Poets in the audience

I am taking a break from writing brand new blog posts over the summer. Instead of posting new work I … More

Though I am reading from it, the book is nowhere to be seen. As well as normal people, some poets … More

Poetry highlights of 2014

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

Early on Saturday morning of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival (Tom Pickard threatened not to get up in time) Robert Seatter … More

The opening night of each Aldeburgh Poetry Festival is about young poets stepping into the spotlight and taking the applause … More

Mark Doty had it. And John Hartley Williams. And Esther Morgan. And Roy Blackman, introducing Mark Doty talking about Whitman. … More

Below is a collection of my blog posts for the 2014 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. I will update it as I … More

I am at a thing. It is my thing, contributing to the thing of others, who I do not know. … More

Or this one. You arrive at the venue early but there is no one there to greet you. You pace … More

In the Desert Knowing Nothing Here I am in the desert knowing nothing, here I am knowing nothing in … More

You’re at a reading, to support a friend. It is not going well. Not your friend, who is quietly stealing … More

The Little Snoring Poetry Group have written to you asking if you would come and read to them some of … More

You go a talk by a Leading Poet. No one you know is there, but still you sit at the … More

I once heard Andrew Motion give a poetry reading at a day-conference for teachers, writers and writers in education. There … More

I get to the reading on time. I find a place near the front, so I can get to the … More