National Memory Day is an annual celebration of poetry and creative writing for people affected by memory loss. National Memory Day raises awareness of the challenges for families, carers and those living with memory loss face and raises funds to support Poetry workshops which explore memory through a year-round poetry programme.

We have created this collection of our favourite poems about memory and about individual memories together with poems that are fun to remember. We hope you listen and enjoy with loved ones and we hope they trigger some lovely memories for you.

National Memory Day is a joint initiative led by Literature Works in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, Plymouth University and The Poetry Archive. If you would like to learn more about National Memory Day or how you can get involved please visit the website.

The Listeners

Read by Maurice Riordan
The Listeners - Walter de la Mare - Read by Maurice Riordan

Remembrance

Read by Fleur Adcock
Remembrance - Emily Bronte - Read by Fleur Adcock
Safe in their Alabaster Chambers - Emily Dickinson - Read by Kei Miller
Early Photographs of Historic Towns - Brian Johnstone
The Memory Tray - Deryn Rees-Jones

Remember

Read by Berlie Doherty
Remember - Christina Rossetti - Read by Berlie Doherty
Eden Rock - Charles Causley
Mossbawn Sunlight - Seamus Heaney

Adlestrop

Read by James Fenton
Adlestrop - Edward Thomas - Read by James Fenton

Jabberwocky

Read by Kei Miller
Jabberwocky - Lewis Carroll - Read by Kei Miller

Kubla Khan

Read by Kit Wright
Kubla Khan - Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Read by Kit Wright
Journey of the Magi - T. S. Eliot

The Darkling Thrush

Read by Lawrence Sail
The Darkling Thrush - Thomas Hardy - Read by Lawrence Sail

Invictus

Read by Daljit Nagra
Invictus - W. E. Henley - Read by Daljit Nagra

Binsey Poplars

Read by Mimi Khalvati
Binsey Poplars - Gerard Manley Hopkins - Read by Mimi Khalvati
Close