Poetry highlights of 2014

  I have so much to be grateful for in 2014. The year began in one of my temporary fits … More

The most read Lifesaving Poems of 2014

Here are the most read Lifesaving Poems of 2014. For the first time I have been able to compare last … More

Lifesaving Poems: Catherine Smith’s ‘How It All Started’

During the Christmas period I am reposting some old posts from my archive.  Wishing all my readers a very happy … More

Lifesaving Poems: Helen Dunmore’s ‘In the Desert Knowing Nothing’

During the Christmas period I am reposting some old posts from my archive.  Wishing all my readers a very happy … More

Lifesaving Poems: Margaret Avison’s ‘Twilight’

During the Christmas period I am reposting some old posts from my archive.  Wishing all my readers a very happy … More

I have read nothing for months

During the Christmas period I am reposting some old posts from my archive.  Wishing all my readers a very happy … More

This was just a crow

During the Christmas period I am reposting some old posts from my archive.  Wishing all my readers a very happy … More

A note from Seamus Heaney

During the Christmas period I am reposting some old posts from my archive.  Wishing all my readers a very happy … More

Heaney’s pedagogy

During the Christmas period I am reposting some old posts from my archive.  Wishing all my readers a very happy … More

Standing up to cancer?

I am not completely stupid. I know celebrity culture is here to stay. As my children frequently remind me, ‘It … More

Why we need Aldeburgh

Dan O’Brien began by saying he wasn’t really a poet, but a ‘moonlighting playwright’. Selima Hill took out her glasses, … More

Going Against the Flow: Ted Wragg’s last interview

I have been thinking a lot this week about the late Ted Wragg. When I joined the University of Exeter … More

‘When I read poetry’: in memory of Mark Strand

I am sad because the great American poet Mark Strand has died. Among the tributes to him in the last … More

The woman at the workshop

I am at a thing. Not a famous thing, but an important one nevertheless. People are there, people you and … More

The new poem

The poem and I are best friends. For ever. We hold hands in public and spend every spare minute with … More

On poetry and blogging

In preparation for this year’s Aldeburgh Poetry Festival I was asked some questions about my blogging by Festival programmer Dean … More

An interview with Adélia Prado

On the Saturday afternoon of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, Festival Director Naomi Jaffa conducted an interew with Adélia Prado, and … More

On generosity

By the time you read this I will be far away from here. It has not happened yet, but I … More