The Verb: Something New – The Poems

New poems commissioned by The Verb for the BBC centenary.

At Night
Written and read by Jackie Kay.
Deep Listening
Written and read by Emily Berry.
Signs
Written and read by Jackie Kay.
Last Listener at the Mid-Atlantic Frost Fair
Written and read by Michael Simmons Roberts.

Under One Roof
Written and read by Steven Camden.
Horse Chestnut Tree in Uppsala 2022
Written and read by Menna Elfyn.
Listen with Mother
Written and read by Jean Sprackland.
Kissing on the Radio
Written and read by Don Paterson.

Best Lullabies
Written and read by Paul Farley.
Night Ballad
Written and read by Sean Hewitt.
Tidings
Written and read by Geraldine Monk.
The Classified Football Results
Written and read by Denise Riley.

Bed
Written and read by Rachel Long.
Hardtack
Written and read by Paul Muldoon.
BBC, We Thank You
Written and performed by John Hegley.

Ashet
Written and read by Liz Lochhead.
Goblins
Written and read by Hannah Lowe.
Animals
Written and read by Hannah Lowe.

atopic dermatitis
Written and read by Daniel Sluman.
Speaker
Written and read by Jacob Polley.
Truth is never too old
Written and read by Roy MacFarlane.

The Boiler
Written and read by Luke Kennard
atlas
Written and read by Joelle Taylor
Honour
Written and read by Raymond Antrobus
Wednesday 6th January 2021
Written and read by Fred D'Aguiar

The Voice
Written and read by Moniza Alvi.
Root Your Words in the Earth
Written and read by Malika Booker.
Amelia's Model
Written and read by Michael Longley.
Oubliettes
Written and read by Will Harris.

For The BBC
Written and read by Sarah Howe.
Missing Time
Written and read by Hollie McNish.
Companion Piece
Written and read by Glyn Maxwell.
Covehithe Beach, after Matthew Arnold.
Written and read by Luke Wright.

Listening to Tennyson
Written and read by Rachael Boast.
Air
Written and read by Daljit Nagra.
Swallows
Written and read by Pascale Petit.
Agimat/Spell to Conjure A Beloved Voice
Written and read by Liz Berry.
Spawn
Written and read by Imtiaz Dharker.
I Should Be Out There Again
Written and read by Simon Armitage.

To read a poem on the page is like holding someone’s hand. To hear a poem at a reading is to feel part of a community. Listening to a poem on the radio combines the best of these two worlds. Ian McMillan celebrates a century of poetry on the BBC.

An Ode to John Keats
John Keats's stunningly fertile year – 1819 – celebrated by five leading contemporary poets.
Words and Music
A weekly journey of discovery, weaving together a range of music with poetry and prose read by leading actors.
Poetry Please
Selections of poetry on various themes, chosen by listeners, and introduced by Roger McGough.
Poetry Extra
Daljit Nagra revisits the BBC's poetry archive and finds the hidden gems.