I quit

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

Past fifty

Well, it’s happening. Happened, I mean. Stuff I thought would last forever -film titles, the actors in them, scenes of … More

I first heard Thomas Lux’s poems before I read them. In the autumn of 2000 I was sent a tape … 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

Photograph © Bloodaxe Books Ltd I am delighted to announce that my Lifesaving Poems series of blog posts has now become … More

My friend and colleague Anna Craft has died. She was famous -if that is the right word- as a researcher … More

One of the poets I am most looking forward to listening to at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in November is … More

The Art of Disappearing When they say Don’t I know you?say no. When they invite you to the partyremember what … More

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

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

Sometime in the early Nineties I did a very brave thing. I took myself to a poetry reading. I went … More

Groundsmen The pile of cuttings puts on dreadful weight, swelters in the season, and leaks treacle. Beside it, the … More

Father’s Day 1970 This is the day my father lets us sleep, then brings us tea in bed. The sun … More

Sugar in Banana Sandwiches ‘Still something of the child in you’ she says. I find that hard to swallow … More

Middle Ages (Translated by Paul Vincent) Folk from the past jostled for a place in the wall with distant … More

Locus Scolus: The New York School of Poets is a thing of wonder and beauty. Named after a 1914 French novel by Raymond … More

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