All posts tagged: poets

Simon Armitage: Poets can fight climate crisis by making us spellbound by nature | Simon Armitage

Simon Armitage: Poets can fight climate crisis by making us spellbound by nature | Simon Armitage

Published by skeptic

Poets can help fight climate breakdown by making us “spellbound, full of wonder and beguiled” by nature, the poet laureate has said. Simon Armitage, who pledged to dedicate his writing and thinking to environmental issues when he was appointed poet laureate in 2019, has written a new book of poems called Blossomise, which he hopes will remind readers of the beauty of nature. Asked at the Hay festival in Powys about the role of poets in communicating the threat of climate breakdown, he said: “We do what we can. My feeling about this book is it’s slightly different from my other work in that there’s a lot of praise and wonder in it. “I think if we are spellbound and full of wonder and beguiled by nature we’re just less likely to want to destroy it, we’ll carry on wanting to preserve it. That’s my approach. “I wanted to celebrate and to recognise blossom as an incredibly joyful thing but I also wanted to write about the way the weather is upside down and the …

What songs from ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ made the cut in Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

What songs from ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ made the cut in Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

Published by skeptic

Taylor Swift introduced “The Tortured Poets Department” to the Eras Tour in Paris on Thursday, dramatically revamping a set list that’d been relatively static for more than a year. The Paris La Défense Arena show marked Swift’s return to live performing, after her last gig March 9 in Singapore. It was her first time onstage since the April 19 release of “Poets.” Fans had been wondering whether and how “Poets” would be integrated into her setlist, which had been about 45 songs long and largely unchanged since she kicked off Eras in March 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. In a video Swift recently posted to YouTube shorts, she showcased clips of what appeared to be rehearsals for the upcoming leg of the tour. Fans were quick to point out costumes and props they hadn’t seen before on the Eras Tour — including a short view of her dancers performing with hats and canes, as well as a quick glimpse of a barrier that appeared to show the “TTPD” logo. That all but sealed the deal that …

Taylor Swift performs The Tortured Poets Department songs live for the first time at Paris Eras Tour concert

Taylor Swift performs The Tortured Poets Department songs live for the first time at Paris Eras Tour concert

Published by Sam

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Taylor Swift has officially added several songs from her newest record, The Tortured Poets Department, to her Eras Tour. Fresh off the release of her well-received 11th studio album, Swift returned to the stage on Thursday (9 May) in Paris, France, where she performed several of the new tracks live for the first time. Following performances from her 1989 album, the 34-year-old superstar re-entered the stage dressed in a white gown, before launching into tracks from TTPD. She began with the album’s sixth song, “But Daddy I Love Him”, before jumping around and performing “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me”, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”, “loml”, “So High School”, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” and more. Ahead of her highly anticipated return to the road, Swift teased fans with a YouTube video of her tour rehearsal, where the intro of “Fortnight” could be heard …

‘Dead Poets Society’ Has Some Distinctly Australian Relevance

‘Dead Poets Society’ Has Some Distinctly Australian Relevance

Published by Sam

The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. This week’s issue is written by Damien Cave, the Australia bureau chief since 2017. With my 13-year-old daughter home for a break from her one-year adventure at a boarding school in the Australian bush, we put on an old movie the other night that she had asked to see: “Dead Poets Society.” As many of you probably know, it’s a coming-of-age story set at an American private school, starring an inspiring teacher played by Robin Williams. I loved it when it came out in 1989 (I was a young teen then myself), but when the director’s name — Peter Weir — appeared onscreen in my Sydney living room, I did a double take. I’d never realized that the movie, a beloved classic for many Americans, was directed by an Australian. Somehow, the same bloke responsible for Australian classics like “Gallipoli” and “Picnic at Hanging Rock” was also the director of very American favorites like “Dead Poets Society” and “The Truman Show.” Like me, or …

Josh Charles on ‘The Veil,’ His Tortured ‘Poets,’ and That ‘Good Wife’ Death

Josh Charles on ‘The Veil,’ His Tortured ‘Poets,’ and That ‘Good Wife’ Death

Published by skeptic

In Always Great, Awards Insider speaks with Hollywood’s greatest undersung actors in career-spanning conversations. In this installment, Josh Charles looks back at his teen breakouts in Hairspray and Dead Poets Society, through to his recent acclaimed work in We Own This City and The Veil. When Josh Charles first got a call from his old friend Ethan Hawke about appearing in a Taylor Swift music video, he assumed it was a prank. “I thought, Am I getting punked here?” Charles recalls. “But Ethan’s not the kind of guy that would punk me. He’s just not that dude.” Indeed, Hawke was serious—as was Swift, about having the two veteran actors reprise their breakout characters from 1989’s Dead Poets Society for the flagship single from her new album, The Tortured Poets Department. It’s about as unusual as full circle moments get in this business. “Ethan and I just were like, How can we not do this?” Charles says. “It’s kind of amazing to see a film that you made so long ago still affecting so many people.” …

