This week Repeat Beat Poet is in conversation with poet, author, broadcaster, activist, and longstanding rabble-rousing doyenne of UK poetry, Salena Goddena. The pair reflect on Salena's career in poetry and literature, the inspirations behind her debut novel Mrs Death Misses Death, and have a good chat about the complications and joys of writing to and through an embodiment of Death; like how facing loss and grief can teach us how to live, love, survive, and fight for a better world. There's also chat about being a flaneuse, and writing while walking around mystical East London.

We hear two readings from Salena -

Pessimism Is For Lightweights - -0:35:19 (ISH)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0CnTXUjfc&t=58s

[excerpt from Mrs. Death Misses Death. The First Mourning of the First Morning - 0:11:25]

Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON)

For more from Salena:

http://www.salenagodden.co.uk/

For more from RBP: linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet

https://twitter.com/repeatbeatpoet

https://www.instagram.com/repeatbeatpoet/

For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com

www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts

www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod

Buy the 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/

Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com

Our production team is Mystery Planet Productions. https://mysteryplanet.net/

Also mentioned on the podcast -

BBC Extra's Podcast Radio Hour (Poetry Podcast Special, 1/10/21)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00100hj

Cece's Speakeasy (30th June-3rd July 2021) - https://applesandsnakes.org/project/ceces-speakeasy/

This week The Repeat Beat Poet speaks to writer, performer, creative director, and tarot-reading multi-faceted artist and activist Zena Edwards. The pair talk about navigating corporate spaces while maintaining integrity, the importance of orality and sound within self-expression, and how indigenous African peoples and systems of knowledge have guided Zena's work. The two poets also give some shine to Apples & Snakes, the UK's longstanding leading poetry organisation, discuss their involvement in the immersive climate cabaret show, Cece's Speakeasy, and highlight the artistic innovations that come from cross-artform collaborations.

We hear two performances from Zena -

Brother's Keeper - - 0:19:00

https://zenaedwards.bandcamp.com/track/brothers-keeper

Wood and Strings - 0:45:30

https://jazzrefreshed.bandcamp.com/track/wood-and-strings

Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON)

For more from Zena:

verseindialog.com

instagram.com/zena_e_poetics

For more from PJ: linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet

https://twitter.com/repeatbeatpoet

https://www.instagram.com/repeatbeatpoet/

For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com

www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts

www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod

Buy the 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/

Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com

Our production team is Mystery Planet Productions. https://mysteryplanet.net/

The terms hard-working and “jack of all trades” get thrown around a lot, but Sarah Callaghan really embodies the two. She’s been a comedian for over ten years with shows across the world from Australia to Austria, and she made the move into poetry when she used it as a tool to work through a difficult period of her life. Poetry was a space that allowed for what comedy didn’t; a space where messages didn’t necessarily have to be funny to be let out and to be seriously received by an audience. It gave her a space to speak more openly about mental health. We also discuss the importance of creative collaboration, share some performance stories, and the difficulties of navigating the trappings of social media. 

“You’re never gonna achieve greatness in your comfort zone.” - 10:20-11:26

Sarah reads two poems - 

23:35 - Beginning

33:21 - It's Not That Deep

Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON)

For more from Sarah: http://www.sarahcallaghan.com/ 

https://linktr.ee/sarahcallaghan

https://twitter.com/sarahecallaghan 

http://instagram.com/scallaghan1

For more from PJ: linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet

https://twitter.com/repeatbeatpoet

https://www.instagram.com/repeatbeatpoet/

For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com

www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts

www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod

Buy the 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/

Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com

Our production team is Mystery Planet Productions. https://mysteryplanet.net/

Also mentioned on the podcast -

Imaginary Millions - Spending Our Fortune Vol.1 https://imaginarymillions.bandcamp.com/album/spending-our-fortune-volume-one 

Watch Sarah Callaghan's comedy special, The Ballad Of Sarah Callaghan, on NextUp - https://nextupcomedy.com/sarahcallaghan/?fp_ref=ballad

This week Peter deGraft-Johnson (The Repeat Beat Poet) speaks to poet , educator, and writer Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan. The pair start by speaking about overcoming the fears of speaking your truth publicly, learning to trust readers and publishers outside of immediate live audiences, and Suhaiymah's journey discovering poetry. Next, we jump into the thick fogs of British colonialism, spend some time naming and shaming it and discussing the legacy of inequality it leaves in how histories are held and taught in our libraries, archives, and museums. Across an hour that felt like a minute, Suhaiymah also squeezes in some self-care tips, and gives another beautiful answer to the perennial ultimate question - why poetry?

Suhaiymah reads three poems - 

06:19 - Where Is My History?

