I met Peter Carpenter in the summer of 2001 at the Arvon Foundation’s Totleigh Barton writing centre. I was at … More
Tag: Poems
On Riddance
Riddance is published today. It is my fourth full-length collection of poems and my third with Worple Press. You can … More
Lifesaving Poems: James Tate’s ‘I am a Finn’
I Am a Finn I am standing in the post office, about to mail a package back to Minnesota, to … More
Lifesaving Poems: Seamus Heaney’s ‘Night Drive’
Night Drive The smells of ordinarinessWere new on the night drive through France;Rain and hay and woods on the airMade … More
12 Ways to Practise Writing Poems
I have just come back from the Greenbelt Festival where I was delighted to give a talk about writing poetry … More
Lifesaving Poems: Mandy Sutter’s ‘Caring for the Environment’
Caring for the EnvironmentIn Wonderland, they say ‘Drink Me’but in Leeds they shoulder the bin asidesaying ‘Take me to the … More
Lifesaving Poems: Ian McMillan’s ‘On The Impossibility of Staying Alive’
On the Impossibility of Staying Alive They have found a new moon; it stands on my shoulder. They call it … More
Lifesaving Poems: Thom Gunn’s ‘Autobiography’
AutobiographyThe sniff of the real, that’swhat I’d want to get how it feltto sit on ParliamentHill on a May eveningstudying … More
Lifesaving Poems: Michael Laskey’s ‘Bike’
BikeYou, who have borne three sonsof mine, still bear my weightroutinely, transporting me.An odd pair: your classic sparelines – elbows, … More
Lifesaving Poems: Robert Pinsky’s ‘Song of Reasons’
Song of ReasonsBecause of the change of key midway in “Come Back to Sorrento”The little tune comes back higher, and … More
Lifesaving Poems: Brendan Kennelly’s ‘May the Silence Break’
May the Silence Break Because you do not speakI know the shockof water encountering a rock. Supremacy of silence is … More
More Chelsea Than Sunderland
More Chelsea Than Sunderlandfor Humphrey PottsYour doctor’s line predicting your survival tickled mewatching Terry lift the trophy before the World … More
Lifesaving Poems: Chris Southgate’s ‘High Fidelity’
High FidelityThe man sits above the tracksat Bristol Parkway. He drinks tea,studies the distance.He notes the numbers of trains.With the … More
Kenneth Koch’s Melancholy
To My Heart at the Close of DayAt dusk light you come to batAs George Trakl might put it. How … More
Lifesaving Poems: Sharon Olds’s ‘Looking at Them Asleep’
Looking at Them Asleep When I come home late at night and go in to kiss the children,I see my … More
Lifesaving Poems: Marin Sorescu’s ‘With Only One Life’
With Only One LifeHold with both handsThe tray of every dayAnd pass in turnAlong this counter.There is enough sunFor everybody.There … More
Lifesaving Poems: John Logan’s ‘The Picnic’
The Picnic It is the picnic with Ruth in the spring. Ruth was third on my list of seven girls … More
Lifesaving Poems: WN Herbert’s ‘The Black Wet’
The Black WetIt’s raining stair-rods and chairlegs,it’s raining candelabra and microwaves,it’s raining eyesockets.When the sun shines through the showerit’s raining … More
Lifesaving Poems 