‘Poetry can be political activism… Speaking out isn’t just something that leads to political action, it is political action.’
Bloodaxe poet Clare Shaw talks to Robin about her book Flood, triggered by the flooding of her home town of Hebden Bridge and the ruin of her home combined with the upwelling of emotion caused by the breakdown of a relationship. Plus Peter talks to Elizabeth Murtough co-editor of Channel, Ireland’s Environmentalist Literary Magazine.
Poems this episode – Peter reads ‘Rain’, by Edward Thomas (00:45), and Robin reads ‘A Short Story of Falling’ by Alice Oswald (03:14). Clare Shaw reads ‘And still I don’t know’ (07:08); ‘Instructions for coping in terrible times’ (13:00) and ‘Open Door Policy’ (20:11) from Flood.