Lifesaving Poems: Sharon Olds’s ‘Looking at Them Asleep’

Continuing in this mini-series of poems I shared in my reading at the Greenbelt festival last weekend, here is Looking … More

All of The Book blog posts in one place

Thank you to all my readers who have been asking to see a page with all of The Book blog … More

Here is a list of the found poems I have been posting over the summer, including older posts from last … More

When poets discover that their words refer only to other words and not to reality which must be described as … More

‘What drives you?’ says the book. ‘Haven’t we been here before?’ ‘What drives you?’ ‘Are you serious?’ ‘Never more,’ says … More

‘What keeps you going?’ ‘You do,’ I say. ‘Not the others?’ ‘No, just you.’ ‘Do you ever think about the … More

A breath of our mouth Becomes the portrait of the world, The type of our thoughts And our feelings … More

Young poets Who don’t think of themselves As apprentices Are notorious For resisting influences. They’ve experienced The first stages Of … More

Consider what value, What meaning Is enclosed even In the smallest Of our daily habits, In the hundred possessions Which … More

‘I’m not talking to you,’ says the book. ‘Whyever not?’ I say. ‘You left,’ the book says. ‘I’m never going … More

‘Where have you been?’ says the book. ‘And good morning to you, too!’ I say. ‘Where have you been?’ the … More

An artist needs not so much an audience as to feel a need to answer, a promise to respond. … More

Why did I write it down? In order to remember. Of course, but exactly what was it I wanted to … More

Is it possible to practice noticing? I think so. But I also think it requires a suspension of yearning and … More

‘I’ve lost my nerve,’ says the book. ‘It’s gone, can’t do it any more. I’m done.’ ‘You haven’t of course, … More

‘Did you hear?’ says the book. ‘Ted Hughes’s brother has died.’ ‘I did see that, yes,’ I say. ’95, though. … More

‘I’ve been out,’ says the book. ‘So I see,’ I say. The book is dressed in a pith helmet and … More

‘What are you doing?’ ‘What’s it look like?’ I say. ‘Hanging out the washing,’ the book says. ‘That’s right. I’m … More