This is the proof of my review of Pheng Cheah’s What is a World?, recently published in a special issue of Seminar (54.2. Pheng Cheah’s What is a World? argues for the “world-making” power of literature. Taking on the might of recent debates in world literature, Cheah argues that literature has the capacity to redefine (rather than … More Review: What is a World?

I was delighted to hear that my poem, ‘Postnatal Ward’ was awarded fourth prize last weekend in the York Literature Festival Poetry Prize 2018, judged by Andrew McMillan. Hannah Copley’s brilliant poem, ‘Haworth 1855’, won a well-deserved first prize in the competition. All of the winning and commended poems have now been published on the … More Poem: Postnatal Ward

This is the proof of my review of Vahni Capildeo’s Measure of Expatriation, published in the most recent issue of Stand Magazine 216, (Vol. 15.4, 2018) Capildeo, Vahni. Measures of Expatriation. Manchester: Carcanet, 2016. ISBN: 978 1 784101 68 8  128pp This stunning collection by Vahni Capildeo has been rightly celebrated for its complex exploration of migration, exile, … More Review: Vahni Capildeo

One hundred years ago, on 6 February 1918, the Representation of the People Act 1918 was passed, which allowed property owning women over the age of 30 the right to vote. Over the last few weeks there have been many events to mark the centenary of some women getting the vote. There have also rightly … More #Not All Women

I was delighted to have a few of my poems included in the Flambard Prizewinners’ Anthology 2017. Here is “Fruit”, “Stones” and “Track”:

My poem ‘Tone Deaf’ was published today by Atrium Poetry. These are the first few lines – go and check out their site to read the whole thing and lots of poems by other excellent writers… “Before you were born I was tone deaf silently mouthing songs at funerals afraid of voicing my breath. But you … More Tone Deaf

This is the proof of an article originally published in Stand Magazine 15.3 (2017) At the end of April 2017, poets, directors, academics and publishers came together to celebrate the remarkable work of Tony Harrison on his eightieth birthday at the British Academy in London. The range of tributes was impressive: from Lee Hall’s moving account of how … More Tony Harrison’s Unblinking Eye