The Fenton Aldeburgh First Collection Prize 2014

On the basis of these five first collections, there is no reason to assume the careers of the poets who … More

Allan Ahlberg’s genius

Photo credit: Felix Clay, The Guardian Heard I can’t remember a time in my teaching career when there wasn’t … More

I am at a thing. A historic thing. (An historic thing? I will never know). Poets are there. Household names. … More

I am delighted to have a new poem Writing Research Across Borders (2014): Poster Sessions in Hinterland With thanks to Judi Sutherland … More

Medicine The black hair of my Chinese doctor gleams like combed ink as he leans over his desk, with quick … More

A year ago I had a relapse of my cancer. Except I didn’t. For a week or so I knew … More

She started as a name. There I was, following my nose, minding my own business, trying to ignore all instincts … More

The other day I was asked what I look for in poetry. Needing to give a quick answer I said: I … More

Alan Booth wasn’t the first teacher to teach me something, but he was the first who drew me into the … More

This is Jörn Cann. He was my ward doctor at the haematology unit where I was treated for non-Hodgkin’s … More

The online poetry magazine dedicated to very short poems, Nutshells and Nuggets, has taken two new poems of mine. You … More

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

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

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

It Is Summer for Months Clothes are skimpy and tans are got without flight bags. We saunter beside a … More

I am driving to a thing. Not a famous thing, an out of the way thing. A classroom, perhaps. … More

I am not at a thing. The things have dried up (or I have stopped going). I am thingless. I … More

Thanks to the vision and generosity of Jean Sprackland, between 1999-2001 I had the privilege of working with the great … More