A celebration of English poems

Read by Richard Mitchley, Nigel Planer, Ghizela Rowe (Unabridged: 1hr 12mins)

Featuring poems by William Wordsworth, Lewis Carroll, Richard Le Gallienne, John Oxenham & many more

Poetry. A form of words that seems so elegantly simple in one verse and so cleverly complex in another.  Each poet has a particular style, an individual and unique way with words and yet each of us seems to recognise the path and destination of where the verses lead, even if sometimes the full comprehension may be a little beyond us.

Through the centuries every culture has produced verse to symbolize and to describe everything from everyday life, natural wonders, the human condition and even in its more hubristic moments, the crushing triumph of an enemy.

In the volumes of this series, we take a look at poetry through the prism of individual regions of England, or sometimes more quaintly known as ‘Albion’, or ‘Blighty’, through the centuries of its gloried history.

England, despite its perception of reserve and under-statement has, in reality, strode the global stage at various time in many things, both good and bad, from Empire to long distance running. Here our focus in on its literature.  Famed for its fiction and dramas, it is equally admired for its plethora of gifted poets and the dazzling verse which has added so much to its artistic legacy.  These classic poets are wonders of their age and of their art.  Genius is written in their names.

In this volume we have collected verse from poets born in the East of England.  These flat lowlands face out towards Europe yet within their counties are centuries of poetical history that indelibly mark out their talents as among our very best.

In this compilation - 

1 - Born in England - Exploring English Poetry - The North-West - An Introduction

2 - It Was an April Morning Fresh and Clear by William Wordsworth

3 - Ode Composed on a May Morning by William Wordsworth

4 - It Is a Beauteous Evening by William Wordsworth

5 - The Longest Day by William Wordsworth

6 - The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll

7 - Lays of Sorrow by Lewis Carroll

8 - Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

9 - Satan - 1920 by Richard Le Gallienne

10 - The Long Purposes of God by Richard Le Gallienne

11 - Her Eyes Are Bluebells Now by Richard Le Gallienne

12 - England's Poet by Laurence Binyon

13 - For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon

14 - Whitechapel High Road by Laurence Binyon

15 - In a London Square by Arthur Hugh Clough

16 - Le Diner by Arthur Hugh Clough

17 - Floating Island by Dorothy Wordsworth

18 - Loving and Liking by Dorothy Wordsworth

19 - The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson

20 - Ex Ore Infantium by Francis Thompson

21 - A Petition to April, Written During Sickness by Susanna Blamire

22 - Come Mortals, Enliven the Hour by Susanna Blamire

23 - The Slave by Robert Anderson

24 - Hymn Written Sunday February 11th, 1798 by Robert Anderson

25 - For the Men at the Front by John Oxenham

26 - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity by John Oxenham

27 - Chaplain to the Forces by Winifred M Letts

28 - To a Soldier in Hospital by Winifred M Letts

29 - To Her Brother G W by Isabella Whitney

30 - Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! by Reginald Heber