Episodes
Series | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
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A Nocturnal Reverie | 20200821 | 20200822 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Poet and courtier Anne Finch was writing in the late 17th and early 18th centuries; one of the earliest published female poets, her work was praised by Wordsworth. Jenni Fagan takes inspiration from Finch's poem in praise of the night to create a dreamlike meditation on power and rebellion. Credits Writer - Jenni Fagan Reader ... Eileen Walsh Producer ... Eilidh McCreadie A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4 Jenni Fagan's dreamlike story inspired by the poetry of Anne Finch. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
A Thunderstorm In Town | 20180128 | 20211127 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 3/5 A young couple thrown together by a sudden downpour are on the brink of a declaration. An insightful story inspired by Thomas Hardy's poem of unrequited love. By Lucy Ribchester. Credits Writer - Lucy Ribchester Reader - Catriona McFarlane Producer - Eilidh McCreadie A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Lucy Ribchester's story of a budding romance casts new light on a Thomas Hardy poem. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
Carpe Diem | 20200807 | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Cathy Forde takes inspiration from Horace's famous ode to write a moving story about the reality of being a carer. | ||
Crossing The Bar | 20180427 | 20180428 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 1/4 An adventurous woman makes an unexpected journey. A captivating story inspired by Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem about the journey from life to death. By novelist and short-story writer, Linda Cracknell. Credits Writer - Linda Cracknell Reader - Irene Macdougall Producer - Claire Simpson A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Linda Cracknell's captivating story inspired by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
Dawn | 20221028 | 20221029 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 3/3 Two young women struggle to find places within a society that denies their freedom. A bold tale from performance storyteller Mara Menzies, inspired by African poet Gladys Casely-Hayford's unexpected take on a topic much loved by poets. Credits Written and performed by Mara Menzies Produced by Eilidh McCreadie A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Mara Menzies' exploration of power is inspired by Gladys Casely-Hayford's poem. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
Goblin Market | 20180204 | 20211204 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 4/5 An artist arrives in a market town to create an installation and becomes entranced by a sinister fruit-seller. An evocative story inspired by Christina Rossetti's poem about goblins who sell enchanted fruit. By Louise Welsh. Credits Writer - Louise Welsh Reader - Lesley Hart Producer - Kirsty Williams A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Louise Welsh's evocative story inspired by Christina Rossetti's poem. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
Grey Evening | 20180601 | 20180602 (R4) | Beatrice Colin's witty story is inspired by DH Lawrence's poem Grey Evening. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven | 20180928 | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. A woman weaves a patchwork quilt for her mother. An enchanting story about how we express love. By PK Lynch. Credits | ||
Hope Is The Thing With Feathers | 20180211 | 20211211 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 5/5 A man tries to revive his marriage. A poignant story inspired by Emily Dickinson's poem about hope stirring, even in the darkest of times. By the poet and short-story writer, Kathryn Simmonds. Credits Writer - Kathryn Simmonds Reader - Robert Jack Producer - Kirsty Williams A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Kathryn Simmonds' poignant story inspired by Emily Dickinson. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
Jubilate Agno | 20220121 | 20220123 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 2/3 A young woman, surrounded by silence, finds solace in the freedom of the outdoors. A moving story inspired by Christopher Smart's Jubilate Agno', by Jessie Greengrass. Credits Writer - Jessie Greengrass Reader - Jessica Hardwick Producer - Claire Simpson A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. A poignant short story by Jessie Greengrass, inspired by Christopher Smart. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
Lines, 1933 | 20220114 | 20220116 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 1/3 A young woman at the heart of her community weighs up the joys and perils of companionship. A humorous story inspired by Orcadian poet Ann Scott-Moncrieff's bold declaration of independence. By Duncan McLean. Credits Writer - Duncan McLean Reader - Eilidh Fisher Producer - Eilidh McCreadie A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Duncan McLean's tale of love and dairy produce is inspired by Ann Scott-Moncrieff's poem. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
Nest Eggs | 20180720 | 20180721 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. A teacher encourages his pupils to take imaginative flight in David Almond's story inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's poem. Writer... David Almond Reader... Simon Donaldson Producer... Eilidh McCreadie A BBC Scotland production for BBC Radio 4. A thoughtful story about teaching from David Almond, inspired by RL Stevenson's poem. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
On Being Brought From Africa To America | 20200814 | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. 'On Being Brought from Africa to America' As a child, Phillis Wheatley was sold into slavery and taken from West Africa to America. Within 15 years, she had become the first African-American to have a collection of poems published. Fred D'Aguiar creates a powerful and moving story inspired by her poem about faith and enslavement. Credits | ||
The Grey Eagle | 20221021 | 20221022 (R4) | Harry-Josephine Giles draws inspiration from Fiona MacLeod's poem 'The Vision'. The Grey Eagle is a warm story of transformation and discovery through the streets of Venice and the hills of Scotland, and its impact on a treasured friendship Read by Matthew Zajac Written by Harry Josephine Giles Produced by Naomi Walmsley A story of transformation and friendship inspired by Fiona MacLeod's poem The Vision. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
The Idler | 20200731 | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. Poet, essayist and activist, Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson was a mixed-race American born in Louisiana a decade after the Civil War. Hannah Lavery takes inspiration from her poem about an idle man to create a moving and timely meditation on the value of taking life at a slower pace. Credits | ||
