Hollie McNish's poem on Women's Hour

[PurveyorOfWoo]

Did anyone else catch Hollie McNish's poem 'Wow' that she read on R4 Womens Hour for the Women of the World festival?

It provoked such a visceral reaction in me I actually cried!

It really is worth catching if you can - Listen again is not available yet, but should be by tomorrow, it is the first thing so you won't have to listen to the whole hour.

It's all about bodies aging and the pressures to be perfect and obliterate all the stories our bodies tell, particularly from having children.

I just started the same thread in Feminism! It should be the MN anthem, dontcha think?

It was Amazing!

I listened to it and thought it was really good.

Me too... amazing and beautiful... I was searching for it on net as want to send to NCT buddies - I have a six month old and it totally hits the spot and is such an empowering message for women lamenting their postpregnancy bodies.

It was great wasn't it? There was another poem she read on WH a few months' ago which was also fabulous

If anyone finds the text - or a playback link - let us know please! Have been fighting with BBC iPlayer but can't get it to let me listen to the beginning of the program... grr.

A stunning poem, would like to send it to every woman I know (with Hollie's permission, of course!)

I heard it.......was very moving. Would love hear it again and load it on ipod - will it be on a podcast at all do you know?

I have just been searching for it too! If anyone finds the text online could they please post the link - ta

I have found a collection of poems she has written about pregnancy and childbirth here (although doesn't include Wow) which you can download for free. Although if you make a donation, she will give it to a charity which educates girls :)

The iplayer link is up so perhaps you could transcribe it?

Should be available as a podcast too

Here's the link www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00z629x/Womans_Hour_11_03_2011/

It's at 01.45. :)

WOW!!!

I started listening to it very umimpressed, and thinking it was all a bit trite and cliched, but was in tears by the end!

Wonderful stuff.

Some of her other stuff -

Push Kick A Journey Through The Beauty Brilliance And Bollocks Of Having A Baby

I loved this morning's poem too!

I was lucky enough to be in the live audiance this morning and watched her perform, I spoke to her after the show and she was really engaging. She then performed a few more poems in the foyer of the Royal festival hall - all of which were strong and emotive. She has a c.d. out called 'Touch', I intend to get a copy!

I also cried, while driving down the A14!! Incredible poem. I promised myself when I got home to find a copy of it and frame it but can't seem to find it on the web.

Thanks for the link Geraldine. Just listened again ... and I'm back in tears

Really worth a listen if you didn't catch it this morning.

Shameless bump

Hey, I just wanted to say am so so pleased you all enjoyed the poem! I wrote it last week for the festival and will put up the words on www.holliemcnish.bandcamp.com as soon as I get home on Monday. All these comments have made a lovely surprise for the end of a mad hectic day, thanks so much xxx

Can you do a YouTube clip so that all teenagers get to see it, Hollie?

I speak as the mum of a teenage daughter.

Oooh Hollie

Glad you had a good day

Have I mentioned that your poem made me cry? I was pottering about at home with my 3yo and 16 month old when it came on. It was like a bolt out of the blue for me. I really wasn't expecting to be so knocked out in Women's Hour. So much so I had to come on here and post

I'll be looking up some more of your work for sure.

Thanks!

holly, thank you so much for your poetry. i parked up outside of work and shed a tear whilst listening to your poem this morning. would you ever consider reciting your poetry to a group of young mums in peckham. i work in a childrens centre and we are just setting up a new group for young mums, you would be such a treat for them. claire

I'd say it was Woman's Hour's finest moment as far as I'm concerned. And I'm really old and have been listening avidly for many, many years.