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The Well Read Poem

by Thomas Banks

Because reading is interpretation, The Well Read Poem aims to teach you how to read with understanding! Hosted by poet Thomas Banks of The House of Humane Letters, these short episodes will introduce you to both well-known and obscure poets and will focus on daily recitation, historical and intellectual background, elements of poetry, light explication, and more!Play this podcast daily and practice reciting! The next week, get a new poem. Grow in your understanding and love of poetry by learning how to read well! Brought to you by The Literary Life Podcast.

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Episodes

  1. S20E6: "Christmas" by John Betjeman (S14 Encore)

    As befits the time of year, we are reading six poems of Advent and Christmas during this re-airing of the fourteenth season of the Well-Read Poem. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less...

  2. S20E5: "Noël" by Théophile Gautier (S14 Encore)

    As befits the time of year, we will be reading six poems of Advent and Christmas during this season of the Well-Read Poem, which is a re-airing of episodes from Season 14. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history…

    more

  3. S20E4: "Good King Wenceslas" by Vaclav Svoboda, trans. by John Mason Neale (S14 Encore)

    As befits the time of year, we will be reading six poems of Advent and Christmas. This series is a re-airing of episodes from Season 14. We have selected certain familiar poems, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less well-known...

  4. S20E3: "Christmas Carol" by Sara Teasdale (S14 Encore)

    As befits the time of year, we will be reading six poems of Advent and Christmas. This series is a re-airing of episodes from Season 14. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less well-known...

  5. S20E2: "Mistletoe" by Walter de la Mare (S14 Encore)

    As befits the time of year, we will be re-visiting six poems of Advent and Christmas during this twentieth season of the Well-Read Poem. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less well-known...

  6. S20E1: "The Magi" by William Butler Yeats (S14 Encore)

    As befits the time of year, we will be reading six poems of Advent and Christmas during this twentieth season of the Well-Read Poem. This series is a re-airing of episodes from Season 14. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and...

  7. S19E6: "Aubade" by Philip Larkin

    In this 19th season of the Well Read Poem, the principal theme of the six poems selected is that of Death. We selected these poems to provide a variety of imaginative treatments of what Henry James called "The Distinguished Thing", drawing on the writings of poets of different centuries, cultures...

  8. S19E5: "The Twa Corbies" Anonymous Scottish

    In this 19th season of the Well Read Poem, the principal theme of the six poems selected is that of Death. We selected these poems to provide a variety of imaginative treatments of what Henry James called "The Distinguished Thing", drawing on the writings of poets of different centuries, cultures...

  9. S19E4: "Ecclesiastes 12" from the King James Version

    In this 19th season of the Well Read Poem, the principal theme of the six poems selected is that of Death. We selected these poems to provide a variety of imaginative treatments of what Henry James called "The Distinguished Thing", drawing on the writings of poets of different centuries, cultures...

  10. S19E3: "Elegies 11.28" by Propertius (Translated by Constance Carrier)

    In this 19th season of the Well Read Poem, the principal theme of the six poems selected is that of Death. We selected these poems to provide a variety of imaginative treatments of what Henry James called "The Distinguished Thing", drawing on the writings of poets of different centuries, cultures...

  11. S19E2: "On a Dead Child" by Robert Bridges

    In this 19th season of the Well Read Poem, the principal theme of the six poems selected is that of Death. We selected these poems to provide a variety of imaginative treatments of what Henry James called "The Distinguished Thing", drawing on the writings of poets of different centuries, cultures...

  12. S19E1: "Epitaph on the Countess of Pembroke" by William Browne

    In this 19th season of the Well Read Poem, the principal theme of the six poems selected will be that of Death. We selected these poems to provide a variety of imaginative treatments of what Henry James called "The Distinguished Thing", drawing on the writings of poets of different centuries,...

  13. S18E6: "A Prayer for My Daughter" by William Butler Yeats

    Welcome back to Season 18 of the Well Read Poem. During this season, we are offering our listeners six poems about family life. The poems selected for this season are quite various in style and manner, and have been chosen for the light they shed on relationships between parents and children,...

