A new series begins here. I thought I’d have a fun Q & A with some of my poet friends, throwing them each seven thorny questions and seeing what comes back. Huge thanks to everyone for playing the game. Stand by for some interesting answers! First up – Clare Best. Clare is author of Treasure Ground (HappenStance 2009), ExcisionsRead more ⟶
Author: Robin Houghton
Notes from a workshop with Andrew McMillan
As promised in my last post, here are my notes from the workshop I did on Saturday at the South Downs Poetry Festival, with Andrew McMillan. I’m including links at the end to other workshop notes, in case you find these posts useful. I was really impressed with Andrew’s workshop. It’s tricky to teach a one-off sessionRead more ⟶
At the South Downs Poetry Festival
When Tim Dawes came to Lewes just a few months ago to talk about his plans for a South Downs Poetry Festival, I admit I was sceptical about whether it could be done in such a short timeframe. But hats off to him, the event happened and from what I can tell, it was aRead more ⟶
Stuff I wasn’t going to talk about here
I think blogging is like all kinds of writing in that one has ebbs and flows – of ideas, of energy, of motivation. If I were to take my own advice I’d be sure to blog at least once a week in order not to lose readers or to keep my blog coming up inRead more ⟶
When the poetry magazines arrive…
… it’s always exciting, especially of course if you’ve got a poem in it. In the last couple of weeks I’ve been enjoying The Interpreter’s House issue 62, featuring an augmented brace of Telltale Poets (ie 3) and Brittle Star 38. Both mags are famous for their striking covers, and my first thought when I sawRead more ⟶
Launch of ‘The Skin Diary’ by Abegail Morley
What a privilege it is to be asked to read at a friend’s book launch. Abegail Morley has been something of a mentor to me, always generous in her support. She is a genuinely unselfish in her helping of other poets, and always interested in collaborations or new ideas. She’s also a prolific writer – in the timeRead more ⟶
Some poetry readings etc in next two weeks…
Just a quick shout out for some poetry readings & events coming up in the next couple of weeks … we’re always being told how people turn to poetry in times of trouble, so perhaps we need to start promoting poetry readings as an antidote to brexit woes. I already foresee a tranche of poems onRead more ⟶
What I’ve been reading… Kei Miller’s ‘Cartographer’
At the library I recently picked up Kei Miller’s The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion (Carcanet 2014), and it proved to be one of those books you start reading and can’t put down till you get to the end. I’ve folded back so many corners of pages, to mark the poems IRead more ⟶
Tears in the Fence: a no-tears rejection
A few months ago I sent some poems to David Caddy at Tears in the Fence. Although he didn’t take any of them for the magazine, his reply was prompt and very civilised, so much so that it didn’t feel like a standard rejection. Polite, interested, business-like, a suggestion that I send again, not a hint of condescension.Read more ⟶
‘The future of poetry’ – Coffee House Poetry at the Troubadour
So, to the Troubadour last night for poetry, discussions about poetry and the big bad world of digital – a ‘colloquy’ of five poets from diverse backgrounds. In the first half we had readings from Carrie Etter, Hannah Lowe, Gregory Leadbetter and Richard Price, and in the second they formed a round table chaired byRead more ⟶