Commonwealth Poetry Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Exploring Dominica and it’s Poetry with Anella D Shillingford Jul 23, 2023

Show notes

Gyles and Aphra Brandreth speak to Dominican poet Anella D Shillingford. Anella is a poet and educator, teaching English Literature and History to Dominican students. In this episode Anella describes how her love for poetry and the arts developed growing up in the small but vibrant country of Dominica. Anella has published collections of her poetry with Bonfire in 2019 and Of Rivers and Oceans in 2022. Her poetry explores themes of longing, familial love and healing. In this episode Anella reads: My Sister & I Are Picking Mangoes by Celia Sorhaindo, Self-Love, To the Woman I Never Met, She is Magic, and Records, all by Anella D. Shillingford.

Next stop Malaysia with award winning poet Bernice Chauly Jul 09, 2023

Show notes

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth’s journey of discovery leads them to South East Asia where they delve into the vibrant world of Malaysian poetry. Meeting with Bernice Chauly an award-winning Malaysian poet, novelist, educator, and former festival director, through heartfelt storytelling Bernice paints a vivid picture of her upbringing in Malaysia in the 1970s. Bravely recounting a profound family tragedy from her youth, she shares the indelible impact it had on her life and work, and discusses the challenges at that time growing up in a mixed-race family, finding solace and inspiration in the world of books and stories.

Poems this episode include: Sometimes by Bernice Chauly, from Onkalo (Math Paper Press, 2013); And A Hymn to My Sarong by Salleh Ben Joned, from Poems Sacred and Profane.

Talking poetry, the Commonwealth & a cat called Attlee with The Speaker of the House of Commons Jun 25, 2023

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In a special episode of the Commonwealth Poetry Podcast, Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Speaker of the British House of Commons. Recorded from the Palace of Westminster, Sir Lindsay discusses his commitment to strengthen and renew the UK’s ties with the Commonwealth and British Overseas Territories. With a guest appearance from his cat, named Attlee after former Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee, Mr Speaker shares his love of animals.

Poems this episode include: Macavity: The Mystery Cat by T. S. Eliot; and A Song of Hope by Oodgeroo Noonuccal (also known as Kath Walker)

Celebrating Fathers & Poetry Jun 11, 2023

Show notes

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth bring you a special episode celebrating Father’s Day. The father and daughter duo explore the origins of Father’s Day, and what it means to them. Remembering his own father, and his love of poetry, Gyles discusses the joy and benefits of learning poetry by heart. Poems this episode exploring fatherhood include: Only a Dad by Edgar Albert Guest; Anecdote for Fathers by William Wordsworth; My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke and To Her Father with Some Verses by Ann Bradstreet.

Discovering St Lucia and its Poetry with Kendel Hippolyte May 28, 2023

Show notes

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet Kendel Hippolyte an award winning poet, playwright, director and sporadic researcher into areas of Saint Lucian and Caribbean arts and culture. Kendel shares his love of St Lucia and its rich culture. Discussing the influence of poets including William Blake, who he describes as a poet who spans the political and cosmological, and the great St Lucian poet Derek Walcott. Poems this episode include: I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes by Kendel Hippolyte; Avocado by Kendel Hippolyte; Mango by John Robert Lee; and Geography for Robert by Jane King

Next stop Jamaica with award winning poet Lorna Goodison May 14, 2023

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In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet Jamaica’s former poet laureate Lorna Goodison. Recalling her upbringing growing up in a busy home where different influences shaped her voice, she still remembers the poetry she learned by heart as a child, reciting Wordsworth’s I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud from memory. In 1986 she won The Commonwealth Poetry Prize, an experience which she says changed her life. Writing poems about love and poems about justice, in this episode we discover more about Jamaica and hear some of Lorna’s wonderful poetry including: The Road of the Dread; After the Green Gown of My Mother Gone Down (an elegy to her mother); and Guinea Woman, all by Lorna Goodison.

Discovering Uganda ‘The Pearl of Africa’ with Patricia Kabuleeta Apr 30, 2023

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In this episode Gyles & Aphra Brandreth find out more about Uganda, once described by Winston Churchill as the ‘Pearl of Africa’. Speaking with Patricia Kabuleeta, Minister Counsellor at the Uganda High Commission in London, she shares her experiences growing up during the struggles in Uganda. Sharing poems that talk about the impact of the covid pandemic, the effects of climate change, of grief and of home. Patricia beautifully describes the story of her country, it’s history and the beauty and positive outlook for the future.

Poems in this episode include: Lullaby for Kainembabazi from What’s in a Name: Kainembabazi by Natasha Museveni Karugire; Okware Our Pandemic by Ethan Charles Mufuma, Uganda Junior Winner of the 2021Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition; Climate Crisis by Nelly A Kirungi; Home – What Does Home Mean to Me, a short essay By Sanyu Kaddu; and two poems by Tara Byanjeru: Time and No Longer do the Tears Drop.

Exploring Mozambique and its poetry Apr 16, 2023

Show notes

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet Albertina Mac Donald the High Commissioner for Mozambique in the UK. Discovering more about Mozambique and sharing poems that explore its past. Poems this episode include: If you Want to Know Me by Noemia de Sousa read by Wilma Terresa Vieira; and Black Outcry by José Craveirinha, translated by Stephen Gray.

Next stop Solomon Islands with Honorary Consul John Freeman Apr 02, 2023

Show notes

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth’s journey of discovery takes them to the Pacific to hear about Solomon Islands and its poetry. Meeting with the Honorary Consul for Solomon Islands in the UK, John Freeman, he shares his memories from his time spent there as a magistrate. On the islands there are at least 63 distinct languages spoken and John brings his knowledge of language including reading a poem translated into Pijin. Poems this episode include: City Sunset by Celestine Kulagoe; La Glace, a poem by Richard Bellon translated into Pijin by Jerolyn Vili; and an excerpt from Civilised Girl by Jully Makini.

Talking Poetry and Pakistan Mar 19, 2023

Show notes

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth are at the Riverside Studios in London meeting Urdu poet Dr Javaid Sheikh and his daughter Fatima. Describing Pakistan in just a minute, both Javaid and Fatima talk about Pakistan as it was when Dr Sheikh was growing up, and Pakistan for them both today. Discussing differing styles of poetry in Pakistan and hearing Urdu poems written by Dr Sheikh himself, and romantic Urdu poetry by the award winning poet Iftikhar Arif. Fatima also reads us two poems by the award winning poet, a pioneer in feminist poetry, Kishwar Naheed.

Poems in this episode include: A Strange Wish by Javaid Sheikh; The Grass is Like Me by Kishwar Naheed; A love Poem by Iftikhar Arif; Ghazal by Iftikhar Arif (translated by Ralph Russell) and The Auction House by Kishwar Naheed.

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