'Whose woods these are I think I know...'

Happy 2025!

Get your coat, get your gloves, get your...horse. We're going for a very bracing journey through the wintery landscape of this lovely poem.

Audio at the beginning from the Cohen Brothers' masterpiece neo-Western: No Country for Old Men.

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Want to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the setting in which you think it could be read) to me here:
thesketchpoet@gmail.com

'Once upon a midnight dreary...'

A bumper Christmas episode. Enjoy during this bleak December!

NEVERMORE!

*Re-uploaded due to initial sound level issues.

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Want to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the setting in which you think it could be read) to me here:
thesketchpoet@gmail.com

Boo!
This story needs no introduction.

Once again, I found this recording from 2022 and I wanted to share it.

If you want to hear the other Staves then please get in touch with me via email/subscribe.

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Want to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the setting in which you think it could be read) to me here:
thesketchpoet@gmail.com

Not poetry, but I recorded this last year and wanted to share it with you.
A spooky tale for the fireside this Christmas by the masterful M.R James.

Sceptical Professor Parkins takes a trip to Burnstow to indulge in some research, and play some golf. He finds a mysterious whistle in the ruins of an old preceptory and, foolishly, blows it. From this point on, he is pursued by...what?

Stoke the fire or light a candle, settle back in a comfy chair, pour yourself a large glass of something strong; you may need it.


Soundscape provided by the excellent Bethan Briggs-Miller of the Eerie Essex podcast.

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Want to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the setting in which you think it could be read) to me here:
thesketchpoet@gmail.com

TW: Suicide.

The Forest. An original poem by yours truly. Read along with it here.

In honour of Movember, Joe shares his bad mental health day as well as a poem about the suicide forests of Mount Fuji. While this poem is dark, the episode is meant to be cathartic--nobody is truly alone in this world.

To donate to Joe's Movember page: click here.

For a bit of Joe's singing (which might cheer you up, though no guarantees) have a look here:
https://www.youtube.com/@Rileysings88

If you are affected by any of the issues in this poem/episode then please contact https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ without delay.
If you just want to talk about the episode then you are welcome to email me and I will get back to you, though please remember I am not a healthcare professional.

Be kind to yourself, take good care.

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Want to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the setting in which you think it could be read) to me here:
thesketchpoet@gmail.com

The official trailer for Sketch Poetry. Share far and wide with anyone you think might like the show!

Support the show

https://bsky.app/profile/sketchpoetry.bsky.social
Want to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the setting in which you think it could be read) to me here:
thesketchpoet@gmail.com

'The steeples are white in the wild moonlight'

Do not listen to this late at night.

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Want to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the setting in which you think it could be read) to me here:
thesketchpoet@gmail.com

'Even now this landscape is assembling.'
Joe kicks off spooky season with a little number from Louise Glück. There is a lot of preamble to go with Joe's ambling, so if you want to get straight to the poem skip to 14 mins.

This was suggested by the wonderful Jim Moon of the Hypnogoria podcast and I highly recommend you listen to his show here: https://www.hypnogoria.com/hypnogoriapodcast.html

There will be more spooky things, stay tuned.

Support the show

https://bsky.app/profile/sketchpoetry.bsky.social
Want to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the setting in which you think it could be read) to me here:
thesketchpoet@gmail.com