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Poet Laureate Armitage Pens Lockdown Reflections in 'New Cemetery'
16 Nov
Summary
- Poet Laureate Simon Armitage shares poems from 'New Cemetery' collection
- Alistair McGowan blends comedy and poetry in 'Not what we were expecting'
- Joelle Taylor's 'Maryville' explores lesbian lives and relationships
On November 16, 2025, BBC Radio host Ian McMillan welcomed a trio of acclaimed poets to his show. Headlining the episode was Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, who shared poems from his recently published collection 'New Cemetery'. Inspired by a cemetery being built near his home during the COVID-19 lockdown, Armitage's work meditates on mortality, nature, and the act of writing itself.
Also featured was impressionist and comedian Alistair McGowan, who read from his poetry book 'Not what we were expecting'. McGowan's humorous yet tender verses explore topics ranging from a tussle between a sofa and a cat to the nuances of using 'that' versus 'who' or 'which'.
Rounding out the lineup was Joelle Taylor, the TS Eliot Prize-winning poet whose new book 'Maryville' has been praised as "a consistently dazzling work of art" by Bernadine Evaristo. Taylor's poems transport listeners to a mythical bar that serves as a stage and safe space for lesbian lives and relationships.
