org/poet/sandeep-parmar A full transcript of this conversation can be downloaded here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/ep112-mary-jean-chan-sandeep-k-parmar.pdf Assistant producer on this episode - Tiegan Hall-Turner.

This episode is in two parts: David Turner talks to poet and playwright Jackie Hagan talk about Jackie’s new play, ‘This Is Not A Safe Space’, which she’s just started touring. The play, presented by Unlimited and Big Feast, is based on interviews with over 80 people and in it, Jackie examines the impact of benefit cuts on disabled people and others on the margins of society. Perhaps predictably, considering the theme of this work, we discuss class - a lot. More specifically, when the idea of class entered Jackie’s consciousness and the effect it had on her gall bladder and mental health. Dates for 'This Is Not A Safe Space': 23 and 24 March 2018 at the Attenborough Centre in Leicester as part of De-Stress Fest 25 March 2018 the Alhambra Theatre in Morecambe 29 March 2018 at the Creation Space in Basingstoke 30 March 2018 at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield 17-21 April 2018 Camden People’s Theatre in London Part two [00:58:33]: David Turner is in front of a live audience at the Verve Poetry Festival in Birmingham talking to Nuar Alsadir about writing for an imagined reader and treating our notebook and pen as tools of the trade. LPP: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ https://twitter.com/Silent_Tongue https://www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/?ref=bookmarks Jackie: https://twitter.com/JackieHagan https://www.jackiehagan.org/ Nuar: https://twitter.com/FrthPrsnSnglr https://liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/products/86418 A full transcript of this conversation can be downloaded here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/ep111-jackie-hagan-nuar-alsadir.pdf

David Turner is in south east London talking to poet Caroline Bird about her fifth collection, 'In These Days of Prohibition' (Carcanet Press, 2017). The pair discuss how Caroline chose, in this collection, to confront feelings of shame and guilt and examine why we might deny these feelings. As it frequently does, the topic of honesty in poetry rears its head. Caroline reads three poems: (00:04:37) - Eye Contact (00:33:11) - To Be Explicit (01:00:53) - Megan Married Herself http://www.carolinebird.co.uk/ https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ https://www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/?ref=bookmarks https://twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Transcript available to download here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/ep110-caroline-bird-transcript.pdf