A Therapist’s Take on “The Tortured Poets Department”

A Therapist’s Take on “The Tortured Poets Department”

Published by skeptic

cottonbro studio/Pexels The healing power of music is undeniable. Taylor Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department” (TTPD), has become a point of discussion particularly for those dealing with grief, loss, and heartbreak. As a licensed therapist and certified Swiftie, I have observed how Swift’s poetic lyricism and profound storytelling resonate deeply with my clients, providing them with a form of emotional catharsis. Why Feeling Heavy Emotions is Crucial for Healing TTPD is not just an album; it’s a journey through the complexities of human emotions. Swift’s ability to articulate deep-seated feelings makes her songs relatable and therapeutic. The themes of grief and loss are universal, yet each individual experiences them uniquely. Swift’s music offers a space for listeners to explore these heavy emotions in a way that words alone sometimes cannot. Truth be told, I listened to all 31 songs on the album the night they were released, taking only a half-hour break before diving into the anthology. By the end of the night, I was overwhelmed with emotions, feeling both heavy and full. …

Charlie Puth reacts to Taylor Swift shout-out on The Tortured Poets Department

Charlie Puth reacts to Taylor Swift shout-out on The Tortured Poets Department

Published by Sam

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Pop singer and producer Charlie Puth appeared to react to Taylor Swift naming him in the title track for her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. One of the most talked-about lyrics on the pop star’s record-breaking 11th album is when she sings: “You smoked, then ate seven bars of chocolate/ We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist/ I scratch your head, you fall asleep/ Like a tattooed golden retriever.” The mention of Puth sent Swifties (Swift fans) flocking to his social media to congratulate him for being mentioned on their favourite artist’s new album. Puth, known for hits including “We Don’t Talk Anymore” and “Attention”, has since reposted a picture from Swift’s Instagram showing her sitting with headphones over her ears. The words, “The Tortured Poets Department” are written over the top in black marker pen. The track is widely believed to be about Swift’s …

Taylor Swift’s ‘Tortured Poets Department’ claims top 14 spots on the Billboard 200 chart

Taylor Swift’s ‘Tortured Poets Department’ claims top 14 spots on the Billboard 200 chart

Published by skeptic

Taylor Swift poses on the red carpet as she attends the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, on February 4, 2024. MARIO ANZUONI / REUTERS Taylor Swift continues to dominate in the week following the release of her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department. The 31-track surprise double album has hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, tying Swift with Jay-Z for second-most No. 1 albums at 14 over the course of their respective careers. Only The Beatles, with 19 No. 1 albums, have had more. Poets has amassed 2.61 million equivalent album units, according to Luminate, the industry data and analytics company. A shocking 1.91 million of those units come from traditional album sales – people purchasing downloads, CDs, cassettes and vinyl. Vinyl accounts for 859,000 units sold, the highest number of vinyl sales in modern history. Swift’s is now the top-selling album of 2024 so far, eclipsing Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, which sold 228,000 units. (But streaming was a boon: Cowboy Carter hit 407,000 equivalent album units, a combination of pure …

All the Records Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Has Broken (So Far)

All the Records Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Has Broken (So Far)

Published by Sam

Taylor Swift is back to her record-breaking business. The 34-year-old songstress has shattered a number of records since releasing her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, and its lead single, “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone, on April 19.  On Sunday, Billboard announced that TTPD had made a historic debut atop its Billboard 200 albums chart with 2.61 million equivalent album units earned in the U.S. for its opening week. The album sold more than 1.9 million copies across traditional formats, including digital downloads, CDs, vinyl, and cassettes, and generated more than 891 million on-demand streams.  The outlet notes that, with 859,000 copies of the album sold on vinyl, it is the largest sales week for an album in that format in the modern era. Swift has now earned her 14th chart topper, extending her own record for the most No. 1 albums for a female artist and tying Jay-Z’s record for the most No. 1s by a solo artist. When it comes to all-time No. 1s, The Beatles still hold that record with a whopping 19.  …

Taylor Swift ‘overwhelmed’ as The Tortured Poets Department tops Billboard charts and breaks records

Taylor Swift ‘overwhelmed’ as The Tortured Poets Department tops Billboard charts and breaks records

Published by Sam

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Taylor Swift’s new album The Tortured Poets Department has debuted at No 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 2.61 million units, the highest for any album since Adele’s 25 in 2015. The singer reacted to the news by posting a carousel of polaroids from the recording of the album on social media: “My mind is blown. I’m completely floored by the love you’ve shown this album.” “2.6 million ARE YOU ACTUALLY SERIOUS?? Thank you for listening, streaming, and welcoming Tortured Poets into your life. Feeling completely overwhelmed.” “I was already so fired up to get back to the tour but you doing THIS?? May 9th can’t come soon enough,” she added, referring to the resumption of her Eras Tour concerts in Paris on 9 May. Billboard said traditional album sales, which include digital downloads, CDs, vinyl LPs and cassettes accounted for 1.914 million of the 2.61 million …