'Embassy Christmas' by Kevin is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
A very happy Christmas, and a fulfilling and rewarding New Year, from everyone on the Write Out Loud team! Our Christmas Poem of the Week is ‘Embassy Christmas’ by Kevin. It’s a remarkable tale of parental self-sacrifice at Christmas – don’t try this at home, folks! This is the second time Kevin has won Poem of the Week. He says he has been bitten by the poetry bug, and as for performing, “don’t...
28th December 2017
'The Man That Gravity Forgot' by Nick is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘The Man That Gravity Forgot’ by Nick. It’s a poem about loss and mourning, an inability to let go, and includes these lines: “I'm sure I could have saved you / If I were there for you that night / Instead you drank the bottle empty / And turned your wheel ...
18th December 2017
'Aubade' by Terry Jones is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Aubade’ by Terry Jones. The poem is written in a form known as a specula; after the mid-point of the poem every word or phrase used up to that point is empl...
11th December 2017
'Great White Heron' by Chris Hubbard is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Great White Heron’ by Chris Hubbard. The poem is about a heron seen in the Loire valley in France, but is also about eagles circling above. In his responses...
4th December 2017
'The Dresser' by Jon Darby is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘The Dresser’ by Jon Darby. He said of the poem: “I started with the item of furniture in mind and by the time the piece was finished I was in tears.” Jon ad...
27th November 2017
'Leaving Upton Park' by Ralph Dartford is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Leaving Upton Park’ by Ralph Dartford. Ralph is based in Yorkshire, and originally from Basildon in Essex. He is co-founder of the spoken word group A Firm ...
20th November 2017
'A Room Alone' by A.M.Clarke is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘A Room Alone’ by A.M. Clarke, a short, atmospheric work that leaves everything to the imagination. Its opening lines begin thus: "night in the long hours /...
13th November 2017
'Early Train' by Trevor Alexander is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Early Train’ by Trevor Alexander, about a commuter’s unrequited feelings for a fellow traveller. The poem includes these lines: "Some days like all the othe...
6th November 2017
'Elegant Lies' by Desmond Childs is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Elegant Lies’ by Desmond Childs. Desmond says that although he has been writing on and off since the age of 14 – he is now 58 – he has only been writing poe...
30th October 2017
'Cooling Towers' by Tom is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Cooling Towers’ by Tom. It’s a poem that looks back at a young relationship. He has said of writing poetry: “Over time it became an essential way of working...
22nd October 2017
'How to Catch a Fish in the Solent' by Helen Elliott is Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘How to Catch a Fish in the Solent’ by Helen Elliott. The pier in the poem is in Old Portsmouth, close to the Square Tower, which is a popular poetry venue. ...
15th October 2017
'The Traveller' by Hannah Collins is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
‘The Traveller’ by Hannah Collins is the new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week. Hannah, who teaches schoolchildren dance and exercise, says: “I like the way there are few boundaries when we write, unlik...
8th October 2017
'CCTV' by Tony Hill is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
2nd October 2017
'At the sink' by Colin Hill is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud poem of the Week is ‘at the sink’ by Colin Hill. The poem is based on an image from the 2009 British film ‘Fish Tank’ – and in the Q&As below Colin explains that he uses picture...
24th September 2017
'Unpopular Music' by Robert C Gaulke is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The New Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Unpopular Music’ by Robert C Gaulke, who describes himself on his Write Out Loud profile as a high school teacher and songwriter living in the Bronx, New Yo...
17th September 2017
'Behind the shadows' by Stuart Buck is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud poem of the Week is ‘behind the shadows’ by Stuart Buck. Stuart is a former chef. His debut collection, Casually Discussing the Infinite, was reviewed by Laura Taylor on Write O...
10th September 2017
'Transient Beauty' by Adrian Metcalf is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is 'Transient Beauty' by Adrian Metcalf. Adrian says he suffers from severe anxiety and composes poetry "to release my emotions"; writing it "helps me sleep m...
