The Power and Potential of Poetry

This is The Power and Potential of Poetry , the talk I gave today at the Somerset Literacy Network annual conference. … More

#NaBloPoMo 4 – Sowing in fertile ground

I wasn’t always lazy. As I have written before, I think it became a safety valve for me around the … More

Rondeau Redouble There is so little left. The room is bare. She’ll strip his sheets and blankets by and … More

Breathing Space July The man who lies on his back under huge trees is also up in them. He … More

This is the last in my end of summer round-up of posts from my archive. I post it again today … More

‘Did you hear?’ says the book. ‘Ted Hughes’s brother has died.’ ‘I did see that, yes,’ I say. ’95, though. … More

In the last year, another government initiative has created a compulsory part of the curriculum: learning poetry by heart … More

August 1914 What in our lives is burnt In the fire of this? The heart’s dear granary? The much we … More

A speech given at the NATE annual conference, June 2014 My early poetic experiences were not ‘poetic’ at … More