The fear of poetry -by Muriel Rukeyser

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

Everything I Know of What I Want to Say

I am delighted to have Everything I Know of What I Want to Say, a new poem, published on Simon … More

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

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

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

‘It’s even true of Ted Hughes.’ I look across at the book, whose head is now slumped on my desk, … More

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

In terms of my poetry world, 2015 has turned out to be a year of endings and legacies. The Poetry … More

When I write, I feel like an armless, legless many with a crayon in his mouth -Kurt Vonnegut A friend … More

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

Anthony often writes that he is ‘at a Thing.’ I go to Things all the time. Poetry World is full … More

Dear Michael I picked up your book the other day and wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying … More

There is a certain jubilation and truancy at the heart of an inspiration […a] liberation and abundance which is the … More

I arrive late back at the house. It is already dark. The usual reassuring things are there: unopened mail, the … More

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

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

Travelling without a visa It seems to me that all writing comes from a place of resistance inside – … More

A friend recently asked me if I was writing. I replied, as I always do, saying that it was going … More