Poetry Season On The Beeb, Anyone been following it? Options

[Honeycomb Jack]

I've been watching the Beeb's Poetry season, and for me there has been some great stuff on it; They repeated the programme of John Betjeman interviewing Philip Larkin, for example.

A highlight for me has been the hour-long programmes where people have described what is their favourite poem/poet. After the Beowulf programme I re-read Seamus Heaney's translation more or less straight afterwards; the same after the John Donne programme - I had to dig out his poems too. I had to go and buy 'Paradise Lost' after that was aired too, although I'm finding it a little difficult. I think I'll have to re-read book one several times before I can partially understand it!

Anyone else been following it/any thoughts?

[Mr Tein]

Cant say I have. When I was younger ( so much younger than today) I used to love poetry and stashed in the loft I have dozens of books from Rupert Brooke to Lee Harwood. But somewhere along the line it stopped engaging with me ( or I with it ).

[Honeycomb Jack]

I couldn't connect with it when I was younger. Now, I can't get enough of it, although there are some poets I steer clear of.

The poetry season has been good in the main, I think, but they always stick with the same old same olds. Instead of Wilfred Owen, for instance, I'd like to see more Edward Thomas, and also more contemporary poets like Martin Newell and Jen Hadfield. And I'd love to see a programme about Peter Redgrove too.

What I like about poetry is the way things are condensed. With a good poem you can get as much from four lines as you can a whole novel.

How did you lose your connection, Mr Tein? Did something else come along to take its place, or did it fizzle out? Did you have a favourite poet/poem?

You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine! (Now there's an offer!)

[Mr Tein]

I would point ot the Book The Irrelevant Song by brian Pattern as a good example of the poetry I enjoyed.

I think in many ways I used Poetry as way to get to a womans heart. in a drunken romatic moment its hard to resist the lure of this one peice of poetry I learnt by heart in my pulling days, although sadly I can only remember the last of the three verses, which is

and so I never feared to see you walk along the street
or come across the fields to me on ordianry feet
for what they never told me of and what I never knew
it was that all the time my love, love would be merely you

a moment hopefully followed by the romantic sussurus of falling nether garments (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

This post has been edited by Mr Tein: Jun 2 2009, 02:19 PM

[Dr Hugbine]

I would point ot the Book The Irrelevant Song by brian Pattern as a good example of the poetry I enjoyed.

I think in many ways I used Poetry as way to get to a womans heart. in a drunken romatic moment its hard to resist the lure of this one peice of poetry I learnt by heart in my pulling days, although sadly I can only remember the last of the three verses, which is

and so I never feared to see you walk along the street
or come across the fields to me on ordianry feet
for what they never told me of and what I never knew
it was that all the time my love, love would be merely you

a moment hopefully followed by the romantic sussurus of falling nether garments (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

Ah - the real poetry's in the final fourteen syllables - thanks Martin for seeing beauty in all things.

[Honeycomb Jack]

I would point ot the Book The Irrelevant Song by brian Pattern as a good example of the poetry I enjoyed.

I think in many ways I used Poetry as way to get to a womans heart. in a drunken romatic moment its hard to resist the lure of this one peice of poetry I learnt by heart in my pulling days, although sadly I can only remember the last of the three verses, which is

and so I never feared to see you walk along the street
or come across the fields to me on ordianry feet
for what they never told me of and what I never knew
it was that all the time my love, love would be merely you

a moment hopefully followed by the romantic sussurus of falling nether garments (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

Which particular part of your anatomy was you pulling when you learnt this by heart?

[Honeycomb Jack]

Regarding love poetry, cliched though he may be, John Donne has got some of the best. One of my favourites is this one:

The Flea

Mark but this flea, and mark in this,
How little that which thou deniest me is ;
It suck'd me first, and now sucks thee,
And in this flea our two bloods mingled be.
Thou know'st that this cannot be said
A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead ;
Yet this enjoys before it woo,
And pamper'd swells with one blood made of two ;
And this, alas ! is more than we would do.

O stay, three lives in one flea spare,
Where we almost, yea, more than married are.
This flea is you and I, and this
Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is.
Though parents grudge, and you, we're met,
And cloister'd in these living walls of jet.
Though use make you apt to kill me,
Let not to that self-murder added be,
And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.

Cruel and sudden, hast thou since
Purpled thy nail in blood of innocence?
Wherein could this flea guilty be,
Except in that drop which it suck'd from thee?
Yet thou triumph'st, and say'st that thou
Find'st not thyself nor me the weaker now.
'Tis true ; then learn how false fears be ;
Just so much honour, when thou yield'st to me,
Will waste, as this flea's death took life from thee.

If I was reciting this as an amorous youth, I would go for the special one-handed-bra-off-in-one-flick move after 'the flea is you and I' in stanza two.
And probably get a smack in the chops after 'Our marriage bed' in the same stanza.

Anyone else any favourites?

[Honeycomb Jack]

Another cracker from BBC 4 last night - Simon Armitage's programme about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. He followed the trail from Tintagel to Yorkshire to the Peak District. Stunning scenery that brought the whole poem to life. And covered everything from paganism to knights kissing each other.

Its great to see people really enthusiastic about things, such as this programme, and Michael Wood's programme about Beowulf, and Armando Ianucci's programme about Paradise Lost. I hope the BBC release these on DVD soon. Simon Armitage's prog had a cracking soundtrack too

Anyone else watch it?

Here's the BBC iPlayer link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00kv...e_Green_Knight/

Go on, treat yourselves! Its Friday!

This post has been edited by Honeycomb Jack: Jun 5 2009, 08:15 AM

[simpleton01]

I'm a poet!
Don't you know it?

[Dr Hugbine]

And wood rubber hosing ratchet me?
Small villa Madeira cake acne.
God -
Bible God;
A cancerous Barbary Ape alone to be.
Distances are only belative;
More Madeira cake.
Exit (choking).

[Honeycomb Jack]

And here's me about to set the timer to record My Life In Verse, with the Peep Show's Robert Webb, on BB2 at 9pm, when all along the talent is here! Under my very nose!

DAZZLE me forummers! DAZZLE ME! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Honeycomb Jack]

9.45pm tonight BBC 2 - Arena doc on T.S. Eliot - set those timers people! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Honeycomb Jack]

9pm tonight on BBC2 - the lovely Cerys Matthews explores Celtic poetry, taking in Dylan Thomas, Dafydd ap Gwilym, Ted Hughes and W.B. Yeats. Luvverly! Set your timers and give yourselves a treat (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

No more Springwatch though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Spastic Minnow]

Poets at the Beeb
can suck my hairy bollocks
Bring the haiku fire!

[Spastic Minnow]

I rock the syllables
like The Clash rocks the Casbah
Say 'Seventeen' Ho!

[Spastic Minnow]

hunka hunka Burn!
I got the love and the hate
and I'm funny too!

This post has been edited by Spastic Minnow: Jun 12 2009, 03:50 PM

[daisy]

I'm sure posting this will result in all sorts of rude things being said about me. But I figure, what the fuck?

A haiku for all you lovers of the arts...

Two boys with big mouths,
pity they're not better used.
Silence would be nice!

This post has been edited by daisy: Jun 12 2009, 03:43 PM

[Dr Hugbine]

Two boys; sounds like one -
One boy playing with himself.
Spoilt little fuckwit.

This post has been edited by Dr Hugbine: Jun 12 2009, 04:07 PM

[simpleton01]

A music critic
And comedy critic, too!
A Jack of all trades!

[Honeycomb Jack]

So, you'll all be tuning in at 9pm? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)