The Verb

13 June 2008

Friday 13 June 2008 21:45-22:30 (Radio 3)

Ian McMillan presents Radio 3's cabaret of language and talks to David Marriott, who is publishing his second volume of poetry, Hoodoo Voodoo. Plus lost Nobel Laureate Nellie Sachs.

Duration:

45 minutes

Emmanuel Jal

Emmanuel Jal

Playlist

The Verb this week considers ideas of exile and finding sanctuary in writing. Emmanuel Jal is a performance poet who tells Ian that words have helped him overcome his traumatic past: he was a boy soldier in Sudan, forced into warfare at just eight years old.

Meanwhile writers Nikita Lalwani and Mahfuz Ali have collaborated on a poem about exile by playing a game of poetic consequences, they each wrote their verses separately, and only saw the last line of the previous verse, written by their writing other half, before they wrote their own. They see - and read - an extract from the completed poem for the first time on The Verb. Nikita and Mahfuz are performing their poem on the South Bank on the 15th June. Find out more about Celebrating Sanctuary 2008.

Also this week, David Marriott talks about his poetry and the books which have inspired it; Peter Blegvad introduces a new eartoon and the latest in The Verb's series on Lost Nobel Literature Laureates: Nelly Sachs.

Hoodoo Voodoo by David Marriott is published by Shearsman.
Emmanuel Jal's album Warchild is on Sonic 360.


Radio 3's Focus On China Season is looking for your poetic responses to China.

The Verb

Episode and Playlist Information

• 27 Jun 08 Chinese literature
• 20 June 2008
• 13 Jun 08 David Marriott
• 6 June 2008
• 30 May 2008 Paul Batchelor
• 23 May 08 Saul Williams
• 16 May 08 Peter Blegvad