Classic Poetry

The finest voices reading a wonderful selection of poetry accompanied by selected classical music.

Widely regarded as one of the leading war poets, Owen's work is powerful and shocking, illustrating the true horror faced by soldiers during the First World War.

I'm Miss Misinformation, it's my gratifying task to tell you all you need to know, you only need to ask. The seas are thick with elephants the skies are purple straw, you measure with an octopus, you hammer with a saw. Rat for lunch! Rat for lunch! Yum! Delicious! Munch munch munch! One by one...

Milton was to now publish his greatest works, which had been gestating for many years. Paradise Lost, perhaps the classic English epic poem was originally published in 10 books in 1667. This was followed by Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes in 1671. Because of his anti-monarchy views their reception was muted, but over the centuries since, Milton has established himself as second only to Shakespeare. He died of kidney failure on November 8th, 1674, and was buried in the church of St Giles Cripplegate.

The Pulitzer Prize winner’s final written work: poems of penetrating acceptance and humor, whose soul-sweeping gaze encompasses his own autobiography and the broken world he nonetheless gives thanks for “His hands strip poetry to its nub.” —Los Angeles Times “Reading [Wright] is like...

From award-winning poet and novelist Phillip B. Williams, an astonishing new collection that revels in the possibility of creating one's own light Captivating for both its grandeur and intimacy, Lift Every Voice explores the capacity for the past to be both a source of dread and empowerment, an...

Hero and Leander is a Greek myth concerning the tragic story of two lovers. One was a priestess of Aphrodite who lived in a tower in Sestos, and the other a young man from Abydos on the opposite side of the strait. Leander fell in love with Hero and would swim every night across the Hellespont to spend time with her, with Hero's lamp at the top of her tower as his guiding light, and they shared a warm summer of love.

Après des études littéraires perturbées par une santé fragile, le jeune Marcel Proust passe une licence de lettres et de philosophie, une autre de droit mais sans désir de carrière. Cependant dès l'adolescence, paraissent en revue des nouvelles, pastiches, portraits, essais et poèmes en vers et en prose qu'il réunit sous forme d'itinéraire et publie à l'âge de 25 ans sous le titre Les plaisirs et les jours.

In this modern audio version, you get to know the amazing world of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam and Edward FitzGerald. Discover how Rubiyat captured the world's imagination and became one of the most famous poems ever.

Written in the Middle English of the late 14th century, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight survives in a single manuscript which also contains three religious poems including "Pearl", written it seems by the same author, who is therefore referred to as The Pearl Poet. The poem tells the story of an incident at the court of King Arthur, involving Sir Gawain’s acceptance of a challenge from the mysterious Green Knight, and leading to a test of his chivalry and courage.

Robert Browning (1812-1889), playright and poet, is known and admired for his dramatic monologues in blank verse, of which he is a recognized master. He was not always popular in his own time but is now considered one of the foremost poets of Victorian England.

Listening to The Satires by Juvenal is to come face to face with the corruption, the debauchery, the waste, the sloth, and the mean-spirited greed of ancient Rome...or is it more like modern times? Indeed, these masterpieces of biting social commentary could easily have been written today about any number of metropolitan areas we are all familiar with.

On a cliff far away is a house at the edge of the world: Hope House. But it isn't like any other... When eleven-year-old Amal and her family inherit a house from a long lost relative, they can't believe their luck. But only Amal seems to notice there's anything unusual about it. Like the way the...

Os Lusíadas é um poema épico que marcou a língua portuguesa, escrito há mais de 450 anos. Inspirado pelas epopéias gregas, foi escrito pelo poeta português Luís Vaz de Camões e publicado em 1572. Ao narrar as aventuras de Vasco da Gama em sua jornada para as Índias, o poeta engrandece as grandes navegações e o próprio homem português que desbravou o mundo em busca de novas terras. Por meio dos cantos, também conta a história de fundação de Portugal, mitos e lendas locais.

The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke is a classic Australian work of poetry composed by renowned poet, C.J. Dennis (1876-1938). This verse-novel chronicles Bill's coming-of-age through romance, love, and fatherhood. From rambunctious street-strolling youth to settled, responsible father, Bill's story unfolds with keen Aussie larrikinism and humour. This work is narrated as a duet by Denis Daly (Bill) and Sarah Bacaller (Doreen).

This collection, first published in 1914, contains 28 short pieces in prose and verse, which present themes frequently explored in Gibran's other works. These include love, death, creation myths and spiritual realization.

A collection of the greatest poetry from the Romantic period, read by some of the 20th century’s most renowned actors. Love, romance and portrayals of nature are played out in these timeless readings of poetry written during the Romantic period. Performed by Richard Burton, Peter Orr, William Squire, Richard Marquand, Peggy Ashcroft, Margaretta Scott, Tony Church, Derek Godfrey, Patrick Garland, Gary Watson and Janette Richer. This collection includes poems from: William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Blake, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats.

A collection of the greatest poetry from the Victorian era, read by some of the 20th century’s most renowned actors. Science, religion and sexuality are played out in these timeless readings of poetry written during the Romantic period.

The speckled hen laid twelve eggs in her hidden nest at the top of the hay pile in the barn and the very last one, whom she called Humpty Dumpty, was the largest of all. The nest was very crowded and so the eggs began kicking each other to get more space for themselves. Humpty Dumpty, being on the very edge of the next, was kicked completely out and then decided to look about the wide world to see what he could see.

January - the first month of the year in the Gregorian calendar ushers in the New Year. the cold and bleak landscape of winter nevertheless provides a rich background for our esteemed poets, such as Byron, Longfellow, Cowper, and Dickinson, to offer us their reflections and counterpoints.