The Poems We Made Along The Way

On today’s episode of The Poems We Made Along the Way Gregory Kearns speaks to Isabelle Baafi about Dungeons and Dragons, how being a poetry critic effects the writing of poetry, and exploring poetic forms.Isabelle Baafi is a poet and editor based in London. Her debut collection Chaotic Good won the Jerwood Prize for Best First Collection, is a Poetry Book Society Recommendation and is shortlisted for the T.S, Eliot Prize. She is the Reviews Editor at Poetry London and is a Ledbury Poetry Critic, an Obsidian Foundation Fellow and board member at Magma.Thank you to the T.S. Eliot Prize for facilitating this episode as part of a series of interviews with poets shortlisted for the 2025 prize. www.tseliot.com/prize/prize-year/the-t-s-eliot-prize-2025/      Books and other thingsChaotic Good: https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571390953-chaotic-good/You can also use our affiliate link for Bookshop to find most of the books by most of the guests from the show. They are organised into lists for each series. If you use this link, we get a fraction of the money you spend: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/series-five-the-poems-we-made-along-the-way          We’d also recommend enquiring with your local bookshops or libraries as well.An incomplete list of poems/books mentioned in this episode:American Sonnet for My Past and Future Assassin by Terrance Hayes https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/143917/american-sonnet-for-my-past-and-future-assassin-598dc83c976f1A man is dragging a dead dog by Jack Underwood: https://poetryarchive.org/poem/man-dragging-dead-dog/  January Children by Safia Elhillo: https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9780803295988/the-january-children/Cannibal by Safiya Sinclair: https://safiyasinclair.com/cannibal Things I read/watched/etc in the lead up to this interview:In Conversation with Isabelle Baafi: https://forwardartsfoundation.org/in-conversation-with-isabelle-baafi/ sub(VERSE)ive: In Conversation with Isabelle Baafi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU4Blu8Ke-c&t=1107s The UsualMake sure you don’t miss future episodes by subscribing and if you enjoyed this episode consider sharing it with a friend or anyone else you think might also like it.Theme tune: Joe Chesterman-March who can be found here: https://joecm.co.uk     

On today’s episode of The Poems We Made Along the Way Gregory Kearns speaks to Gillian Allnutt about reading poems out loud during the drafting stage, writing persona poetry, and hating punctuation.Gillian Allnutt is a poet based in the northeast of England. She has published 10 collections of poetry including Nantuckert and the Angel and Lintel which were both shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize in 1997 and 2001 respectively. Of course, Gillian’s most recent collection Lode published by Bloodaxe has been shortlisted for this years TS Elliot prize. She won the Northern Rock Foundation Writer’s Award in 2005 and received a Cholmondeley Award in 2010.Thank you to the T.S. Eliot Prize for facilitating this episode as part of a series of interviews with poets shortlisted for the 2025 prize. www.tseliot.com/prize/prize-year/the-t-s-eliot-prize-2025/     Books and other thingsLode: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/lode-1376 Wake: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/wake-1183 How the Bicycle Shone: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/how-the-bicycle-shone-860 You can also use our affiliate link for Bookshop to find most of the books by most of the guests from the show. They are organised into lists for each series. If you use this link, we get a fraction of the money you spend: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/series-five-the-poems-we-made-along-the-way         We’d also recommend enquiring with your local bookshops or libraries as well.Things I read/watched/etc in the lead up to this interviewInterview on Monk Gallery mentioned in the episode: https://monk.gallery/interviews/gillian-allnutt-under-northern-skies-divinations-of-a-warrior-poet/ Gillian Allnutt Talks About Her Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T56nzN_giwo The UsualPlease give the show a five star rating on whatever podcasting app you are listening to this on.Tell us what you thought of this episode by posting on Instagram. You can find us @ThePoemsWeMade.Make sure you don’t miss future episodes by subscribing and if you enjoyed this episode consider sharing it with a friend or anyone else you think might also like it.Theme tune: Joe Chesterman-March who can be found here: https://joecm.co.uk    

