Eating Outside, by Stephen Berg

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

The man kept piling things on

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

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

The Sofas, Fogs and Cinemas I have lived it, and lived it, My nervous, luxury civilisation, My sugar-loving nerves … More

I followed a lead, nudged by a hunch, and it brought me here. The book is In Their Own Words (edited by … More

I was asked the other day which poetry blogs I read. Over the next few posts I will be sharing … More

The Book of Things, Ilhan Berk (Salt, 2009), trs. George Messo Open me anywhere § Slugs Pilot Hi V5, … More

You stick to the routines you have set up, notebook observations, voracious reading, sending the work out to mags, even … More

The impetus behind this blog is praise. I hope it comes across. I made a vow that I would use … More

Having not succeeded at school, I’ve always thought of poetry as the holidays, rather than term-time. Hugo Williams I went … More

I was very saddened to learn recently of the death of Michael Baldwin, the novelist, poet, writing tutor and former … More

Twilight Three minutes ago it was almost dark. Now all the darkness is in the leaves (there are no … More

One of the most powerful performances on my old Faber cassette tape of Ted Hughes reading his poems is ‘Bride … More

Damp white imprints dog the feet; snowbound trolley, snowbound street. Her tip of glove to lip and cheek, “Goodbye.” Go. … More

I have been thinking a lot recently about final lines of poems. I’ve always been fond of Seamus Heaney’s comment about … More

The Day After I made a leek and potato soup the day after, prompted by the look of the peeled … More