The Collection The Matter of This World: New and Selected Poems (Slow Dancer, 1987) I found The Matter of … More
Tag: Writing
Making Poetry Happen
Announcing the publication of Making Poetry Happen: Transforming the Poetry Classroom (Bloomsbury, 2015). Making Poetry Happen provides a valuable resource … More
Influences: my first reader
My first reader was a man called Fergus. A friend of a flatmate at university, I never got to … More
Cut through
Cut through to what happens when you listen. Cut through to making it happen, listening for it, failing, then doing … More
New Year letter
Dear Ant Looking forward to 2015 it’s tempting to think it will never reach the heights of 2014. Big mistake. Huge. … More
Poetry highlights of 2014
I have so much to be grateful for in 2014. The year began in one of my temporary fits … More
The most read Lifesaving Poems of 2014
Here are the most read Lifesaving Poems of 2014. For the first time I have been able to compare last … More
Why we need Aldeburgh
Dan O’Brien began by saying he wasn’t really a poet, but a ‘moonlighting playwright’. Selima Hill took out her glasses, … More
‘When I read poetry’: in memory of Mark Strand
I am sad because the great American poet Mark Strand has died. Among the tributes to him in the last … More
The Four of Us (a new poem)
I am delighted to have The Four of Us, a new poem, in London Grip New Poetry, which you can find … More
The woman at the workshop
I am at a thing. Not a famous thing, but an important one nevertheless. People are there, people you and … More
The new poem
The poem and I are best friends. For ever. We hold hands in public and spend every spare minute with … More
Poetry and tennis
On the Sunday morning of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival I breakfasted with poets discussing the theme of writing poetry and … More
On generosity
By the time you read this I will be far away from here. It has not happened yet, but I … More
Ellen Doré Watson’s ‘Be Here First’
Ellen Doré Watson was a new name to me until recently. ‘Be Here First ‘ is a good example of … More
I quit
I am at a thing. A historic thing. (An historic thing? I will never know). Poets are there. Household names. … More
Influences: Alan Booth
Alan Booth wasn’t the first teacher to teach me something, but he was the first who drew me into the … More
Just one thing
It all started with two remarks, one by a friend, the other by a stranger at work. ß The friend’s … More
Lifesaving Poems 