On today’s episode of The Poems We Made Along the Way Gregory Kearns speaks to Vona Groarke about being selected for the Ireland Professor of Poetry, how government investment in the arts has a positive cultural impact, and the importance of not divulging to much about your writing practice. Vona Groarke has written numerous volumes of poetry, all published by The Gallery Press. Including: Shale, X, Double Negative, and most recently Infinity Pool which, of course, was shortlisted for 2025’s TS Eliot Prize. Vona teaches at the Centre for New Writing at the University of Manchester and was recently selected as the Ireland Professor of Poetry.Thank you to the T.S. Eliot Prize for facilitating this episode as part of a series of interviews with poets shortlisted for the 2025 prize. www.tseliot.com/prize/prize-year/the-t-s-eliot-prize-2025/    Books and other things:Infinity Pool: https://gallerypress.com/product/infinity-pool/ Link (Poet and World): https://gallerypress.com/product/link-poet-and-world/Hereafter The Telling Life of Ellen O’Hara: https://nyupress.org/9781479835324/hereafter/ You can also use our affiliate link for Bookshop to find most of the books by most of the guests from the show. They are organised into lists for each series. If you use this link, we get a fraction of the money you spend: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/series-five-the-poems-we-made-along-the-way        We’d also recommend enquiring with your local bookshops or libraries as well.Things I watched in the lead up to this interviewVona Groarke talks of passion, architecture, and sonnets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRZDldxhDlk&t=34s Speech by President Higgins to celebrate Vona Groarke as the new Ireland Professor of Poetry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxyDMTzKgcE Vona Groarke talks about her work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gtj70aF894 (this wasn’t actually out before our interview but it is good nonetheless) The UsualPlease give the show a five star rating on whatever podcasting app you are listening to this on.Tell us what you thought of this episode by posting on Instagram. You can find us @ThePoemsWeMade.Make sure you don’t miss future episodes by subscribing and if you enjoyed this episode consider sharing it with a friend or anyone else you think might also like it.Theme tune: Joe Chesterman-March who can be found here: https://joecm.co.uk    

On today’s episode of The Poems We Made Along the Way Gregory Kearns speaks to Sarah Howe about flow states, the pedagogical difficulties of the writers’ workshop, and the changing landscapes of poetry criticism.Sarah Howe is a poet and editor. She has published two collections of poetry including her debut Loop of Jade which won the TS Eliot Prize in 2015 and then Foretokens published in 2025. Previously she taught poetry and creative writing at King’s College London and is now the Poetry Editor at Chatto and Windus.Thank you to the T.S. Eliot Prize for facilitating this episode as part of a series of interviews with poets shortlisted for the 2025 prize. www.tseliot.com/prize/prize-year/the-t-s-eliot-prize-2025/   Books and other things:Foretokens: www.penguin.co.uk/books/470921/foretokens-by-howe-sarah/9781784746131 Loop of Jade: www.penguin.co.uk/books/419789/loop-of-jade-by-sarah-howe/9780701188696 You can also use our affiliate link for Bookshop to find most of the books by most of the guests from the show. They are organised into lists for each series. If you use this link, we get a fraction of the money you spend: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/series-five-the-poems-we-made-along-the-way       We’d also recommend enquiring with your local bookshops or libraries as well.Things I watched in the lead up to this interviewSarah Howe | Two Systems || Radcliffe Institute: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDHa4OEqaeo&t=1076s An interview with Sarah Howe, winner of the T. S. Eliot Prize 2015: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-ShuXnfBKkThe UsualPlease give the show a five star rating on whatever podcasting app you are listening to this on.Tell us what you thought of this episode by posting on Instagram. You can find us @ThePoemsWeMade.Make sure you don’t miss future episodes by subscribing and if you enjoyed this episode consider sharing it with a friend or anyone else you think might also like it.Theme tune: Joe Chesterman-March who can be found here: https://joecm.co.uk    

On today’s episode of The Poems We Made Along the Way Gregory Kearns speaks to Nick Makoha about the Obsidian Foundation, the layering of many gazes, and self-discovery through art. Nick Makoha is a poet, playwright and founder of the Obsidian Foundation. He has published two collections, his first Kingdom of Gravity and his most recent The New Carthaginians published by Penguin Press and of course shortlisted for the 2025 T.S. Eliot Prize.Thank you to the T.S. Eliot Prize for facilitating this email as part of a series of interviews with poets shortlisted for the 2025 prize. www.tseliot.com/prize/prize-year/the-t-s-eliot-prize-2025/  Books and other things:The New Carthaginians: www.penguin.co.uk/books/463875/the-new-carthaginians-by-makoha-nick/9781802067064 Kingdom of Gravity: www.peepaltreepress.com/books/kingdom-gravity You can also use our affiliate link for Bookshop to find most of the books by most of the guests from the show. They are organised into lists for each series. If you use this link we get a fraction of the money you spend: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/series-five-the-poems-we-made-along-the-way      We’d also recommend enquiring with your local bookshops or libraries as well.Obsidian Foundation: obsidianfoundation.co.uk/ Things I watched in the lead up to this interviewsub(VERSE)ive: In Conversation with Nick Makoha: www.youtube.com/watch?v=URpxb1PAh0k&t=2885s Basquiat Revolution: From Policing To Parties, Family & Fab 5 Freddy Recount Artist's Work (2022): www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg8aA9VRHKQ&t=1450s Jean Michel Basquiat Interview - Patty Astor & Fab 5 Freddy on the Fun Gallery: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa8LBtaOsxs The UsualPlease give the show a five star rating on whatever podcasting app you are listening to this on.Tell us what you thought of this episode by posting on Instagram. You can find us @ThePoemsWeMade.Make sure you don’t miss future episodes by subscribing and if you enjoyed this episode consider sharing it with a friend or anyone else you think might also like it.Theme tune: Joe Chesterman-March who can be found here: https://joecm.co.uk   

