Lifesaving Poems

How many poems affect the life of a person across that individual’s lifetime? Lifesaving Poems celebrates poetry by pointing the light at poems and poets that are essential to me. Read all >

Lifesaving Poems began after I was seriously ill with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2006. Unable to concentrate on reading poetry due to my treatment, I recalled the poems and poets I fell in love with when I first began putting poetry at the centre of my life. From Lifesaving Poems to the current series of Lifesaving Lines, I blog in a series format. Click through to my archives to discover more.


Anthony Wilson

I am the author of five full collections of poetry, the bestselling anthology Lifesaving Poems (Bloodaxe Books, 2015) and two volumes of memoir and criticism. My most recent book of poems is The Afterlife (Worple Press, 2019), which deals with the aftermath of treatment for cancer. The Wind and the Rain, my sixth collection, is forthcoming from Blue Diode Publishing in 2023. See all >

The Afterlife
Deck Shoes
Lifesaving Poems
Riddance
Love For Now
Making Poetry Happen

‘The Afterlife is far from being a depressing or morbid read. Instead, its poems celebrate life with greater intensity thanks to their acknowledgement of our frailty, encouraging us to seize our days too. I thoroughly recommend it.’

Matthew Stewart, Rogue Strands


Lifesaving Lines

Lifesaving Lines is my most recent series of blog posts, in which I discuss favourite lines of poetry and the poems in which they appear. Read all >


Find out details of forthcoming readings, workshops, and other events.

Read about my latest research project, Young Poets’ Stories, funded by the Foyle Foundation.


The Book


Anthony Wilson

I am a poet, lecturer and writing tutor. I work in teacher and medical education at the University of Exeter. I have published five collections of poetry, the most recent of which is The Afterlife (Worple Press, 2019). My writing residencies include The Poetry Society, The Times Educational Supplement, The Poetry Trust and Tate Britain. I have judged the Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition, The Fenton Aldeburgh First Collection Prize and The Impress Prize for New Writers, and tutored at Arvon and the Poetry School. This blog is archived by the British Library. My sixth collection, The Wind and the Rain, is forthcoming from Blue Diode Publishing in 2023.