35:03 - A Virtue Of Disobedience 

42:17 - Bacon, Bank Notes, Benjamins

Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON)

For more from Suhaiymah: https://www.suhaiymah.com/ 

https://twitter.com/thebrownhijabi

https://www.instagram.com/thebrownhijabi

Buy Suhaiymah's debut collection Postcolonial Banter here, published by Verve Poetry Press - https://vervepoetrypress.com/product/suhaiymah-manzoor-khan-postcolonial-banter-pre-order-free-uk-pp-out-12-09-19/?v=79cba1185463 

For more from PJ: linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet

https://twitter.com/repeatbeatpoet

https://www.instagram.com/repeatbeatpoet/

https://ko-fi.com/repeatbeatpoet

For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com

www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts

www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod

Buy the 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/

Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com 

Our production team is Mystery Planet Productions. https://mysteryplanet.net/ 

Also mentioned on the podcast - 

Dan Hicks - The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution http://www.plutobooks.com/9780745341767/the-brutish-museums/

Ian Cobain - The History Thieves Secrets, Lies and the Shaping of a Modern Nation https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-History-Thieves-by-Ian-Cobain-author/9781846275838

“A lot of the ethos that I learned from the punk scene – D.I.Y politics, inclusivity, that kind of thing – I brought with me into Burning Eye Books” - Bridget Hart

This week Peter deGraft-Johnson (The Repeat Beat Poet) speaks to poet, editor, producer, publisher with Burning Eye Books, and Grease super-fan Bridget Hart. The pair start by discussing the ethos and success of Burning Eye as a leading independent poetry press in the UK, publishing spoken word artists, and Bridget shares a quick what-to-do (read the guidelines) and what-not-to-do (make transphobic jokes) when submitting. Bridget tells PJ about life as a poet in the DIY punk scene, touring in vans and playing house shows (ps - punks love Carly Rae Jepsen), and the value of emotional caretaking in the midst of the intensity of judging UniSlam - the UK's national university poetry slam & summit. Bridget also speaks about rediscovering a sense of freedom and joy in writing while working on their latest collection celebrating the campness, queerness, and playfulness we all know was the real star of the iconic teen classic Grease. (We don't speak about Grease 2 - who would?).

Bridget reads one poem -

41:12 - 1000 Bits Of Gum

Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON)

Bridget's Links - 

http://bridgethart.wordpress.com

http://forbooksake.net

http://burningeye.co.uk/submit

PJ's Links - https://linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet

https://twitter.com/repeatbeatpoet

https://www.instagram.com/repeatbeatpoet/

Read PJ's poem 'What Does Black Power Mean?' in the Black Anthology, Language, available to read via 1010 Press or your local independent bookshop or library:

www.sofiaamina.com/1010pressbookshop 

For more from Lunar: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com

www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts

www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod

Buy the 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/

Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com

Our production team is Mystery Planet Productions. https://mysteryplanet.net/

Also mentioned on the podcast - 

Neon, by Bethany Rose. Published by Burning Eye Books. https://burningeye.bigcartel.com/product/neon-by-bethany-rose

Chips & Beans Podcast w/ Bridget & Cassie Agbenhu - https://www.instagram.com/chipsandbeanspodcast/ 

UniSlam - https://www.uni-slam.com/

This week Peter deGraft-Johnson (The Repeat Beat Poet) speaks to Hip Hop artist and former Sheffield Poet Laureate, Otis Mensah. They discuss how the concept of introspective documentarianism underpins Otis' work of building a personal identity and creative voice around artistic truth and vulnerability, through rap and poetry. There's also talk of surviving and decrying racial capitalism, and a breakdown of Otis' tenure as laureate.  

Otis reads three poems - 

17:12 - Contrary To The Intangible Grapevine
35:25 - The Thinks
1:00:00 - No Record Store Day

Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON)

For more from Otis: www.otismensah.com

https://twitter.com/otismensah
https://www.instagram.com/otismensah/

For more from PJ: linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet
Repeat Beat Broadcast - https://www.mixcloud.com/ThreadsRadio/playlists/the-repeat-beat-broadcast/
https://twitter.com/repeatbeatpoet
https://www.instagram.com/repeatbeatpoet/

For more from us:
lunarpoetrypodcasts.com
www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/
www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod

Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/

Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com 

Our production team is Mystery Planet Productions. https://mysteryplanet.net/ 

Also mentioned on the podcast - 

Rhyme & Reason (series of filmed conversations as part of Otis' Artist Residency with Sheffield University, ft. Awate, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, and Open Mike Eagle) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKKXT6kV3PhsxOlnBZLxAg4mTWAN4IHy4 

Pen-Ting Poetry - www.instagram.com/pentingpoetry

Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon (2009)
Warda Yassin, current Sheffield Poet Laureate.  
Vanessa Kisuule's poem Hollow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3DKfaK50AU 

In his first full interview as host of the series, Peter deGraft-Johnson (The Repeat Beat Poet) speaks to poet, producer, and academic Katie Ailes. They speak about Katie's recent PhD study on performance and authenticity in UK Spoken Word poetry, the critical discourse around poetry, and firmly refute the idea that the talented craftspeople emerging from the spoken word scene are 'Noble Amateurs'. 

