The Elephant In The Poetry Reading

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

20090119

For David Kinloch, a Scottish private school education ignored all Scottish literature and Robert Burns' image as a womaniser was a complication for a poet who hadn't yet come out.

David Kinloch discusses his attitude to Robert Burns' 'womanising'.

20090120

Liz Lochhead discusses her education in a Motherwell state school, which was infused with Burns - with reading, memorising and performing in competitions, which were the lifeblood of Burns appreciation.

Liz Lochhead discusses her education in a Motherwell state school.

20090121

Robert Crawford, a biographer of Burns as well as a poet himself, finds himself using the bard as a touchstone for the humanity of his own poetry.

Robert Crawford on using Burns as a touchstone for the humanity of his own poetry.

20090122

Kathleen Jamie is intrigued by Burns' ability to transform himself into whatever his audience required of him - even, in order to twist the tail of a lord, a river.

She visits the Falls of Bruar to observe the trick.

05 LAST

20090123

Douglas Dunn finds Burns too distant to be a direct influence on himself, but he sees the way that the poet's influence changed across the 20th Century.

Douglas Dunn discusses how Burns's influence changed during the 20th Century.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	*	20090119	For David Kinloch, a Scottish private school education ignored all Scottish literature and Robert Burns' image as a womaniser was a complication for a poet who hadn't yet come out. David Kinloch discusses his attitude to Robert Burns' 'womanising'.
02	*	20090120	Liz Lochhead discusses her education in a Motherwell state school, which was infused with Burns - with reading, memorising and performing in competitions, which were the lifeblood of Burns appreciation. Liz Lochhead discusses her education in a Motherwell state school.
03	*	20090121	Robert Crawford, a biographer of Burns as well as a poet himself, finds himself using the bard as a touchstone for the humanity of his own poetry. Robert Crawford on using Burns as a touchstone for the humanity of his own poetry.
04	*	20090122	Kathleen Jamie is intrigued by Burns' ability to transform himself into whatever his audience required of him - even, in order to twist the tail of a lord, a river. She visits the Falls of Bruar to observe the trick.
05 LAST	*	20090123	Douglas Dunn finds Burns too distant to be a direct influence on himself, but he sees the way that the poet's influence changed across the 20th Century. Douglas Dunn discusses how Burns's influence changed during the 20th Century.