Giving up writing

Last week I gave up writing. For about a day. I had been given a book by one of my … More

Guest blog post: Away with the Dinosaurs, by Chrissy Williams

I am delighted to welcome Chrissy Williams to enthuse about a poet who may be unfamiliar to UK readers. – … More

The Negro Speaks of Rivers I’ve known rivers: I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the … More

The Dead Woman If suddenly you do not exist,if suddenly you no longer live,I shall live on. I do not … More

The Advantages of Learning I am a man with no ambitions And few friends, wholly incapable Of making a … More

This is the opening question and answer to an interview with Paul Clyne of Poetry Spotlight, published today. With thanks … More

Recently, I took our 11-year old boy to see the Turners in the National Gallery of Ireland. These 31 watercolours … More

Last year MPT Magazine published a brilliant edition wholly dedicated to children’s poetry (Number 2, 2015), titled I Wish… It was one of … More

The Fear of Poetry In this moment when we face horizons and conflicts wider than ever before, we want our … More

Readers of this blog will know that I make a list at the end of each year showing the most … More

This is the second in a series of guest blog posts about poets who have been overlooked and who should … More

Today marks the start of a new series of guest blog posts on overlooked poets. With thanks to Mike Ferguson … More

Dear Ant Well done for making it to the end of another year and the start of a new one. … More

Here is a list of the most-read Lifesaving Poems during 2015: Mary Oliver, The Journey UA Fanthorpe, Atlas Ted Hughes, … More

This blog would be nothing without its readers. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, made a comment or a … More

‘To tell you the truth, it’s been shattering. But kind of amazing, as well.’ ‘You never said. You never said. … More

‘Which is why Aldeburgh going is such a disaster. It took years to achieve what they did, years. Of slog, … More

‘Are you going to do one?’ ‘Who let you in?’ ‘Are you?’ The book has its feet up on my … More