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Do extraordinary times call for extraordinary kinds of writing and attention? Is it time to recalibrate, as William Wordsworth did in the middle of a revolutionary age, with his \\u2018Preface to the Lyrical Ballads\\u2019 ( his poetic manifesto with \\u2018emotion recollected in tranquillity' at its heart\\u2019)?

Join The Verb each week for \\u2018experiments in living\\u2019 and experiments in language, as we build a new writing manifesto with the help of all our guests.\\n\\u2003\\nThe first experiment is in nature poetry, and this week Ian is joined by Simon Armitage, the Poet Laureate. Simon has founded the Laurel Prize, an annual award for the best collection of nature or environmental poetry published over the last five years. He\\u2019s joined by fellow Laurel Prize judge, Moniza Alvi, whose latest poetry collection is \\u2018Blackbird, Bye Bye\\u2019.

Shortlisted for the Laurel Prize are Colin Simms for his collection \\u2018Hen Harrier Poems\\u2019, Pascale Petit for \\u2018Mama Amazonica\\u2019 and Karen McCarthy Woolf for \\u2018Seasonal Disturbances\\u2019. We hear readings of their poems on the programme. Karen\\u2019s work is scored by Andrea Allegra.

And we also welcome poet, musician, editor and plant-whisperer Jade Cuttle, who, along with Simon Armitage, will be judging the Gingko Prize for Ecopoetry . The prize is for a single poem; for more information on how to enter please visit https://ginkgoprize.com/

Jade Cuttle: https://www.jadecuttle.com/\\nMoniza Alvi: https://www.moniza.co.uk/\\nSimon Armitage: https://www.simonarmitage.com/

Presenter: Ian McMillan\\nProducer: Faith Lawrence