We, The Poets

• S2 E3 - Criticism, Craft & Post-Gig Horseplay (Ft. Hollie McNish, Charley Genever & Mark Grist)

  Recorded at Backland Studios, this episode features a brilliant, honest chat with Hollie McNish — poet, performer, and bestselling author. We talk about creativity, criticism (including that PN Review moment), why simplicity in writing takes real craft, and how Hollie balances poetry and motherhood (including the story of her daughter quietly sitting behind the curtain at gigs). We also dive into the world of performance poetry vs. page poetry, and the bigger conversation about elitism, accessibility, and who gets to be called a poet — with plenty of laughs, reflections, and warmth along the way. Plus, we share powerful new poems from Stu Freestone and Silje Stromsten, and Hollie reads a moving piece from her upcoming book Virgin, celebrating love, family, and the small food and drink rituals that connect us. Somehow, this episode ended up with a lot of poems about snacks, meals, and cups of tea — lucky us! Whether you’re a seasoned writer, just starting out, or just here to listen in — there’s something here for you. We’d love to feature your work on a future episode! Send recordings of your poems to Silje Stromsten on Facebook Stu Freestone (poet, performer) → @stufreestonepoet on Instagram Hollie McNish’s response to the PN Review piece → Read on Hollie’s blog

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• S2 E2 – 'What's in a Name?' Ft. Theresa Lola, Jay Sandhu & Mark Grist

  We're kicking off Season 2 of We, The Poets with a deep dive into the power of names and poetry that pays attention. Jay Sandhu and Mark Grist sit down with award-winning poet Theresa Lola to talk about her stunning new collection, Ceremony for the Nameless—a rich, resonant exploration of identity, memory, and language. We get into: Why names carry such weight in our lives and our writing. The difference between writing poetry and short stories. How poets like Neruda and Dickinson find magic in the mundane. Some helfpul rituals and routines that shape the creative process. The evolving power of poem titles—especially when students rename your work! Plus, fresh new pieces from James Domestic and Hannah Walker, and a few surprising tangents (as always). 📚 Buy Theresa’s collection: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/462275/ceremony-for-the-nameless-by-lola-theresa/9781802065794 📸 Follow Theresa on Instagram: @theresa_lola 📬 Want to share your thoughts or send us a poem? Email us: [email protected]

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• S2 E1 – We’re Back! Meeting the Hosts & Scribbling out Loud

  We’re back for Season 2— bigger, bolder and packed with more poetry goodness than ever before! For the first time, all five of your hosts—Charley Genever, Keely Mills, Leanne Moden, Jay Sandhu and Mark Grist—are in the same room at the same time at Backland Studios in Oundle, (UK). Expect joyful chaos, heartfelt confessions, terrible old poems and unexpected wisdom as we catch up, share our poetic ‘superpowers’ (and our kryptonites), and reflect on what it really means to be a poet right now. In this warm and welcoming season opener, we talk about the challenges of creative life, the lessons we’ve learned the hard way, and what you can expect from this season’s incredible guests—including Theresa Lola, Hollie McNish, Murray Lachlan Young and Raymond Antrobus. We also share how you can send in your own questions or poems to be featured in the show. Thank you to Arts Council England for making Season 2 possible through our successful Project Grant. We’re thrilled to be back—and we can’t wait for you to join us.

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• Episode 9: Not Safe For Work (Ft. Charley Genever, Keely Mills & Mark Grist)

  Things get spicy in this brand-new episode of We, The Poets! Recorded at Backland Studios and produced by our sound wizard Chris Barn, this one sees Mark Grist, Keely Mills, and Charley Genever reflecting on everything we’ve learned during Season 1—and getting properly stuck into this episode’s bold and blush-worthy theme: NSFW. Expect racy, rude, and deeply personal poetry as we celebrate intimacy, honesty, and the parts of ourselves we usually keep under wraps. This episode is 100% for grown-ups—and definitely not one to play on speaker at work! We’re also featuring incredible submissions from: 🖤 Salena Godden – Selenophilia - from Salena's collection With Love, Grief and Fury. 🖤 Joanna Henry – Baby Poems 1–3. Joanna's Instagram is @wombleknickers 🖤 Bill – Fully Skimmed 🖤 Laura Grevel – The Simple Days - http://lgrevel.org/ 🖤 Leanne Moden – Shaving Grace - https://www.leannemoden.com/ Thanks to everyone who submitted work for Season 1 – we’ve had an absolute blast, and Season 2 is just around the corner... 👀 #WeThePoets #PoetryPodcast #NSFWPoetry #SpokenWord #SeasonFinale #AdultPoetry

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• Episode 8: Fizzlebert Stump, The Imaginary & Beyond (Ft. A.F. Harrold, Charley Genever & Mark Grist)

  Episode 8 is all about the wonderfully unpredictable A.F. Harrold—children's poet, author and the creative force behind the Fizzlebert Stump series and The Imaginary, which recently soared to new heights with a Netflix adaptation by animation studio Studio Ponoc. Hosted by Charley Genever and Mark Grist, this episode delves into the art of writing short poems for kids vs. longer children’s novels, plus the whirlwind of seeing your story transform into a movie. A.F. also shares insights on performing in schools, staying creatively fresh, and what’s on the horizon. We’ve even got two brilliant listener poems from David and Yashvi that you won’t want to miss! Recorded at Backland Studios by Chris Barn, it’s a must-listen for anyone curious about weaving words for young readers. Check out more of A.F. Harrold’s work here, including ways to book a poetry postcard subscription for your school: https://afharroldkids.com/. Enjoy!

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