The Lamb | 20190816 | 20190817 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for contemporary stories. Inspired by 'The Lamb', from William Blake's Songs of Innocence, a moving story of love and inheritance. Written by Pippa Goldschmidt. Read by Kay McAllister. Producer: Eilidh McCreadie A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2019. Pippa Goldschmidt's story of love and inheritance inspired by Blake's poem 'The Lamb'. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
The Night Is Darkening Round Me | 20221014 | Writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. 'The Night is Darkening Round Me' Read by Caitr쀀ona Balfe. Linda's on a cliff-side walk with her partner when she slips, falls and finds herself caught in a fragment of time. Eugene O'Hare's captivating story inspired by Emily Bront뒀s poem. Credits | ||
The Town Marshal | 20220128 | 20220130 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for an original short story. Episode 3/3 An unusual event disrupts a training session in a prison. A powerful story inspired by Edgar Lee Masters briefly banned Spoon River Anthology. By Phil Crockett Thomas. Credits Writer: Phil Crockett Thomas Reader: Carl Prekopp Producer: Naomi Walmsley A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Phil Crockett Thomas' portrait of a prison officer is inspired by Edgar Lee Masters. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
Three Things Which Come Unasked | 20190809 | 20190810 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for contemporary stories. An anonymous Gaelic poem is the inspiration for this witty contemporary story Written by Iain Finlay Macleod. Read by Fiona MacNeil. Producer: Gaynor Macfarlane. A BBC Scotland production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2019. Iain Finlay Macleod's witty contemporary story inspired by an anonymous Gaelic poem. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
What Are You Missing? | 20190802 | Writers choose poems as inspiration for contemporary stories. A story inspired by Praxilla, a Greek poet writing in the 5th Century BC. Only fragments of her work remain - a lyrical story inspired by Praxilla's hymn from the Underworld in which Adonis answers the question of what he misses most from life on eart | ||
You And I | 20190726 | 20190727 (R4) | Writers choose poems as inspiration for contemporary stories. Inspired by the 13th century Persian poet Rumi, a terraced garden in Italy is the setting where a relationship blossoms between a young African slave girl and the heir to a Sultan's throne. Written by Leila Aboulela. Read by Adura Onashile. Producer: Bruce Young A BBC Scotland production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2019. A relationship blossoms between a slave girl and the heir to a Sultan's throne. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. | |
01 | Ozymandias | 20170122 | 20211009 (R4) | 5 writers choose 5 poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 1/5 Looking An unwelcome visitor inspires a meditation on permanence. A powerful story inspired by Shelley's poem 'Ozymandias', by the Booker long-listed author James Robertson. Credits Writer - James Robertson Reader - Andy Clark Producer - Eilidh McCreadie A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. James Robertson's powerful story inspired by Shelley's poem Ozymandias. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. |
01 | Song Of Myself | 20170212 | 20211030 (R4) | 5 writers choose 5 poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 4/5 Gold A traveller finds freedom in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A story inspired by Walt Whitman's 'Song of Myself', by Janice Galloway. Credits Writer - Janice Galloway Reader - Anne Lacey Producer - Eilidh McCreadie A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. An uplifting story by Janice Galloway, inspired by Walt Whitman's poem Song of Myself. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. |
01 | Tao Te Ching | 20170219 | 20211106 (R4) | 5 writers choose 5 poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 5/5 The Between Parted from her translator, a deaf student tries to find her way in a new country. A reflective story inspired by Laozi's 'Tao Te Ching' by author and artist Louise Stern. Credits Writer - Louise Stern Reader - Karen Bartke Producer - Eilidh McCreadie A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. The Between: Louise Stern's meditation on silence inspired by the Tao Te Ching of Laozi. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. |
01 | The Relic | 20170205 | 20211023 (R4) | 5 writers choose 5 poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 3/5 A young poet remembers his muse. A poignant story inspired by John Donne's poem about love and immortality. By the best-selling novelist, Salley Vickers. Credits Writer - Salley Vickers Reader - Paapa Essiedu Producer - Kirsty Williams A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Salley Vickers' poignant story inspired by John Donne's poem about love and immortality. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. |
01 | Transformations | 20170129 | 20211016 (R4) | 5 writers choose 5 poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 2/5 A young woman finds herself transformed into a tree. An entrancing story inspired by Thomas Hardy's poem about life after death. By the award-winning playwright, Oliver Emanuel. Credits Writer - Oliver Emanuel Reader - Shauna Macdonald Producer - Kirsty Williams A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Oliver Emanuel's entrancing story inspired by Thomas Hardy. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. |
02 | The Oracle At Glencolumbkille | 20180121 | 20211120 (R4) | 5 writers choose 5 poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 2/5 A teenager at a crossroads in her life visits a famous Oracle for advice. A new story inspired by 'The Homeric Hymn to Apollo', written by Garrett Carr author of The Rule of the Land. Credits Writer - Garrett Carr Reader - Cara Kelly Producer - Claire Simpson A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Engaging short story by Garrett Carr, inspired by the Homeric Hymn to Apollo. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. |
02 | The Windhover | 20180114 | 20211113 (R4) | 5 writers choose 5 poems as inspiration for new stories. Episode 1/5 A mother tells the story of how her son came to be part of the family. A story inspired by Gerard Manley Hopkins' 'The Windhover', by Merryn Glover Credits Writer - Merryn Glover Reader - Alison Peebles Producer - Claire Simpson A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4. Merryn Glover's uplifting story inspired by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Short story series in which writers choose poems as inspiration for new stories. |