ABSTRACT
Jamaican poet and playwright Una Marson (1905–1965) gained access to the BBC microphone during World War Two and went on to produce, edit, and present an extensive number of broadcasts for the West Indies on the Overseas Service. Closely examining internal BBC communications alongside Marson's poetry, this article asks what it meant for a female colonial subject to be speaking on the radio at this time. Postcolonial theory informs analysis of Marson's poetry before and after her immersion in the metropole. This article focuses attention on the effect of Marson's experiences at the BBC on her literary output and psychological health for the first time. It argues that Marson's interaction with the Corporation profoundly influenced her poetic voice. Furthermore, it uses her poetry to inform readings of archival material that shape our understanding of Marson's relationship to British broadcasting.
