The American based Poetry Unbound podcast features one of Stewart’s poems, ‘How To Speak Love In A Storm’ in its February 2026 schedule.  The 15 minute audio celebration is presented by best selling poet, Pádraig Ó Tuama, and which is a discourse on the poem’s continuing relevance, described by Pádraig as ‘a masterclass in therapy’ and ‘one to which I have such debt and gratitude…’.  The poem first appeared in Stewart’s second collection for Hodder & Stoughton, ‘Homeland’, published in 1993.

Stewart and Carol first met the outstanding Irish poet over 30 years ago.  Pádraig Ó Tuama went on to lead Ireland’s oldest peace and reconciliation community, Corrymeela, and has recently been appointed Professor of Spirituality at Yale Divinity School. Pádraig’s latest collection of poetry, Kitchen Hymns is published by Cheerio Publishing. Poetry Unbound  was awarded a Gold Medal in Arts and Culture from the Signal Awards.  Since its launch in 2020 the podcast has clocked up in excess of 15 million downloads and is part of the On Being project founded by Peabody Award winning broadcaster, Krista Tippett, who was, also, personally awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama.

Listen to the episode

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How to speak love in a storm?

How to speak love in a storm?
depends on the substance of the voice,
as the trees rage
and roof tiles smash,
where seagulls are grounded
and there is only chaos.

How to speak love in a storm?
is to put up a signpost for the lost,
as on the bitter hillside
you lie murmuring,
‘Why is this happening now?’
Exposure, like a fox,
circling your lamb’s heart.

How to speak love in a storm?
means finding the right inflection.
Not offering words and hollow prayers
but walking backwards with you
into your abandoned years.

Copyright © Stewart Henderson, from his collection, ’Homeland’.
First published by Hodder & Stoughton, 1993.