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Words That BurnA Podcast About Poetry Author: Benjamin Collopy
Are you curious about poetry but find it a bit intimidating? Tune into Words that Burn, the podcast that aims to demystify poetry, one captivating poem at a time.Hosted by Ben, an Irish poetry enthusiast, this podcast takes a closer look at the world of poetic expression and technique.Each episode offers a comprehensive analysis of a selected poem, exploring the poet's biography, the cultural and historical backdrop, and the literary techniques that make these works profoundly moving.Whether you're a seasoned poetry aficionado or a curious beginner, Words that Burn provides an engaging and approachable way to enhance your appreciation and understanding of poetry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Language: en Genres: Arts, Books, Education Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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This Living Hand by John Keats
Episode 7
Wednesday, 29 October, 2025
For Halloween 2025, Words That Burn resurrects one of the most chilling poems in English literature: "This Living Hand" by John Keats. This short, macabre poem wasn't published until 77 years after Keats's death, making it feel like a genuine message from beyond the grave.In this special episode, we explore the poem's dark, gothic imagery and the terrifying "strange bargain" it offers the reader. We dissect its uncanny duality, its sense of dread, and the horrifying biographical context of Keats's final days; a "posthumous existence" of body horror that forged this masterpiece.I look at the poem's vampiric mechanism and Keats's desperate plea, not only for a transfusion of life, but for the artistic immortality he feared he'd never achieve.This episode covers:The dark history of Keats's "This Living Hand."How Keats's embrace of darkness ("the burden of mystery") set him apart from other Romantic poets.A close reading of the poem's body horror, from "earnest grasping" to the "icy silence of the tomb."The link between Keats's final, agonising days and the poem's "vampiric" plea for life.Why this poem is a perfect, terrifying read for the Halloween season.Follow the Podcast:Read the Script on SubstackFollow the Podcast On InstagramFollow the Podcast on X/TwitterFollow the Podcast on TiktokFollow the podcast on BlueskyThe Music In This Week's Episode:'Soul Searcher' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