3rd September 2017
'Cottage Garden' by Chris Armstrong is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is Cottage Garden by Chris Armstrong. On his profile page Chris describes himself as “sailor and librarian, navigator and researcher, teacher and trainer, and – alw...
30th August 2017
'A Tale of Two Sandals' by Paul Waring is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘A Tale of Two Sandals’ by Paul Waring, a retired clinical psychologist who, his profile tells us, was once a menswear designer and also, during the 1980s, a...
25th August 2017
'For Antoinette' by David Cooke is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘For Antoinette’ by David Cooke. The poet is a Gregory award winner and has published several poetry collections. His latest, After Hours, published by Cultu...
14th August 2017
'Incoming' by Jonathan Humble is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the week is ‘Incoming’ by Jonathan Humble, about a close encounter with a curlew. The poem appears in a recent anthology, Curlew Calling, which was put together to raise...
6th August 2017
'The Farmer's Wife' by Cynthia Buell Thomas is Poem of the Week
The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘The Farmer’s Wife’ by Cynthia Buell Thomas, a poem that is based on memories “about my mother’s people who were simple country farmers in eastern Ontario … I u...
30th July 2017
'Skiffle' by Leon Stolgard is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is 'Skiffle' by Leon Stolgard. Skiffle orginated as a term in the US in the first half of the 20th century, and became popular in the UK in the 1950s, where it...
28th July 2017
'Study Abroad' by Michaela Sheldon is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Study Abroad’ by Michaela Sheldon, a drama student from Newfoundland who is looking forward in the poem to coming to Harlow, England. As some have already c...
21st July 2017
'When the Future Came' by John F Keane is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘When The Future Came’ by John F Keane, a commentary on contemporary events. Responding to a new set of interview questions John said: “If poetry doesn’t com...
9th July 2017
'Pheasants' by David Blake is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Pheasants’ by David Blake. It was inspired by a time when David worked in a restaurant kitchen in Devon and the owner brought in pheasants that he had shot ...
2nd July 2017
'The Concrete Road' by Becky Sowray is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘The Concrete Road’ by Becky Sowray. On her profile page Becky describes herself as living “the ordinary dream in an off-white tower, getting high on radio-n...
26th June 2017
The Write Out Loud poem of the week is Stay Put by Mark Mr T Thompson
The Write Out Loud poem of the week is Stay Put by Mark Mr T Thompson, a popular, highly-regarded poet on the Write Out Loud poetry blogs. The reference isn’t difficult to discern given that the advic...
23rd June 2017
'The day my dad went mad' by Patricia Hughes is Poem of the Week
The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘The day my dad went mad’ by Patricia Hughes. The title of the poem speaks for itself. On her profile page Patricia says: “The written word has helped get me th...
11th June 2017
'A Day Such As This' by Tom Harding is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘A Day Such As This’ by Tom Harding, a poem that appears to be about a wet day in the garden. Tom’s poems are invariably accompanied by his drawings. In his ...
4th June 2017
'As if the song would come again' by Mikhail Smith is Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘As if the song would come again’ by Mikhail Smith, a poem about loss and regret. In his responses to our questions, he explains the poem a little more: “The...
28th May 2017
'Villa Nil' by Ray M is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Villa Nil’ by Ray M. ‘Villa Nil’ marks the end of another football season, and is also – note the title - a villanelle, a 19-line poetic form consisting of ...
27th May 2017
'To earth we return' by elPintor is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘to earth we return’ by elPIntor, a short and powerful love poem. ElPIntor’s profile page says: “I've enjoyed my stay here at WoL much more than I would've a...
7th May 2017
'Hitting the Wrong Note' by David Redfield is Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Hitting the Wrong Note’ by David Redfield. It’s a poem about a choirmaster. In his Q&A David talks of the “lightning bolt moment” of reading Coleridge’s ‘An...
30th April 2017
'Unseen' by Karen Ankers is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Unseen’ by Karen Ankers, a moving poem about children and parents. In her interview with Write Out Loud Karen says that “when I was 17, I became a member o...
