All Blogposts

  • I’m doing NaNoPoblano 2016

    I’m doing NaNoPoblano 2016

    Just when I’ve been thinking I am wasting too much time here, does anyone care about this? is anyone reading me? what the heck is the point of this? I should be doing something else, I should be off the internet, I have poems to write! I have workshops to plan! I have poems to Read more

  • National Poetry Day at Trowbridge Town Hall

    National Poetry Day at Trowbridge Town Hall

    Trowbridge Town Hall was awash with poets and artists on National Poetry Day, October 6 2016.  Ten local schools each sent small groups of children and a member of staff to take part in my poetry and art workshops which I ran with artist Ben Midgley.  In addition, poets from Trowbridge Poetry Society Stanza group took part, Read more

  • Home thoughts about Winchester Poetry Festival

    Home thoughts about Winchester Poetry Festival

    Leafing through the jottings in my Winchester Poetry Festival notebook, I see that I wrote down some of the comments Sinéad Morrissey made, before she read amazing poems, all new work, from her next collection (out in 2017).  “We’re in a toxic revolution,” the poet said, referring to the Northern Ireland Department of Arts and Culture being replaced by Read more

  • The Complete Works at Winchester Poetry Festival

    The Complete Works at Winchester Poetry Festival

    Talking to people after the festival, many have mentioned the Sunday readings by Inua Ellams, Sarah Howe and Kei Miller as one of their highlights.  These three major poets are all associated with The Complete Works, a national development programme for advanced Black and Asian poets. Who could have failed to be blown away by Inua Read more

  • Winchester Poetry Festival: Photos and snippets

    Winchester Poetry Festival: Photos and snippets

    There have been so many outstanding readings at the festival, it would take me until the end of the year to tell you about them in detail.  I’ll write some more when I’m back at home but for now, here are some things poets have said which I’ve liked enough to record in my notebook. I Read more

  • Winchester Poetry Festival Diary: What isn’t translation?

    Winchester Poetry Festival Diary: What isn’t translation?

    Day Two of Winchester Poetry Festival started in the Children’s Library at Winchester Discovery Centre.  MPT Editor Sasha Dugdale and Access consultant Shelley Boden ran a session which introduced children to poetry (for children) in translation,  “Poems from different countries can tell you things in a different way,” Sasha told the young participants.  “When you read Read more