Nine years ago today

Nine years ago today I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells. Even though I have … More

Lifesaving Poems: Denise Levertov’s ‘The Secret’

The Secret Two girls discover the secret of life in a sudden line of poetry. I who don’t know the … More

Reading Arthur W. Frank’s astonishing At the Will of the Body recently has given me pause to reflect on the relationship … More

Dear Arthur Frank I’m writing to say thank you for your extraordinary book At the Will of the Body. It is … More

I am at a thing. Not a famous thing, but an important one nevertheless. People are there, people you and … 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

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

Seven years ago I published The Year of Drinking Water, a pamphlet of poems, about my experience of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Exeter … More

The ward is a void without him. Football blares in the corner, the monotonous roar of the crowd unleavened by … More

Jörn Cann wasn’t my friend. He was my doctor. He was famous before we even met him as the doctor … More

I am completely torn apart -Rupert Loydell When I first read Raymond Carver’s Fires I loved and understood all of it, … More

Yesterday I published a new poem on Rebecca Goss’ website, in aid of Children’s Heart Week. You can find … More

Don’t forget, this is inside us every day -Stephen Berg This is not happening. It happened. Past tense. One … More

Then this. We are sitting with hospital mugs of tea, in the Quiet Room. We are all leaning forward, listening … More

Dear Anthony Two cycles down, just six more to go. You are not looking bad, considering. The belligerent doctor who … More

The most immediate and forthright analysis of a poem I have seen at any poetry workshop occurred as I passed … More

My memoir of cancer, Love for Now, has been reviewed by cancer patients, and former patients, under the aegis of Macmillan … More