We, The Poets

About We, The Poets

Hi! Welcome to the poetic realm of ’We, the Poets’! Join us as we dive deep into the vibrant world of poetry, where some of the most electrifying legends in the field take center stage. Led by Mark Grist & featuring a hosting panel from across the midlands, we’re bringing you voices at the pinnacle of their craft, sharing poetry from our guests & listeners each month as we dive into our vibrant community & the remarkable journey we get to go on as poets. Forget about the endgame – we’re here to celebrate the wild, messy, and utterly glorious process of creating something beautiful with words. We’d love you to join us!

Publisher

wethepoets

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

14 May 2024

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

22 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Oct 2026

   S3 E5 – Getting Your Words Out There (Ft. Henry Normal & Nottingham Poetry Festival)

   How do you get your poetry published, performed, played on the radio or heard by new audiences—especially when your budget is precisely £0? In this Nottingham Poetry Festival special, Mark Grist and producer Chris Barn look back on a day of poetry, conversation and live recording at Rough Trade Nottingham. Jay Sandhu hosts an industry panel featuring Amy Acre from Bad Betty Press, Dean Jackson from BBC Upload, Hannah Trevarthen from Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature and Mark representing We, The Poets. Together, they discuss what they look for in new work, how to approach publishers and poetry organisations, recording good audio with nothing more than a phone—and why rejection is an essential part of building a creative career. There’s practical advice for emerging poets, including how to find the right home for your writing, why you don’t need expensive equipment and a great way to turn rejections into a well-earned reward. Mark also interviews writer, poet and producer Henry Normal, whose collection New Modelling for the Afterlife was one of the books that first made Mark believe he could write and perform poetry himself. Henry talks about failure, humour, AI, imposter syndrome, writing for the page and stage, knowing when a poem is finished and why creativity is ultimately about communicating with another human being. He finishes with his poem “Better Days”. ✨ This episode also features poetry from Elizabeth Harrison, Chris Oliver, Binny, Emily Ralph and Hal The Poet. Content note: one featured poem contains references to racism and domestic abuse connected with football and alcohol. Find out more: Nottingham Poetry Festival: https://nottinghampoetryfestival.comHenry Normal: https://henrynormal.comBad Betty Press: https://badbettypress.comNottingham UNESCO City of Literature: https://nottinghamcityofliterature.com Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode? Email mark@wethepoets.com. Recorded at Rough Trade Nottingham and produced by Chris Barn at Backland Studios, with public funding from Arts Council England.

2. 

   3 Sept 2026

   S3 E4 – How Big Do You Want To Be? (Ft. Dean Atta, Leanne Moden & Mark Grist)

   Dean Atta joins Mark Grist and Leanne Moden to talk about ambition, community, comparison and building a life as a writer, as he prepares to release his new novel Big Man. Also featuring poetry from Bradley Taylor and Abi Willock.

3. 

   5 Aug 2026

   S3 E3 – The Hidden Curriculum (Ft. Hannah Lowe, Jay Sandhu & Mark Grist)

   Award-winning poet Hannah Lowe joins Mark Grist and Jay Sandhu to explore education, creativity, assessment and the hidden lessons that shape us as writers and as people.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 17 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

21

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact We, The Poets

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.