All Blogposts

  • Reading and writing poems about ‘Where I’m From’. #writerinschool

    Reading and writing poems about ‘Where I’m From’. #writerinschool

    As I’ve mentioned before, I’m using this blog as a place to keep a record of my residency at St Gregory’s Catholic College, Bath, a non-selective comprehensive school for young people aged 11 – 18.  I go into school one day a week, run a creative club (open to any student) during break and at Read more

  • Claudia Rankine in conversation in Bristol

    Claudia Rankine in conversation in Bristol

    I wanted to jot down some thoughts while they’re still fresh in my head after hearing Claudia Rankine in conversation with David Olusoga in Bristol last Friday. The evening started with David Olusoga telling Claudia Rankine that  Citizen, Rankine’s book of lyrical essays, fragments, and images of artwork, is like no other poetry book he’s Read more

  • Notes from a half-empty nest

    Notes from a half-empty nest

    A flurry of exam results, celebrations, book-buying, bag-packing, car-loading, kisses and hugs, and our daughter, Kitty, is now settled into her university accommodation.  Overnight, the average age of our household has gone up.  The numbers of showers being taken and apples being eaten have gone down.  There is less fruit tea being drunk and less Read more

  • Primers Poets Volume Two at Drawing Projects UK

    Primers Poets Volume Two at Drawing Projects UK

    I wanted to say how much I enjoyed hearing Ben Bransfield, Cynthia Miller, and Marvin Thompson read at Drawing Projects UK, Trowbridge, on Saturday 30 September. These three poets are the winners of the 2017 Nine Arches Press/Poetry School Primers Competition which offered a prize of one year of mentoring with poets, editors and educators  Read more

  • National Poetry Day at St Gregory’s #writerinschool

    National Poetry Day at St Gregory’s #writerinschool

    Popping in briefly to say I’ve had a happy but busy poetry week.  I was in St Gregory’s all day Wednesday and most of Thursday (National Poetry Day) and I stayed for their Open Evening on Thursday so wasn’t home until nearly 10pm. I think that my school residency is going well, so far!  I’m Read more

  • Poetry Workshop Ideas: The Long Holidays by Esther Morgan #writerinschool

    Poetry Workshop Ideas: The Long Holidays by Esther Morgan #writerinschool

    I enjoy browsing through poetry books on the look out for poems that I think will work well in a workshop.  As I mentioned before, the theme for National Poetry Day this year is ‘Freedom’ so I’ve been looking for suitable poems to take into St Gregory’s Catholic College where I’m working as Writer in Read more