Other objects, by Primo Levi

Consider what value, What meaning Is enclosed even In the smallest Of our daily habits, In the hundred possessions Which … More

A need to answer, by Robert Pinsky

An artist needs not so much an audience as to feel a need to answer, a promise to respond. … More

Why did I write it down? In order to remember. Of course, but exactly what was it I wanted to … More

‘I’ve lost my nerve,’ says the book. ‘It’s gone, can’t do it any more. I’m done.’ ‘You haven’t of course, … More

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

‘I’ve been out,’ says the book. ‘So I see,’ I say. The book is dressed in a pith helmet and … More

‘What are you doing?’ ‘What’s it look like?’ I say. ‘Hanging out the washing,’ the book says. ‘That’s right. I’m … More

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and … More

‘What will you miss most?’ the book says. ‘About what?’ I say. ‘Me,’ says the book. ‘I didn’t know you … More

The more I talk about writing with students, teachers, colleagues and other writers, the less I am sure that we … More

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

I think I am probably in love with silence, that other world. And that I write, in some way, to … More

One of the joys of working on the Teachers as Writers project is that I get to steal. As … More

When the Arvon student is put in posession of that creative self, which was hitherto inaccessible, two things, in particular, … More

‘I’ve been at the field.’ This, spoken by one of the teachers on last week’s writing residential at Totleigh … More

I have been sorting. I have been chucking. It’s been the recurring theme over the last eighteen months. I cleared … More

Writing is about hypnotizing yourself into believing in yourself, getting some work done, then unhypnotyzing yourself and going over the … More

‘Hullo,’ says the book. ‘I thought you had gone away.’ ‘I lied,’ says the book. ‘What are you going to … More