  14. S18E5: "To My Brothers" by John Keats

    Welcome back to Season 18 of the Well Read Poem. During this season, we are offering our listeners six poems about family life. The poems selected for this season are quite various in style and manner, and have been chosen for the light they shed on relationships between parents and children,...

  15. S18E4: "Satire 6, Book 1" by Horace (trans. by John Conington)

    Welcome back to Season 18 of the Well Read Poem. During this season, we are offering our listeners six poems about family life. The poems selected for this season are quite various in style and manner, and have been chosen for the light they shed on relationships between parents and children,...

  16. S18E3: "To My Mother" by Robert Louis Stevenson

    Welcome back to Season 18 of the Well Read Poem. During this season, we are offering our listeners six poems about family life. The poems selected for this season are quite various in style and manner, and have been chosen for the light they shed on relationships between parents and children,...

  17. S18E2: "Forefathers" by Edmund Blunden

    Welcome back to Season 18 of the Well Read Poem. During this season, we are offering our listeners six poems about family life. The poems selected for this season are quite various in style and manner, and have been chosen for the light they shed on relationships between parents and children,...

  18. S18E1: "My Sister's Sleep" by Dante Rosetti

    During this season, we thought it appropriate to offer our listeners six poems about family life. The poems selected for this season are quite various in style and manner, and have been chosen for the light they shed on relationships between parents and children, between husbands and wives,...

  19. S17E6: "The Dissolution of the Monasteries" by William Wordsworth

    Welcome the final poem in Season 17 of the Well Read Poem! This season's theme is "When Homer Nods: Bad Poetry by Good Poets." Until this season, our readings on The Well Read Poem have nearly all been drawn from the well of the great, or at least the good, waters of poetry, which would of course...

  20. S17E5: "Poem of a Proposition of Nakedness" by Walt Whitman

    Welcome back to Season 17 of the Well Read Poem! This season's theme is "When Homer Nods: Bad Poetry by Good Poets." Until this season, our readings on The Well Read Poem have nearly all been drawn from the well of the great, or at least the good, waters of poetry, which would of course take a...

  21. S17E4: "To a Republican Friend" by Matthew Arnold

    Welcome back to Season 17 of the Well Read Poem! This season's theme is "When Homer Nods: Bad Poetry by Good Poets." Until this season, our readings on The Well Read Poem have nearly all been drawn from the well of the great, or at least the good, waters of poetry, which would of course take a...

  22. S17E3: "Sonnet 11: On the Desecration Which Followed My Writing Certain Treatises" by John Milton

    Welcome back to Season 17 of the Well Read Poem! This season's theme is "When Homer Nods: Bad Poetry by Good Poets." Until this season, our readings on The Well Read Poem have nearly all been drawn from the well of the great, or at least the good, waters of poetry, which would of course take a...

  23. S17E2: "The Death of King Charles II" by John Dryden

    Welcome back to Season 17 of the Well Read Poem! This season's theme is "When Homer Nods: Bad Poetry by Good Poets." Until this season, our readings on The Well Read Poem have nearly all been drawn from the well of the great, or at least the good, waters of poetry, which would of course take a...

  24. S17E1: "On the Jubilee of Queen Victoria" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

    Welcome back to Season 17 of the Well Read Poem! This season's theme is "When Homer Nods: Bad Poetry by Good Poets." Until this season, our readings on The Well Read Poem have nearly all been drawn from the well of the great, or at least the good, waters of poetry, which would of course take a...

  25. S16E6: "Summer" by Christina Rossetti

    Welcome to the final episode in Season 16 of The Well Read Poem podcast! Since summer is upon us, we thought it right to present six poems written on one subject or another in some way inspired by the present season. These works are of a diversity of hands, times, and moods, and we hope that they...

  26. S16E5: "On the Move" by Thom Gunn

    Welcome back to Season 16 of The Well Read Poem podcast! Since summer is upon us, we thought it right to present six poems written on one subject or another in some way inspired by the present season. These works are of a diversity of hands, times, and moods, and we hope that they will add...

