Wilson reciting his poetry

None other than Ulster-Scots poet Wilson Burgess will be sharing his thoughts with a twist of wry, self-deprecating humour that regularly litters his poetry and informs his writing giving it a distinct and unique flavour.

It had not been his intention to secure a month-long series on the show, as he had called at the BBC in Belfast about another matter entirely.

“I was talking to people in the BBC about a series I had written,” he said.

“ They were articles for the Telegraph years ago about different churches I had attended, which I had called ‘The Road to Glory’.

“Essentially everybody felt they were on the road to glory and I went to their churches because I was quite interested in why they were going to different places of worship.

“I went to their services and wrote about their doctrines and liturgy. They were not the main churches, they were Sheik, Mormon, Plymouth Brethren, Seven Day Adventist, Jehovah Witnesses, Apostolic Church and the Cooneyites, and I spoke to the BBC about getting this into Sunday Sequence, but they asked me to do something for Thought for the Day.

“I submitted my first piece and they thought it was okay, and they emailed me and asked me to do four pieces, which will be recorded on September 14 and the first one will be broadcast on September 29, and for the three successive Mondays after that in October.”

The first item is called ‘Give me your hand’ and is based on a handshake deal between two cattle dealers, expanding into Peter asking Jesus for a helping hand; the second is based on the adage ‘tell the truth and shame the devil’.

The third is inspired by Seamus Heaney and the last was inspired by an act of kindness by his daughter .