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

Researching writers’ engagement with teachers: the Teachers as Writers research project

    Along with colleagues from the Arvon Foundation, The Open University and University of Exeter I have just begun … More

Aldeburgh going

‘Which is why Aldeburgh going is such a disaster. It took years to achieve what they did, years. Of slog, … More

Team Wordsworth

‘It’s even true of Ted Hughes.’ I look across at the book, whose head is now slumped on my desk, … More

Thirteen ways of remembering Ted Hughes

Teachers’ words should not be ‘How to write’ but ‘How to try to say what you really mean’ – which … More

Thinking allowed?

Photo credit: from Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon (p 138)   This is a poster presentation I gave at … More

Art is an attitude

Here is a quotation from Seth Godin’s The Icarus Deception that I have been meditating on for a while now. I have … More

Why poetry matters

The value of poetry is that it should matter … first to the writer and then to the reader.  Michael … More

The Creativity Challenge

Below is the text of a PowerPoint presentation that I am giving today at the Directors of Studies Conference 2015, at Port … More

Lifesaving Poems: Fleur Adcock’s ‘The Soho Hospital for Women (IV)’

The Soho Hospital for Woman (IV)   I am out in the supermarket choosing – this very afternoon, this day … More

Pure distraction

In the rift between what is going to happen and whatever we would wish to happen, poetry holds attention for … More

Nothing doing

Sporting occasions are bad. Or the Corbyn result, that was hard. I seem to remember (no one else does) a … More

Lifesaving Poems: Myra Schneider’s ‘Goulash’

Goulash A crucial ingredient is the right frame of mind so abandon all ideas of getting on. Stop pedalling, dismount, … More

Influences: Alan Booth

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

Writing and silence

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

The woman at the workshop

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

The burnt horizon

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