  27. S16E4: "Adlestrop" by Edward Thomas

    Welcome back to Season 16 of The Well Read Poem podcast! Since summer is upon us, we thought it right to present six poems written on one subject or another in some way inspired by the present season. These works are of a diversity of hands, times, and moods, and we hope that they will add...

  28. S16E3: "July, 1964" by Donald Davie

    Welcome back to Season 16 of The Well Read Poem podcast! Since summer is upon us, we thought it right to present six poems written on one subject or another in some way inspired by the present season. These works are of a diversity of hands, times, and moods, and we hope that they will add...

  29. S16E2: "The Lonely Hunter" by William Sharp

    Welcome back to Season 16 of The Well Read Poem podcast! Since summer is upon us, we thought it right to present six poems written on one subject or another in some way inspired by the present season. These works are of a diversity of hands, times, and moods, and we hope that they will add...

  30. S16E1: "Summer Sun" by Robert Louis Stevenson

    Welcom to Season 16 of The Well Read Poem podcast! Since summer is upon us, we thought it right to present six poems written on one subject or another in some way inspired by the present season. These works are of a diversity of hands, times, and moods, and we hope that they will add something...

  31. S15E6: "Happy the Man, Who, Like Ulysses" by Joachim du Bellay trans. by Richard Wilbur

    For this fifteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we are reading six poems in translation, written by a variety of ancient and modern poets. We hope that our discussion of these poems will be both interesting and instructive to anyone with an interest in literary translation as an art, and that it...

  32. S15E5: "Ask Not (Odes I.11)" by Horace (trans. by John Conington)

    For this fifteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we are reading six poems in translation, written by a variety of ancient and modern poets. We hope that our discussion of these poems will be both interesting and instructive to anyone with an interest in literary translation as an art, and that it...

  33. S15E4: "I Do Not Like Thee, Doctor Fell" by Martial, trans. by Tom Brown

    For this fifteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we are reading six poems in translation, written by a variety of ancient and modern poets. We hope that our discussion of these poems will be both interesting and instructive to anyone with an interest in literary translation as an art, and that it...

  34. S15E3: "The Cat" by Charles Baudelaire (trans. by Roy Campbell)

    For this fifteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we are reading six poems in translation, written by a variety of ancient and modern poets. We hope that our discussion of these poems will be both interesting and instructive to anyone with an interest in literary translation as an art, and that it...

  35. S15E2: "Marsyas" by Jose-Maria de Heredia (trans. by Thomas Banks)

    For this fifteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we are reading six poems in translation, written by a variety of ancient and modern poets. We hope that our discussion of these poems will be both interesting and instructive to anyone with an interest in literary translation as an art, and that it...

  36. S15E1: "On His Brother's Death" by Catullus (trans. by Aubrey Beardsley)

    For this fifteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we want to thank Emily Williams Raible, who suggested the theme "Poems in Translation" to us*, who probably should have thought of it ourselves, but, for whatever reason, failed to do so. Be this as it may, it is a theme rich in possibilities, and…

    more

  37. S14E6: "Christmas" by John Betjeman

    As befits the time of year, we are reading six poems of Advent and Christmas during this fourteenth season of the Well-Read Poem. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less well-known pieces…

    more

  38. S14E5: "Noël" by Théophile Gautier

    As befits the time of year, we will be reading six poems of Advent and Christmas during this fourteenth season of the Well-Read Poem. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less well-known pieces...

  39. S14E4: "Good King Wenceslas" by Vaclav Svoboda, trans. by John Mason Neale

    As befits the time of year, we will be reading six poems of Advent and Christmas during this fourteenth season of the Well-Read Poem. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less well-known pieces...

  40. S14E3: "Christmas Carol" by Sara Teasdale

    As befits the time of year, we will be reading six poems of Advent and Christmas during this fourteenth season of the Well-Read Poem. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less well-known pieces...

