‘Lyricism of an abduction’: Imogen Wade’s ‘The Time I Was Mugged in New York City’ wins National Poetry Competition
A poem described by the judges as “extraordinary and thought-provoking … whose paradoxical lyricism in the account of an abduction demands reading and re-reading” has won first prize in this year’s National Poetry Competition. ‘The Time I Was Mugged in New York City’ by Imogen Wade was inspired by a real-life experience. Imogen said: “Writing this poem helped me step into my memories and unknot a...
25th March 2024
Poet laureate's collection and tour celebrating blossom
The poet laureate, Simon Armitage, has launched a collection in celebration of spring, and in collaboration with the National Trust. He has spent a year travelling the country visiting gardens and remote rural locations, but also parks, shopping precincts and city centres.
The result is a collect...
22nd March 2024
Printemps for poetry! France's 25th spring festival
Running from 9th to 25 March, France is currently holding its 25th annual Printemps des Poètes, or Springtime Poetry Festival, a truly nationwide celebration of poetry and poets, in venues ranging fro...
22nd March 2024
National Poetry Centre coming to Leeds gets £5m levelling-up boost
The National Poetry Centre planned for Leeds, which was announced by Simon Armitage as one of his ambitions as poet laureate, has received a £5 million funding boost from the government’s Department f...
15th March 2024
Liz Berry wins £30,000 Writers prize for novel in verse
Liz Berry has won the £30,000 Writers’ prize, formerly known as the Rathbones Folio prize, for her collection The Home Child, a novel in verse inspired by the poet’s great-aunt, who at the age of 12 w...
14th March 2024
Out of Gaza: new anthology includes poems by two Palestinian poets killed by bombings
A new anthology about Gaza which includes poems by two poets who have been killed during intensive Israeli attacks on the Palestinian enclave - in response to atrocities committed by the Palestinian g...
8th March 2024
National Poetry Centre coming to Leeds gets £5m levelling-up boost from government
The National Poetry Centre planned for Leeds, which was announced by Simon Armitage as one of his ambitions as poet laureate, has received a £5 million funding boost from the government’s Department f...
8th March 2024
Best-selling artist Taylor Swift 'related to reclusive Emily Dickinson'
The hugely successful US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is related to the renowned 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson, a genealogy company has revealed. The link, reported in the Guardian, i...
5th March 2024
What a performance! Robert Garnham looks back at ‘faffing around’ and ‘flopping at slams’
Comedy performance poet Robert Garnham has published a collection of essays, covering topics ranging from advice on “how not to do the Edinburgh Fringe”, fishing for poetic material off the coast of D...
3rd March 2024
Two years on: tireless poet of war in Ukraine issues new collection to mark grim anniversary
A poet who has regularly and untiringly posted poems about the war in Ukraine on Write Out Loud since Russia’s invasion has produced a new selection of his work to mark the second anniversary of Vladi...
3rd March 2024
