Writ in Water, Glass and Lemon Juice: A Conversation with Professor Adam Smyth

John Keats' epitaph runs: 'Here lies one whose name was writ in water'. But what does it mean to write in water? And even more, what does it mean to write 'writ in water' on stone? Or is that in stone? 

Confused? We were, which is why in this episode of the Keats-Shelley Prize Podcast, we called Adam Smyth, Professor of English Literature at Balliol College, Oxford, and an expert in Material Texts: or the study of people writing with weird things on weird surfaces. Read the rest of this entry »

Erica Jong’s Writing Advice for Young Romantics

At the end of 2020, James Kidd of the Keats-Shelley Podcast talked to bestselling novelist Erica Jong about her life-long love of John Keats. 

During the conversation, which will be posted soon, we asked what advice she would give writers entering our Young Romantics Poetry and Essay competitions. 

A small warning: there is one mild expletive (in reference to bad drafts) near the start of Erica's advice.  

For more information visit our Young Romantics page. Read the rest of this entry »

Poetry Reading - John Keats’ Bright Star read by heart with analysis

Six years ago, we were challenged to learn John Keats' ode To Autumn by heart, and recite it to. To end 2020, we attempted the same trick with his great sonnet 'Bright Star'. Listen to our throaty rendition on this special, year-ending Keats-Shelley Podcast. Read the rest of this entry »

Poetry Reading: John Keats’ ‘In drear nighted December’

Reading and discussion of John Keats' 'In drear nighted December'. This is embedded in our new Google Earth map: The Life, Times and Places of John Keats.

Read the poem here. Read the rest of this entry »

Poetry Reading: John Keats’ First Poem: Imitation of Spenser

Reading and discussion of John Keats' first poem, 'An Imitation of Spenser'. This is embedded in our new Google Earth map: The Life, Times and Places of John Keats. Read the rest of this entry »

Writ in Water Part 3: What does John Keats’ death in Rome mean to us today?

To mark the 200th anniversary of John Keats first setting foot on Italian soil on 31st October 1820 – his 25th birthday – the Keats-Shelley House presents a podcast reflecting on what his arrival in Naples means for us two centuries later.

Read the rest of this entry »

What is it with Romantic poets and nightingales? A Conversation with Simon Barnes (Keats-Shelley Prize 2020)

Bestselling sports journalist and nature writer Simon Barnes ponders one of Romantic poetry’s big questions: what’s the big deal with poets and nightingales? Reading from his book The Meaning of Birds, Simon examines nightingales in the poetry of John Keats and John Clare – and asks another question: which poet doesn’t know his nightingale from his nightshirt? Read the rest of this entry »

Reading: Simon Barnes describes the joy of birding - Keats-Shelley Prize 2020

Simon Barnes describes the joy of birdwatching, reading in a post from his own blog. Read the rest of this entry »

Writ in Water Part 2 - John Keats’ Grave (recorded in Rome’s Cimitero Acattolico)

An older podcast, recorded in December 2014 beside the grave of John Keats. To commemorate the death of John Keats on 23 February 1821, @Keats_Shelley (James Kidd) shares some thoughts on Keats' epitaph: 'Here lies one whose name was writ in water.' Listeners of a sensitive disposition should beware: there is a reference to the TV show Cheers. Read the rest of this entry »

Writ in Water Part 1 - The Grave of John Keats (recorded in Rome’s Cimitero Acattolico)

An older podcast, recorded in 2014 beside the grave of John Keats. To commemorate the death of John Keats on 23 February 1821, @Keats_Shelley shared some thoughts on Keats, death, life, cats, and poetry from beside his grave in Rome's Cimitero Acattolico. Oh, and one ambulance and one crying child... Read the rest of this entry »