Apples and Snakes: The Podcast

In this episode, Yomi and Roy recognise the people and the environments that have created the poetry scene today. They talk on the process of publishing and how to maintain your voice and access rawness as you progress. Roy reads his poem ‘To the Heron who stood with me in the ruins of another Black mans life, After Gwendolyn Brookes and Gill Scott Heron’ Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

In this episode, Yomi speaks to T.S Eliot prize winning Anthony Joseph on what it means to be a poet and the various transitions through that journey. Anthony touches on the different landscapes he’s encountered, from firstly being on stage in a rock band in the 80s to traveling the world and the surprising pleasures along the way. Anthony reads his poem ‘Elbows of the land’ Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

In this week's episode, Yomi and Tolu talk about the various pressures, obstacles and communities they have encountered over the years. They discuss the late writing nights, juggling work and writing and the complexity of trusting your voice. Tolu shares her poem ‘Things I can't say’ Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

For our first episode of this brand new season, Yomi talks live with Malika Booker as part of our 40th Birthday Celebrations at Roundhouse. Yomi and Malika talk about poetry, lessons and the rituals that have formed a big part of their lives and writing journey. Malika shares her poem ‘Jesus in the wilderness’ Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

For our penultimate episode of the season, Yomi speaks with Kenny Baraka and John Bernard about the work that poets do when it comes to reaching those that are labelled "Hard to Reach". Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

This episode, Yomi chats with Josephine 'Realitie' Rollins and Adrian B. Earle talking about what it is like to experience the UK poetry scene as someone with a disability. How does it manifest in the work and what is it like during a performance. Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

For our first episode this season, Yomi talks with Be Manzini and Tanaka Fuego. Artists spend so much time creating wellbeing sessions for others but what does it look like when you do that same thing for yourself? What can you do to create your own safeguarding boundaries? Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios.

For this seasons final episode, we come back to the conversation between our host Yomi Sode, Kat Francois and Reece Williams They talk about they therapy that exists in Black poets having the space and scope to tell their own stories and spend some time considering how we can make platforms for younger Black and mixed Black poets to take up the mantel and pass the traditions on. Reece shares his poem 'The origin Story of Reece the Poet' Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios. Thanks for listening to Apples and Snakes: The Podcast! If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to find out when the next episode will drop, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app.

Back with host Yomi Sode and guests Casey Bailey and Que to continue the conversation around Poetry in education. This time they talk about access points to poetry and how we need to consider, more carefully, how to make poetry accessible and relatable to audiences that don’t see themselves or their lives reflected in poems that are taught in school. Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios. Thanks for listening to Apples and Snakes: The Podcast! If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to find out when the next episode will drop, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app.

We come back to our conversation with our host Yomi Sode and Khadijah Ibrahiim and Malaika Kegode discussing the importance of including regional voices when we talk about Black British poets. Spaces for development and growth are so important when poets are just starting out as the scene can feel very isolating. Both Malaika and Khadija have spent a lot of time creating spaces for this kind of development and here they share some of the amazing things that have come out of those spaces. Khadijah shares her poem 'Kitch' Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios. Thanks for listening to Apples and Snakes: The Podcast! If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to find out when the next episode will drop, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app.

Returning to the conversation of music and poetry, Yomi Sode continues to talk with Zena Edwards and Eklipse about music and poetry and the colonial implications that surround the page vs stage conversation. They talk about how Black poets are breaking the barriers that have been put in place when it comes to cultural authenticity and starting to ignore these restrictive ideals. Eklipse shares his track 'London City' (Prod. JayJForty7 & Eklipse) Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios. Thanks for listening to Apples and Snakes: The Podcast! If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to find out when the next episode will drop, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app.

As we return to the conversation of Publishing, in this episode, our host Yomi Sode talks with Caleb Femi and Nii Ayikwei Parkes about the the uniqueness of the point in time we are experiencing. Are poets are the true rock stars of the literary world? Why are there so many strange expectations and rules placed on poets in regards to what they should do, be and look like. Nii shares his poem ‘To Be in Love’ Apples and Snakes:The Podcast is hosted by Yomi Sode with Sound production by Drew at Lab Studios. Thanks for listening to Apples and Snakes: The Podcast! If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to find out when the next episode will drop, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app.

Welcome to the first series of our new Podcast. In this episode our host, Yomi Sode, talks with series Producer, Natalie Fiawoo about her journey into poetry and why it was important for Apples and Snakes to curate a series that focused solely on the experiences of Black British Poets.