On today’s episode of The Poems We Made Along the Way Gregory Kearns speaks to Clare Pollard about breaking your own rules, poems being like haunted houses, and the word poetess.Clare Pollard is a poet, novelist, children’s author, translator non-fiction writer and editor. She wrote her first poetry collection The Heavy-Petting Zoo (published by Bloodaxe) was written while she was still in school. Her other books include The Modern Fairies, The Untameables, Delphi and her most recent collection of poetry The Lives of the Female Poets is published by Bloodaxe. Links to writingLives of the Female Poets: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/lives-of-the-female-poets Incarnation: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/incarnation-1134Look, Clare ! Look!: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/look-clare-look--817Delphi: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/447396/delphi-by-pollard-clare/9780241995266 You can also use our affiliate link for Bookshop to find most of the books by most of the guests from the show. They are organised into lists for each series. If you use this link we get a fraction of the money you spend: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/series-five-the-poems-we-made-along-the-way     We’d also recommend enquiring with your local bookshops or libraries as well.Clare's Poetry Circle Substack: https://clarespoetrycircle.substack.com/ Things I watched in the lead up to this interviewLaunch reading by Emilie Jenlinek, Clare Pollard and Jessica Traynor (Bloodaxe): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He4JaXNJzdwClare Pollard in conversation with Helen Eastman (Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUqZU6JNJo0&t=205sPoetry as a way to gain control | A Drink with Clare Pollard (Idler): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmB955IJFJg The UsualPlease give the show a five star rating on whatever podcasting app you are listening to this on.Tell us what you thought of this episode by posting on Instagram. You can find us @ThePoemsWeMade.Make sure you don’t miss future episodes by subscribing and if you enjoyed this episode consider sharing it with a friend or anyone else you think might also like it.Theme tune: Joe Chesterman-March who can be found here: https://joecm.co.uk   

On today’s episode of The Poems We Made Along the Way Gregory Kearns speaks to George Szirtes about form, translation, and the exact moment that he decided that he wanted to become a poet.George Szirtes is a poet, memoirist, editor and translator. He has published numerous collections of poetry including Reel (which won the TS Eliot Prize), Mapping the Delta and his most recent collection Fresh Out of the Sky published by Bloodaxe. He has translated numerous Hungarian writers into English including 2025’s Nobel Prize for Literature winner László Krasznahorkai. Fresh Out of the Sky: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/fresh-out-of-the-sky-1280The Photographer at Sixteen: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/george-szirtes/the-photographer-at-sixteen/9780857058553/ The London Review Bookshop documentary focusing on George produced by Anthony Wilks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_IwmwUH570 You can also use our affiliate link for Bookshop to find most of the books by most of the guests from the show. They are organised into lists for each series. If you use this link we get a fraction of the money you spend: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/series-five-the-poems-we-made-along-the-way        We’d also recommend enquiring with your local bookshops or libraries as well.Please give the show a five star rating on whatever podcasting app you are listening to this on.Tell us what you thought of this episode by posting on Instagram. You can find us @ThePoemsWeMade.Make sure you don’t miss future episodes by subscribing and if you enjoyed this episode consider sharing it with a friend or anyone else you think might also like it.Theme tune: Joe Chesterman-March who can be found here: https://joecm.co.uk    

On today’s episode of The Poems We Made Along the Way Gregory Kearns speaks to Mary Jean Chan about clarity, truth vs fact in a poem and the drafting process as a form of play.Mary Jean Chan is the author of Flèche (Faber & Faber, 2019), which won the Costa Book Award for Poetry. Bright Fear (Faber, 2023), Chan's second book, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Collection, the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Writer’s Prize. They co-edited the anthology 100 Queer Poems (Vintage, 2022) with Andrew McMillan and served as a judge for the 2023 Booker Prize. Chan is currently Departmental Lecturer in Poetry on the MSt in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford and a Research Fellow at Harris Manchester College, Oxford.Flèche: https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571348046-fleche/ Bright Fear: https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571378906-bright-fear/ 100 Queer Poems Anthology: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/445204/100-queer-poems-by-chan-edited-by-andrew-mcmillan-and-mary-jean/9781529115338 Credit for Mary Jean’s photo: Ray BurmistonYou can also use our affiliate link for Bookshop to find most of the books by most of the guests from the show. They are organised into lists for each series. If you use this link we get a fraction of the money you spend: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/series-four-the-poems-we-made-along-the-way       We’d also recommend enquiring with your local bookshops or libraries as well.Please give the show a five star rating on whatever podcasting app you are listening to this on.Tell us what you thought of this episode by posting on Instagram. You can find us @ThePoemsWeMade.Make sure you don’t miss future episodes by subscribing and if you enjoyed this episode consider sharing it with a friend or anyone else you think might also like it.Theme tune: Joe Chesterman-March who can be found here: https://joecm.co.uk