Keats-Shelley Prize

Ep. 15 Writ in water, lemon juice or invisible ink? Adam Smyth examines John Keats‘ epitaph as material text.

What does it mean to writ(e) in water? And even more, what does it mean to write 'writ in water' on stone? Or is that in stone? These are all questions raised by John Keats' epitaph, 'Here lies one whose name was writ in water'. Which is why the Keats-Shelley Podcast 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.

Ep. 14 Erica Jong’s top writing tips 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. 
For more information visit our Young Romantics page.

Ep. 13 John Keats’ Bright Star read by heart with analysis

John Keats writing his last poem 'Bright star' on the Maria Crowther is one of the great myths of the poet's tragic last months. Inspired by retracing Keats' Final Journey on Google Earth, we ask: what if were true? How might it change our reading of one of his greatest sonnets? As part of our limbering up, we learned the poem by heart and recorded the results...

Ep. 12 Reading: John Keats‘ ‘In drear nighted December‘

Reading and discussion of John Keats' 'In drear nighted December'. From a Twitter Advent calendar for 2020 to mark the launch of 2021's Keats-Shelley and Young Romantics Prizes.
Read the poem here.

Ep. 11 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.

Ep. 9 Winner of 2020‘s Young Romantics Poetry Prize: Senbazuru by Joyce Chen (read by Dinah Roe)

Joyce Chen's Senbazuru won 2020's Young Romantic Poetry Prize.
The poem was read by Dinah Roe, Reader in 19th Century Literature at Oxford Brookes University, as part of our online awards ceremony.

Ep. 8 Winner of 2020‘s Keats-Shelley Poetry Prize: Indian Paradise Flycatcher by Pascale Petit (read by Will Kemp)

Pascale Petit's Indian Paradise Flycatcher won 2020's Keats-Shelley Poetry Prize. The poem was read by Will Kemp, one of the Poetry Prize Judges, as part of our online announcement.

Ep. 7 Is John Keats’ ’immortal bird’ soon-to-be extrinct? A conversation with Simon Barnes (Part 2)

Part two of our conversation with Simon Barnes, the award-winning sportswriter, revered bird lover and Chair of 2020 and 2021's Keats-Shelley Prizes.

Ep. 6 Why are Nightingales and Skylarks SO Poetic? A conversation with Simon Barnes (Part 1)

Simon Barnes, the award-winning sportswriter, revered birder and Chair of 2020 and 2021's Keats-Shelley Prizes, tells us about his love of birds and birding and why songbirds were so important to the Romantic poets.

Ep. 5 Simon Barnes on John Keats and John Clare from The Meaning of Birds

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?

Ep. 4 Simon Barnes on the joy of birdwatching

Simon Barnes describes the joy of birdwatching, reading in a post from his own blog.

Ep. 3 At the Grave of John Keats: Part 2 (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.