The new poem

The poem and I are best friends. For ever. We hold hands in public and spend every spare minute with … More

Mostly all the time nearly everything

Everyone who enters the stage begins by saying thank you * That silence * Mostly nearly all the time * … More

On the Sunday morning of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival I breakfasted with poets discussing the theme of writing poetry and … More

On the basis of these five first collections, there is no reason to assume the careers of the poets who … More

Ellen Doré Watson was a new name to me until recently. ‘Be Here First ‘ is a good example of … More

I am at a thing. A historic thing. (An historic thing? I will never know). Poets are there. Household names. … More

I am delighted to have a new poem Writing Research Across Borders (2014): Poster Sessions in Hinterland With thanks to Judi Sutherland … More

I first heard Thomas Lux’s poems before I read them. In the autumn of 2000 I was sent a tape … More

She started as a name. There I was, following my nose, minding my own business, trying to ignore all instincts … More

Below is a collection of my blog posts for the 2014 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. I will update it as I … More

In 1991 we moved to a house in Brixton, south London. Of all our welcomes, that of our neighbour, the … More

Photograph © Bloodaxe Books Ltd I am delighted to announce that my Lifesaving Poems series of blog posts has now become … More

It all started with two remarks, one by a friend, the other by a stranger at work. ß The friend’s … More

Someone who knows me very well knocked me sideways with a comment the other day. Remarking on this blog, … More

It Is Summer for Months Clothes are skimpy and tans are gotwithout flight bags.We saunter beside a canalwhere horses pull … More

The Art of Disappearing When they say Don’t I know you?say no. When they invite you to the partyremember what … More

I am driving to a thing. Not a famous thing, an out of the way thing. A classroom, perhaps. … More

I am not at a thing. The things have dried up (or I have stopped going). I am thingless. I … More