Sketch Poetry
Episodes
Invictus-William Ernest Henley 🏉
10 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us Fan Mail'Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole/I thank whatever Gods may be for my unconquerable soul...&ap...
A Christmas Carol (In the Bleak Midwinter) by Christina Rossetti. ✝️
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a text'In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan...'Joe is back with some poetry for you. In this episode he walks the ancient Y...
*Sketch Prose**-A Warning to the Curious by M.R James 👑
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a text"No diggin' 'ere."Support the showhttps://bsky.app/profile/sketchpoetry.bsky.socialWant to hear a poem? Pitch it (an...
**Sketch Prose** Stave 5-The End of It-A Christmas Carol
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Merry Christmas! God bless us, everyone.Support the showhttps://bsky.app/profile/sketchpoetry.bsky.socialWant to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the settin...
**Sketch Prose** Stave 4-The Third of the Spirits--A Christmas Carol
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scrooge is shown his future, and eventually (though it takes some time) realises he needs to change his ways. Support the showhttps://bsky.app/profil...
**Sketch Prose** Stave 3-The Second of the Spirits--A Christmas Carol
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scrooge is shown his present, and it's not what he was expecting. Support the showhttps://bsky.app/profile/sketchpoetry.bsky.socialWant to hear ...
**Sketch Prose** A Christmas Carol-Marley's Ghost by Charles Dickens
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Boo! This story needs no introduction.Once again, I found this recording from 2022 and I wanted to share it. If you want to hear the other Staves th...
**Sketch Prose** Stave 2-The First of the Spirits--A Christmas Carol
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scrooge is shown his past. Support the showhttps://bsky.app/profile/sketchpoetry.bsky.socialWant to hear a poem? Pitch it (and the setting in which y...
To Autumn-John Keats 🍂
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness...'Joe takes a stroll in his hometown and kicks through some autumn leaves in keeping with the wond...
Bridport Harbour-William Barnes 𓊝
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'Hill-warded haven, creek well found...'Joe takes a stroll in West Bay, Dorset and reads this little-known gem by William Barnes.Locals at t...
Four, for Pete.
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Four Larkin poems for my former teacher, mentor, and friend Mr. Pete Winfield. Poems: High Windows, Days, Church Going, An Arundel Tomb.Miss you, Pet...
Sonnet 18-William Shakespeare 🌞
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?'Joe takes a stroll to the theatre and discusses this summer sonnet by Shakespeare.Support the ...
To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time-Robert Herrick 🥀
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may...'Joe talks about Carpe Diem, and Robin Williams.Support the showhttps://bsky.app/profile/sketchpoetry.bsk...
Cut Grass-Philip Larkin 🌱
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'Cut grass lies frail...'Recorded last year originally for the Philip Larkin Society's 'Joe Riley Presents' mini-series.A gre...
The Building-Philip Larkin🏥
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'Higher than the handsomest hotel...'Joe has, through some tricky circumstances, been visiting a particular building and thinks you should w...
The Mower-Philip Larkin 🦔
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'The mower stalled, twice...'I've been asked to mow the lawn this weekend.Here's a throwback to late spring 2024, when I recorded ...
How to Leave the World that Worships Should-Ros Barber ✉️ (feat. Ros Barber)
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'Let faxes butter-curl on dusty shelves...'Joe rings in spring by sitting in a sunny space and reads this wonderful poem for turbulent times...
London-William Blake
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'I wander thro' each chartered street, near where the chartered Thames does flowAnd mark in every face I meet, marks of weakness, marks of w...
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening-Robert Frost ❄️
04 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'Whose woods these are I think I know...'Happy 2025!Get your coat, get your gloves, get your...horse. We're going for a very bracing jo...
The Raven-Edgar Allan Poe 🐦⬛
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'Once upon a midnight dreary...'A bumper Christmas episode. Enjoy during this bleak December!NEVERMORE!*Re-uploaded due to initial sound lev...
**Sketch Prose** Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad-M.R James 👻🎄
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Not poetry, but I recorded this last year and wanted to share it with you.A spooky tale for the fireside this Christmas by the masterful M.R James.Sce...
The Forest-Joe Riley
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
TW: Suicide.The Forest. An original poem by yours truly. Read along with it here.In honour of Movember, Joe shares his bad mental health day as well a...
Sketch Poetry-A Trailer
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The official trailer for Sketch Poetry. Share far and wide with anyone you think might like the show!Support the showhttps://bsky.app/profile/sketchpo...
Halloween in a Suburb-H.P Lovecraft 👻🎃
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'The steeples are white in the wild moonlight'Do not listen to this late at night.Support the showhttps://bsky.app/profile/sketchpoetry.bsky...
All Hallows-Louise Glück 🎃
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'Even now this landscape is assembling.'Joe kicks off spooky season with a little number from Louise Glück. There is a lot of preamble to g...
BBC Radio York Interview
19 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A recent radio spot Joe had with Hannah Sackville-Bryant from BBC York. They featured my Rossetti episode and I got to talk about the origins of the p...
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night-Dylan Thomas
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'Do not go gentle into that good night"noswaith dda from Joe as he allows himself a couple of cheeky stouts in the pub, which is fitting con...
Remember-Christina Rossetti
30 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'Remember me when I am gone awayGone far away into the silent land'Joe takes an early autumn walk and remembers his wonderful father. This e...
Wind-Ted Hughes
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'This house has been far out at sea all night'Hold onto your hat, it's a bit breezy. Joe goes for a stroll in the wind and explores thi...
Meditation on the A30-John Betjeman
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'A man on his own in a car'This week: Joe braves the A3O on his own, on a bike! Listen to his thoughts on JB's Meditation on the A30. ...
This Be the Verse-Philip Larkin
14 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'They fuck you up, your mum and dad.'Joe (and his daughter) discuss parenting.Support the showhttps://bsky.app/profile/sketchpoetry.bsky.soc...
The Trees-Philip Larkin
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'The trees are coming into leafLike something almost being said'Join Joe as he takes a stroll under some huge trees on his regular dog walk....
Church Going-Philip Larkin
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'Once I am sure there’s nothing going onI step inside, letting the door thud shut.'Join Joe as he alights his bike at St. Nicholas' c...
The Whitsun Weddings-Philip Larkin
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'That Whitsun, I was late getting away:'Join Joe on the train to London as he reads Larkin's masterpiece The Whitsun Weddings. Origina...