Audiobooks by John Skelton

Born in England – Exploring English Poetry - The East Midlands

"Poetry. A form of words that seems so elegantly simple in one verse and so cleverly complex in another. Each poet has a particular style, an individual and unique way with words and yet each of us seems to recognise the path and destination of where the verses lead, even if sometimes the full comprehension may be a little beyond us.Through the centuries every culture has produced verse to symbolize and to describe everything from everyday life, natural wonders, the human condition and even in its more hubristic moments, the crushing triumph of an enemy.In the volumes of this series, we take a look at poetry through the prism of individual regions of England, or sometimes more quaintly known as ‘Albion’, or ‘Blighty’, through the centuries of its gloried history.England, despite its perception of reserve and under-statement has, in reality, strode the global stage at various time in many things, both good and bad, from Empire to long distance running. Here our focus in on its literature. Famed for its fiction and dramas, it is equally admired for its plethora of gifted poets and the dazzling verse which has added so much to its artistic legacy. These classic poets are wonders of their age and of their art. Genius is written in their names.In this volume our poems come from the East Midlands in the centre of England. Once a vast manufacturing hub whose industries invented, created and exported the future to the entire world. From its industry and grime came poets of the first rank including Alfred Lord Tennyson, D H Lawrence, Anne Bradstreet, John Dryden, John Clare and many others."

Alfred Lord Tennyson, Anna Laetitia Barbauld, Anna Seward, Anne Askew, Anne Bradstreet, D.H. Lawrence, Francis Beaumont, Henry Kirke White, Jane Barker, Jean Ingelow, Jessie Pope, John Beaumont, John Clare, John Dryden, John Skelton, John William Streets, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Mary Leapor, Thomas Randolph, William Lisle Bowles (Author), Ghizela Rowe, Nigel Davenport, Richard Mitchley (Narrator)

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The Poet Laureates - Volume 1

"The office of Poet Laureate is a high honour amongst poets. The Ancient Greeks had the first idea and their heroes and Poets wore wreaths of Laurel in honour of the god Apollo. Many countries now have a Laureate as do many societies and organisations. But perhaps ranked first among them all is that of our own Poet Laureate. Unfortunately no single authentic definitive record exists of the office of Poet Laureate of England. In some form it can be traced back to 1189 and Richard Canonicus who was employed by Richard I with the title "versificator Regis". It is said that Geoffrey Chaucer was called Poet Laureate, being granted in 1389 an annual allowance of wine. After that there were a succession of 'volunteer Laureates'. It is not until 1617 that King James I created the post as it is known today for Ben Jonson, although it appears not to have been a formal appointment. That formality:- The title of Poet Laureate, as a royal office, was first conferred by letters patent on John Dryden in 1670 And from there we have procession of outstanding poets among them William Wordsworth, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Alfred Austin. Among our readers are Richard Mitchley and Ghizela Rowe."

Ben Jonson, Edmund Spenser, John Skelton (Author), Ghizela Rowe, Richard Mitchley (Narrator)

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The Renaissance Poets - Volume 1

"For our Renaissance Poets we start with the coming to the throne of Henry 8th in 1519. From then until its end, with the crumbling of the English Republic under Cromwell, in 1659 these poets capture a time when the World as they knew it then underwent tumultuous change. Within their ranks were Spenser, Donne, Milton, Shakespeare, Sidney, Jonson, Marvell, Drayton. It is a list rich and sumptuous, long and gloried. In these volumes we bring all these poets and others together to illustrate this poetical canon."

Ben Jonson, Edmund Spenser, John Skelton (Author), Alex Jennings, David Shaw-Parker, Richard Mitchley (Narrator)

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