  41. S14E2: "Mistletoe" by Walter de la Mare

    As befits the time of year, we will be reading six poems of Advent and Christmas during this fourteenth season of the Well-Read Poem. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less well-known pieces...

  42. S14E1: "The Magi" by William Butler Yeats

    As befits the time of year, we will be reading six poems of Advent and Christmas during this fourteenth season of the Well-Read Poem. We have selected certain familiar ones, which may yet contain certain surprises in their authorship and composition history, as well as some less well-known pieces...

  43. S13E6: "The English War" by Dorothy L. Sayers

    For the thirteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we will be reading six poems about war. War is, of course, one of the oldest subjects that has inspired the imagination of poets. The first of our great epics has at its center the war of the Greeks against the Trojans and the deadly hatreds it...

  44. S13E5: "The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna" by Charles Wolfe

    For the thirteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we will be reading six poems about war. War is, of course, one of the oldest subjects that has inspired the imagination of poets. The first of our great epics has at its center the war of the Greeks against the Trojans and the deadly hatreds it...

  45. S13E4: "Into Battle" by Julian Grenfell

    For the thirteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we will be reading six poems about war. War is, of course, one of the oldest subjects that has inspired the imagination of poets. The first of our great epics has at its center the war of the Greeks against the Trojans and the deadly hatreds it...

  46. S13E3: "To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars" by Richard Lovelace

    For the thirteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we will be reading six poems about war. War is, of course, one of the oldest subjects that has inspired the imagination of poets. The first of our great epics has at its center the war of the Greeks against the Trojans and the deadly hatreds it...

  47. S13E2: "To Pompeius" Ode 2.7 by Horace, trans. by John Davidson

    For the thirteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we are reading six poems about war. War is, of course, one of the oldest subjects that has inspired the imagination of poets. The first of our great epics has at its center the war of the Greeks against the Trojans and the deadly hatreds it…

    more

  48. S13E1: "David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan", 2 Samuel 1, KJV

    For the thirteenth season of the Well Read Poem, we will be reading six poems about war. War is, of course, one of the oldest subjects that has inspired the imagination of poets. The first of our great epics has at its center the war of the Greeks against the Trojans and the deadly hatreds it...

  49. S12E6: Idea 61, "Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part" by Michael Drayton

    For the twelfth season of the Well-Read Poem, we are reading four poems by William Shakespeare, whose genius as a lyric poet is best appreciated in his collection of 154 sonnets. Shakespeare is of course the supreme dramatic poet of the English language; yet if only his sonnets and shorter poems...

  50. S12E5: Delia 45, "Care-charmer Sleep, son of the sable Night" by Samuel Daniel

    For the twelfth season of the Well-Read Poem, we are reading four poems by William Shakespeare, whose genius as a lyric poet is best appreciated in his collection of 154 sonnets. Shakespeare is of course the supreme dramatic poet of the English language; yet if only his sonnets and shorter poems...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Because reading is interpretation, The Well Read Poem aims to teach you how to read with understanding! Hosted by poet Thomas Banks of The House of Humane Letters, these short episodes will introduce you to both well-known and obscure poets and will focus on daily recitation, historical and intellectual background, elements of poetry, light explication, and more!Play this podcast daily and practice reciting! The next week, get a new poem. Grow in your understanding and love of poetry by learning how to read well! Brought to you by The Literary Life Podcast.

HOSTED BY

Thomas Banks

Produced by Angelina Stanford

CATEGORIES

arts books education

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The Well Read Poem have?

The Well Read Poem currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The Well Read Poem about?

Because reading is interpretation, The Well Read Poem aims to teach you how to read with understanding! Hosted by poet Thomas Banks of The House of Humane Letters, these short episodes will introduce you to both well-known and obscure poets and will focus on daily recitation, historical and...

How often does The Well Read Poem release new episodes?

The Well Read Poem has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to The Well Read Poem?

You can listen to The Well Read Poem on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts The Well Read Poem?

The Well Read Poem is created and hosted by Thomas Banks.
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