Former Tory minister attacked for citing Holocaust poem in defence of outdoor smoking
A Tory MP who survived Labour’s general election landslide victory has been criticised after she posted a poem about the Holocaust to criticise government plans to introduce outdoor smoking bans.
Esther McVey, the MP for Tatton and a former cabinet minister, posted on X – an online platform that Write Out Loud left earlier this month - the words of Martin Niemöller’s poem 'First They Came', abo...
30th August 2024
Tolkien's poetry to be published in three-volume collection
The collected poetry of JRR Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, is to be published in a three-volume edition by Harper Collins. Tolkien is said to have aspired to be a poet initially, and although his readers are aware that he wrote poetry, from verses in The Hobbit and The Lord...
24th August 2024
Sailing to Sligo: Mervyn Linford, Littoral Press
In his latest collection, the title of which is a partial echo of Yeats’ ‘Sailing to Byzantium’ and Richard Murphy’s ‘Sailing to an Island’, Mervyn Linford, who is himself 45% Irish, according to a DN...
22nd August 2024
Southend Poetry Group celebrates 40th annual anthology
A poetry group that was established in 1968 has just published its 40th annual anthology of poetry by members of the group. Long-standing member Adrian Green said Southend Poetry group first met at a ...
19th August 2024
Robert Garnham wins $2,000 US comedy poetry award
Comedy perfomance poet Robert Garnham has won a prestigious US poetry award. Paignton-based Robert won the Wergle Flomp humour poetry contest’s $2,000 first prize with his poem ‘Torquay, 2 – The other...
16th August 2024
Cheers! A bottle of laureate's sherry is prize in libraries centenary competition
Northumberland Libraries are staging a poetry competition to mark their centenary, and the return of the Northern Poetry Library to Morpeth Library. The competition is open to Northumberland Library m...
14th August 2024
Celebrating the Northern Poetry Library on National Poetry Day
A poetry reading on Thursday 3 October – National Poetry Day – will celebrate the return of the Northern Poetry Library to its original home at the main Morpeth Library in Gas House Lane, Morpeth. On ...
13th August 2024
'Like a decent pie, maybe, appreciated in the wider world but recognised for its local flavours': council honours Simon Armitage
Simon Armitage was awarded the freedom of Kirklees this week in a ceremony at Huddersfield town hall. The poet laureate – pictured with Kirklees mayor, councillor Nosheen Dad - grew up in the West Yor...
9th August 2024
Open-mic poetry sessions at Edinburgh's Scottish Poetry Library
The Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh is staging two open-mic poetry sessions during festival time in the city. Come along to read or to just listen. Those wanting an open-mic slot should arrive 15...
8th August 2024
Something to shout about! Quiet Compere Sarah L Dixon looks back at 90s indie music days
Poet Sarah L Dixon – aka The Quiet Compere – has published a new book of poetry that confesses her passion for the 90s indie music scene. A Bit Like Falling in Love “takes you dancing in the kitchen, ...
6th August 2024