23rd April 2017
'The Insignificant Poet' by Daniel Dwyran is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘The Insignificant Poet’ by Daniel Dwyran, which was written on the way home from a less-than-inspiring open mic night at which he was the only spoken word perfo...
16th April 2017
'Rowing' by Neil Robertson is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud poem of the Week is ‘Rowing’ by Neil Robertson, a poem about a relationship that has developed from schoolboy rivalry into teamwork in adulthood: " ‘You're doing well fella, kee...
9th April 2017
'Around the Cirrus and Nimbostratus' by Simon Widdop is Poem of the Week
‘Around the Cirrus and Nimbostratus’ by Simon Widdop, a poem about a fallen angel, is the new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week. Simon has been writing poetry seriously for almost three years, and has p...
2nd April 2017
'Driving through Grimstone Low' by Kevin is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Driving through Grimstone Low’ by Kevin. It’s a narrative poem of epic proportions involving a tough Yorkshire village, a family called the Slugshaws, a car...
26th March 2017
'Man' by Dyphrent is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
19th March 2017
'Drinking where the river bed is dry' by John Marks is Poem of the Week
The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Drinking where the river bed is dry’ by John Marks. It’s a poem about the companionship of man and dog, and ageing. John Marks has published two collections of ...
12th March 2017
'In Budapest' by Hazel Ettridge is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
‘In Budapest’ by Hazel Ettridge is Write Out Loud’s Poem of the Week. Hazel says that it was written in “a seedy hotel room” in the Hungarian capital, “having returned from an evening exploring this e...
5th March 2017
'Echo and Narcissus' by Karen Izod is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Echo and Narcissus’ by Karen Izod. The poem is inspired by a bronze by Glyn Philpot, and is also touched by contemporary events. Her regular open-mic haunts...
26th February 2017
'Lost' by Chris Hubbard is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
‘Lost’ by Chris Hubbard is the new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week. Chris, a retired academic originally from Lincolnshire and now based in Australia, took a creative writing course during his degree ...
19th February 2017
'Commuter' by Alexandra Rockwell Lorenz is Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Commuter’ by Alexandra Rockwell Lorenz. In a poem that is rich in images, including "forgotten train tracks" and a "slinking cat", these lines also stand ou...
13th February 2017
'The Hollow' by Rhiannon is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘The Hollow’ by Rhiannon. In her Q&A interview she says that she grew up in a family where writing poetry was considered "something of a tradition", won a po...
5th February 2017
'The Boy Who Conquered Fractions' by Cynthia Buell Thomas is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
‘The Boy Who Conquered Fractions’ by Cynthia Buell Thomas is Write Out Loud’s new Poem of the Week. The poem tells how a nine-year-old boy - “part dynamo part zombie” - whose behaviour is described b...
31st January 2017
'People Watching' by Paul Waring is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
‘People Watching’ by Paul Waring is Write Out Loud’s Poem of the Week. On his profile page Paul, a retired clinical psychologist, tells a remarkable story – that he used to write poetry in the 1990s, ...
29th January 2017
‘(Mg,Fe)2SiO4’ by Rafael is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘(Mg,Fe)2SiO4’ by Rafael. He has described the poem, which includes a reference to a gemstone called peridot, derived from the mineral olivine, as “basically...
22nd January 2017
'She wants to feel 日本 (Japan)' by Randall Eckstein is Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is 'She wants to feel 日本 (Japan)' by Randall Eckstein, who has just joined Write Out Loud, and is a teacher in China. He explains the poem thus: “In my youth,...
15th January 2017
'The carbon cycle' by Alex Smith is Write Out Loud Poem of the Week
The first Write Out Loud Poem of the Week of 2017 is ‘The carbon cycle’ by Alex Smith, who describes himself on his profile page as an organic farmer, from Harleysville, Pennsylvania, in the US. ‘The ...
8th January 2017
