Researching writers’ engagement with teachers: the Teachers as Writers research project

Along with colleagues from the Arvon Foundation, The Open University and University of Exeter I have just begun … More

Aldeburgh going

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

One of the great joys of writing this blog in the last year has been to invite some of my … More

Teachers’ words should not be ‘How to write’ but ‘How to try to say what you really mean’ – which … More

Photo credit: from Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon (p 138) This is a poster presentation I gave at … More

The value of poetry is that it should matter … first to the writer and then to the reader. Michael … More

I am taking a break from writing brand new blog posts over the summer. Instead of posting new work I … More

As I did last year, I will be taking a break from uploading new posts to this blog over August. … More

How I put The Art of Falling together In May 2012 my first pamphlet If We Could Speak Like Wolves … More

after and with apologies to Mark Halliday The missing blog post has gone AWOL. Never sure of its place in … More

My deep thanks to Maria Taylor, who has written the most lovely appreciation of Lifesaving Poems. Thank you Maria for capturing its … More

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

Dear Peter Cover-to-cover and back-to-back twice, as I do, once before sleeping, then between zeds on a train woken to Tickets, … More

Damp white imprints dog the feet; snowbound trolley, snowbound street. Her tip of glove to lip and cheek, “Goodbye.” Go. … More

I have just come back from a thing. I am tired. A good afternoon of good conversation about large, important … More

The poem that came into my mind on waking up this morning and hearing the General Election result is Mark … More

The terrible poem starts with an idea. The terrible poem knows it is the best thing that has been written. … More

‘Passport?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Flight info?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Euros?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Underpants?’ The book glares at me. ‘What do you take me for?’ ‘It … More