Guest blog post: On moving on, by Dean Parkin

I have been sorting. I have been chucking. It’s been the recurring theme over the last eighteen months. I cleared … More

Notebook

At the start of each academic year, usually when I have known them for a week or so, I make … More

Cut-up

The book is sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by small scraps of paper. Some have whole sentences on them. … More

Tearing up the book

‘What are you doing?’ I say. ‘What does it look like?’ the book says. ‘It looks like you are tearing … More

The voice you hear when you write

Writing is about hypnotizing yourself into believing in yourself, getting some work done, then unhypnotyzing yourself and going over the … More

Guest blog post: A Mentor: Anthony Glavin, by Mark Granier

Recently, I took our 11-year old boy to see the Turners in the National Gallery of Ireland. These 31 watercolours … More

Buggering about on the internet

‘Hullo,’ says the book. ‘I thought you had gone away.’ ‘I lied,’ says the book. ‘What are you going to … More

‘I’m your new book!’

‘Hullo!’ says the book. ‘Have we been introduced?’ I say. ‘I’m your new book!’ ‘But I haven’t finished the last … More

Things people said when I had cancer

‘I am so, so sorry.’ ‘You’re going to be fine.’ ‘Fight it, you know you’re a fighter.’ ‘Are we going … More

Goodbye

Padding down the stairs to make my mid-morning coffee, I become aware of a large black bag lying in the … More

Guest blog post: Carol Emshwiller’s short stories, by Tania Hershman

“I like writing best because it’s the hardest art. There are more balls to keep in the air at a … More

One of the great functions of art -by Adrienne Rich

  One of the great functions                          of art is to help … More

Out of the Crocodile’s Mouth: a discussion of poetry, education and children, with Michael Rosen and Marina Boroditskaya -from MPT Magazine

Last year MPT Magazine published a brilliant edition wholly dedicated to children’s poetry (Number 2, 2015), titled I Wish… It was one of … More

Tarmac lessons

I am still not sure why, but in the middle of December I decided to take up running again. When … More

The fear of poetry -by Muriel Rukeyser

The Fear of Poetry In this moment when we face horizons and conflicts wider than ever before, we want our … More

Guest blog post: A gripping ‘Howdunnit?’, by Simon Parke

This blog is a thrilling ‘Howdunnit?’…possibly. You find me just starting on my fifth murder mystery, you see. I do … More

Dark horses: 21 Lifesaving Poems which should be better known

Readers of this blog will know that I make a list at the end of each year showing the most … More

Poetry is knowledge -by Octavio Paz

  Poetry is knowledge, salvation, power abandonment.                           An operation capable … More