In memory of Jörn Cann

I was deeply saddened to hear ten days ago of the death of Jörn Cann, the ward doctor in the … More

Lifesaving Poems: Mandy Coe’s ‘Let’s Celebrate’

I will forever be grateful to Emma Metcalfe from the Bath Festivals’ Write Team for recommending to me Mandy Coe’s … More

A very special thing happened this week: a large delivery of poetry pamphlets fromHappenstance Press arrived. It included the wonderful No … More

I began writing this poem in 1996 in response to the election of a BNP councillor in Tower Hamlets, the … More

The most recent addition to my list of Lifesaving Poems is ‘Prayer’ by Marie Howe. I read it for the first time … More

The Divine ImageTo Mercy, Pity, Peace, and LoveAll pray in their distress;And to these virtues of delightReturn their thankfulness.For Mercy, … More

I was struck by a remark of Seamus Heaney in an interview he gave some years ago now. He was … More

‘If he had been Spanish then maybe he would bave been valued more.’ -Xavi Hernandez (Spain and Barcelona) on Paul … More

The People of the Other Village hate the people of this village and would nail our hats to our … More

The Ring for Pete and Ana James And if I said a part of me leapt from a … More

Love Listen Let’s love, listen, take time when time is all we have. Let’s be unafraid to be kind, learn … More

To My Cancer When you left me I did not say goodbye. I kissed you then carried you outside. You … More

I hate end-of-year roundups. But I was so impressed by five books of poetry this year that I felt I … More

For the last two years I have been commissioned to write poems on the nativity story for the Exeter Network Church carol … More

Re-reading Steven Waling’s review of Frank O’Hara in The North the other day reminded me of James Schuyler today. Not as famous … More