Marc’s Almanac

Five minutes of civilised calm. As featured on BBC Radio Suffolk. Sign up at https://marcsalmanac.substack.com to receive an email when new episodes are added. You can find a playlist of the recommended songs on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBpfbS-x5t3GLN-TVXMNSSwnAlum0l8Z

Last refreshed: July 13th, 2025 at 6:31 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

2nd April, 2020 – The Trees

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here's five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With a poem by Philip Larkin, The Trees . "The trees are coming into leaf Like something almost being said..." From the show: Radar history at Orford Ness and Bawdsey . Alec Guinness in Kind Hearts and Coronets Melody Gardot, Morning Sun Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when a new episode goes live at marcsalmanac.substack.com Please share this with anyone who might need a touch o...

Apr 02, 2020•5 min•Ep. 11

1st April, 2020 – Upon Westminster Bridge

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here's five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With a poem by William Wordsworth, Upon Westminster Bridge . "Earth has not anything to show more fair: Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its majesty..." From the show: William Harvey's demonstration rod The Habit of Art available to stream Castle on the Hill by Ed Sheeran Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when a new episode goes live at marcsalmanac...

Apr 01, 2020•5 min•Ep. 10

31st March, 2020 – The Sun Rising

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here's five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With a poem by John Donne, The Sun Rising . "Busy old fool, unruly sun, Why dost thou thus, Through windows, and through curtains call on us..." From the show: The Detectorists Frank Turner, Going Nowhere Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when a new episode goes live at marcsalmanac.substack.com Please share this with anyone who might need a touch of calm. If you like Marc's Almana...

Mar 31, 2020•5 min•Ep. 9

30th March, 2020 – Spring

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here’s five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With a moment from Wind in the Willows and Spring by Gerard Manley Hopkins. "Nothing is so beautiful as Spring – When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush..." From the show: Stream The Wind in the Willows at willowsmusical.com Play games like Sushi Go with friends far and near at boardgamearena.com Donate to feed hard-pressed doctors and nurses at mealsforthenhs.com Workin' Man's PhD Sign up t...

Mar 30, 2020•5 min•Ep. 8

27th March, 2020 – On A Lane In Spring

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here’s five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With some weekend Wodehouse and John Clare's On a Lane in Spring . "A Little Lane, the brook runs close beside And spangles in the sunshine while the fish glide swiftly by..." From the show: The Custody of the Pumpkin Intimations of Immortality by William Wordsworth It is Well With My Soul , performed by a virtual cellphone choir in Nashville Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when ...

Mar 27, 2020•5 min•Ep. 7

26th March, 2020 – On His Blindness

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here’s five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With John Milton's On His Blindness . "They also serve who only stand and wait." From the show: "Learning in Wartime" by CS Lewis The Gilgamesh Flood Tablet, first translated by George Smith @crcuthbert @seaskycraster (SeaWindowCraster) Rock Island Line , sung by Lonnie Donegan Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when a new episode goes live at marcsalmanac.substack.com Please share ...

Mar 26, 2020•5 min•Ep. 6

25th March, 2020 – Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Happy new year from Suffolk, England. It’s Lady Day and here’s five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With an extract from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. "Both the ground and the groves put on green garments; Birds begin to build, and brightly sing" From the show: In Our Time on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight NHS Volunteer Responders How Can I keep From Singing , sung by Eva Cassidy Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when a new episode goes live at marc...

Mar 25, 2020•4 min•Ep. 5

24th March, 2020 – Seaside Golf

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here's five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With a poem by John Betjeman, Seaside Golf . "How straight it flew, how long it flew, It clear'd the rutty track..." From the show: Live at the Abbey from Pro Corda Machineries of Joy by British Sea Power Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when a new episode goes live at marcsalmanac.substack.com Please share this with anyone who might need a touch of calm. If you like Marc's Almana...

Mar 24, 2020•4 min•Ep. 4

23rd March, 2020 – Lockdown

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here's five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With a poem by Brother Richard Hendrick, OFM, Lockdown . "The sky is clearing, Spring is coming, And we are always encompassed by Love..." From the show: Brother Richard on Facebook The Royal Opera House on YouTube Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when a new episode goes live at marcsalmanac.substack.com Please share this with anyone who might need a touch of calm. If you like Mar...

Mar 23, 2020•5 min•Ep. 3

22nd March, 2020 – The Bright Field

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here's five minutes of civilised calm to start your day right. With a poem by RS Thomas, The Bright Field . "I have seen the sun break through to illuminate a small field..." From the show: St Bartholomew the Great's services on YouTube The Ash Tree read by Robert Lloyd Parry Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when a new episode goes live at marcsalmanac.substack.com Please share this with anyone who might need ...

Mar 22, 2020•4 min•Ep. 2

20th March, 2020 – Awareness of Alcuin

Hello from Suffolk, England. Here's five minutes of civilised calm from the English countryside to start your day right. With a poem about Alcuin of York by Siegfried Sassoon. "At peace in my tall-windowed Wiltshire room, (Birds overheard from chill March twilight's close) I read, translated, Alcuin's verse..." From the show: The St Cuthbert Gospel Tom Holland on St Cuthbert from St Bartholomew the Great In Our Time on Alcuin of York Made in England by The Shires Sign up to receive email alerts ...

Mar 20, 2020•4 min•Ep. 1

Calm from the English countryside

However you start your day, add a bite-sized serving of civilised calm from Suffolk, England. With a poem by John Masefield: “Epilogue”.

Mar 19, 2020•59 sec

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