Katie reads three poems -  

Outwith - 07:37
Soft Animal - 27:18
Spangled - 1:03:33

Download a full transcript here: (COMING SOON) 

For more from Katie: www.katieailes.com 
https://www.scottishdesignexchange.com/product-page/katie-ailes-homing
@KatieAiles - Twitter
I Am Loud Productions (@IamLoudPro)

For more from PJ: linktr.ee/repeatbeatpoet
@RepeatBeatPoet - Twitter, Instagram. 

For more from us:
lunarpoetrypodcasts.com
www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/
www.twitter.com/LunarPoetryPod 

Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ 

Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/snazzyrat 

Referenced in the episode -  Stage Invasion - Peter Bearder Spoken Word in the UK - ed. Lucy English + Jack McGowan

In his final episode as host of the series, David Turner talks to Stephen Lightbown about his debut poetry collection Only Air (Burning Eye Books), writing as a wheelchair user and his experience of attending online events during the UK Covid-19 lockdown. Stephen reads three poems. Download a full transcript of this conversation here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/ep125-stephen-lightbown.pdf For more from Stephen: https://www.stephenlightbown.com/ https://www.instagram.com/spokeandpencil/ https://twitter.com/spokeandpencil https://www.facebook.com/spokeandpencil/ For more from David Turner: https://twitter.com/Silent_Tongue https://www.instagram.com/david_turner_books/ For more from Lunar: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ https://www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts https://twitter.com/lunarpoetrypod Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/ 347445

David Turner is in Walthamstow talking to Caleb Klaces and publisher Jess Chandler to talk about Caleb’s latest book, Fatherhood. This conversation was recorded before Covid-19 hit Britain so is refreshingly free from any virus chat. Fatherhood was published by Prototype Publishing in 2019 and was long listed for the Republic of Consciousness Prize and is Caleb’s debut novel. After reading Fatherhood I became a little bit obsessed with the book and its combination of fragmentary prose and sequences of verse. Download a full transcript here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/ep124-caleb-klaces-transcript.pdf Buy Fatherhood here: https://prototypepublishing.co.uk/product/fatherhood/ Buy my book Contained, £10 for the book, £4 for the PDF, here: www.blurb.co.uk/b/9771405-contained Listen to PJ on the series here - Ep.93; https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/ross-monaghan-stuart-mckenzie-poetry-on-the-picket-line Ep.84: https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/thomas-ghetto-geek-owoo-andra-simons-poetry-unplugged-20yrs Ep.80: https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/suzie-gray-the-repeat-beat-poet-marthe-ramm-fortun More on Sanatorium by Abi Palmer here: http://www.pennedinthemargins.co.uk/index.php/2020/03/sanatorium/ For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

David Turner is in Walthamstow, east London talking to Vanessa Onwuemezi. The pair discuss how Vanessa came to be pursuing a life in writing and how she judges the quality of her writing. This episode includes a short tribute to friend and poet Mishi 'Dulwich Hamlet' Morath who sadly passed away before Christmas. Download a full transcript of this conversation here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/ep123-vanessa-onwuemezi-transcript.pdf For more about Vanessa: https://twitter.com/onwuemezi http://www.thewhitereview.org/fiction/at-the-heart-of-things/ http://mironline.org/swim-by-vanessa-onwuemezi/ Buy my book Contained, £10 for the book, £4 for the PDF, here: https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/9771405-contained Info about Contained book launches: London, 8th February - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/contained-london-launch-tickets-87610614707 Cardiff, 15th February - Flute and Tankard Pub, free entry. Bristol, 14th March -https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/contained-bristol-launch-tickets-85104699447 More about Mishi Morath: https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/mishi-morath https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/national-poetry-day-2016 https://soundcloud.com/lunar-poetry-podcasts/christmas-2015 http://footballpoets.org/poets/dulwich-poet/ For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/

David Turner is in central London talking to experimental poet and artist Steven J Fowler. The pair discuss Steven's approach to writing and editing (or lack of it), whether it helps to sometimes be ignored as a writer and his work as a curator of European and international literature events. Download a full transcript here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/ep122-steven-j-fowler.pdf Steven is organising the first Nordic Poetry Festival to be held in the UK and will take place 11-17 October 2019 at various venues. For more information go here: https://www.europeanpoetryfestival.com/nordic Listen to Steven on the Scaffold Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/scaffoldpodcast/ep-12-steven-j-fowler For more from Steven: http://www.stevenjfowler.com/ https://twitter.com/stevenjfowler For more from us: lunarpoetrypodcasts.com/ www.facebook.com/LunarPoetryPodcasts/ twitter.com/Silent_Tongue Order 'Why Poetry?': The Lunar Poetry Podcasts Anthology here: vervepoetrypress.com/product/why-poetry/ Episode music is an original composition by Snazzy Rat. You can find more from Snazzy here: snazzyrat.bandcamp.com/ www.facebook.com/snazzyrat/