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'Ask yourself, in the still of your night, must I write?'

In ‘Letters to a Young Woman Poet’ - three of our most celebrated poets: Gillian Clarke, Penelope Shuttle and Grace Nichols, explore the deep pleasure of writing, the poetry of menstruation, sensuality and motherhood, and offer advice to younger writers - in a programme which includes the creative insights of the Bohemian poet Rainer Maria Rilke – who began the iconic correspondence known as ‘Letters to a Young Poet’ 120 years ago.

Quotations from 'Letters to a Young Poet' trans. M.D.Herter Norton

Produced by Faith Lawrence
Mixed by Sue Stonestreet

Poems read in full:
‘Confirmation’ - Grace Nichols
‘Ashes, Blood ‘- Penelope Shuttle
‘Sheila Na Gig at Kilpeck’ – Gillian Clarke
‘Invitation’ – Grace Nichols
‘Mother and Child’ - Penelope Shuttle
‘Times Like These’ - Gillian Clarke
‘Moon Mothers’ - Grace Nichols