Lifesaving Poems: Michael Donaghy’s ‘Machines’

The most fun I have ever seen a poet have at their own reading (with the possible exception of Jackie … More

Lifesaving Poems: Charles Simic’s ‘My Shoes’

It was the best of times. Jean Sprackland and I were tutoring the dream group at Totleigh Barton for a … More

Lifesaving Poems: Matthew Hollis’s ‘Wintering’

It was the best of times. Jean Sprackland and I were tutoring a poetry course at Totleigh Barton, the Arvon … More

Lifesaving Poems: Sean O’Brien’s ‘Before’

To safe and almost universal silence I published How Far From Here is Home? (Stride) a few days before Christmas in … More

Lawrence Sail’s love

  I first met Lawrence Sail at a private view at a gallery just outside Exeter. My family and I … More

Chemo reading

I wrote here recently about losing my ambition as a writer. In case readers are in any doubt, the stuff … More