‘I’m not talking to you,’ says the book. ‘Whyever not?’ I say. ‘You left,’ the book says. ‘I’m never going … More
Author: Anthony Wilson
I am a lecturer, poet and writing tutor. I work in teacher and medical education at the University of Exeter. My anthology Lifesaving Poems was published by Bloodaxe Books in 2015. In 2012 I published Riddance (Worple Press), a collection of poems, and Love for Now (Impress Books), a memoir, about my experience of cancer. The Wind and the Rain, my sixth collection of poems, is available now from Blue Diode Publishing. My current research project, funded by the Foyle Foundation, is Young Poets' Stories: https://youngpoetsstories.com/. This blog is archived by the British Library.
The wedding speech
‘Where have you been?’ says the book. ‘And good morning to you, too!’ I say. ‘Where have you been?’ the … More
A need to answer, by Robert Pinsky
An artist needs not so much an audience as to feel a need to answer, a promise to respond. … More
Why did I write it down?, by Joan Didion
Why did I write it down? In order to remember. Of course, but exactly what was it I wanted to … More
On noticing, by Verlyn Klinkenborg
Is it possible to practice noticing? I think so. But I also think it requires a suspension of yearning and … More
I want to disappear
‘I’ve lost my nerve,’ says the book. ‘It’s gone, can’t do it any more. I’m done.’ ‘You haven’t of course, … More
Influence
‘Did you hear?’ says the book. ‘Ted Hughes’s brother has died.’ ‘I did see that, yes,’ I say. ’95, though. … More
Looking for Ted Hughes
‘I’ve been out,’ says the book. ‘So I see,’ I say. The book is dressed in a pith helmet and … More
Hanging out the washing
‘What are you doing?’ ‘What’s it look like?’ I say. ‘Hanging out the washing,’ the book says. ‘That’s right. I’m … More
How we spend our days, by Annie Dillard
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and … More
August, by Tove Jansson
Every year, the bright Scandinavian summer nights fade away without anyone noticing. One evening in August you have an errand … More
The Little Prince
‘I need to get away.’ ‘But there’s work to be done,’ says the book. ‘A holiday. That’s what I need.’ … More
A sense of wonder, by Arthur Frank
The only real difference between people is not health or illness but the way each holds onto a sense of … More
The preciousness of things
‘Do you miss it?’ the book says. ‘Miss what?’ I say. ‘Having cancer,’ the book says. ‘Is this a joke?’ … More
A book into which everything can go, by Thomas Merton
It is necessary to write a book in which there will be a little less of the first person singular, … More
Running a bath
‘What are you doing?’ the book says. ‘What’s it look like?’ I say. ‘Running a bath,’ the book says. ‘Genius,’ … More
Guarding the threshold
‘What will you miss most?’ the book says. ‘About what?’ I say. ‘Me,’ says the book. ‘I didn’t know you … More
Controlling how poetry is read: Michael Rosen in conversation with Marina Boroditskaya, via Modern Poetry in Translation
In the last year, another government initiative has created a compulsory part of the curriculum: learning poetry by heart … More
Lifesaving Poems 