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4 new cat poems on Minerva

I wrote four poems made from the translated captions of Instagram profiles of cats, mainly from the original Japanese and Korean, for Minerva Platform. 

You can read them - and my explanation of the project - here.

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New poem in Magma

My poem ‘Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)’ was published in issue 66 in Magma in their comedy issue, edited by John Canfield & Ella Frears. You can buy the issue here.

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New poem published in The Rialto

My poem ‘Monument Valley’ was published in issue 86 of The Rialto. You can buy a copy of the magazine here. 

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Interview with Matthew Welton on Prac Crit

I was asked by the excellent Prac Crit online magazine to interview Matthew Welton about a new poem ‘Hey, hey’. You can read my interview with him here.

Would also recommend reading the essay by Sam Buchan-Watts, too.

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New poem - Websafe 2k16

I wrote a new poem for the Websafe 2k16 project, a literary/graphic project exploring memories of life pre-broadband Internet.

You can read my poem - ‘What You See When You Die’ - here.

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Eric Gregory Award

I was completely shocked to find out I received an Eric Gregory Award from the Society of Authors. The Gregory is a yearly award given to a handful of poets under 30 and they’ve been going for over 50 years. 

Some of my favourite poets have been the recipient of the same award, and I received it alongside two writer friends (Sam Buchan-Watts and Andrew McMillan). Also nice to have my dream collection title on a fancy bit of paper. You can read more about this year’s awards here.

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Interview & new poem on Poetry Spotlight

The very nice people at Poetry Spotlight interviewed me recently and also published a poem of mine called 'What The Darkness Is Doing Is Always The Secondary Issue'.

You can read my interview here.

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Poem for Alaa Abd el-Fattah

This weekend I read a poem which I wrote for English Pen’s Modern Literature Festival, as part of the Enemies Project, where over 30 contemporary UK-based writers presented new works in tribute to writers at risk around the world.

The writer I was asked to write about was Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who is imprisoned for five years for allegedly taking part in a peaceful protest in Egypt. 

Here is a fragment of the poem that I wrote - which goes on for 661 words which, at the time of performing the piece, was the same number of days he had spent in prison.

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Two new poems published in The Next Review

The lovely people at The Next Review published two of my poems - ‘Kingfisher Days’ and ‘Blossom of the Cul-de-sac’. 

You can buy an issue, featuring a great discussion between Andrew McMillan and Amy Key, here.

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New poem published - Ambit Magazine

My poem ‘Don’t Let Me Down, Important Spectacle’ has been published in the newest issue of Ambit (no.223). 

You can buy the magazine, which has a lot of great poems in it, here.

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Two new poems up on Queen Mob’s Tea House

My poems ‘No Clipping’ and ‘An Appreciation of Real Life’ have been published by the kind people at Queen Mob’s. You can read them here.

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Some nice news

I was highly commended for the Faber New Poets this year, amongst some really great talent. Apparently there were over 900 submissions, so to make it to the shortlist of about 14 people has blown my mind. 

Congratulations to the winners and the other poets on the shortlist, thank you to Faber & Faber, too. You can read all about the scheme here.

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Best British Poetry 2015

My poem End Space was featured in this year’s Best British Poetry, alongside some hugely talented people. You can buy the book from the publishers, Salt, here. 

Massive thanks to Emily Berry for including me in the anthology.

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Some emoji poems I’ve done recently

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Lines for Her Majesty’s Government

Between 2012-2014, I wrote a series of poems collected under the title 'Lines for Her Majesty's Government'.

These poems, which started off as a writing exercise, are formed of segments of statements the UK Government provided to newspapers. These are chosen entirely at random and placed in an order on the page, which is not edited. The poems also feature unused lines from my own notebooks, again chosen at random.

Below are all of the poems, each with a title and the date in which they were written. I’m not carrying on the project anymore, and I think they would look strange if published individually/separately. Just click the ‘keep reading’ section to see them all.

I should point out these are not written as a ‘comment’ on previous or current Government policy. 

Patients’ expiry (01/11/12)

We must hear and take notice of what Parliament has said not just its symptoms For years, as part of their investigations of what Jimmy Savile did, as we made clear at the time, as stated in the Renewables Roadmap, this is a Coalition Agreement - it means patients are more comfortable and treated with dignity in their final days and hours

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It’s all right, it’s all regrettable (12/11/12)

The driving mission for the Government is a regrettable situation but the right decision the Government strongly disagrees with families and businesses up and down the country we set up the Leveson Inquiry to ensure that we are making progress and as a condition of having a 4G licence a broad and representative opposition is a matter for the Conservative Party

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Fair to Midlands (18/01/13)

we’re a trading nation so even with plans to limit increases to benefits severe weather will always cause some disruption.

The Transport Secretary has been considering the possible routes for lines north of Birmingham

where the wood soaks up the sound of older men and they need clarity about what to do and where to go.

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Cash for access (21/01/13)

Access to justice and fair representation are fundamental the priority is now to get our people back home from Algeria

I speak carefully on the loud speaker there is nothing in the Report which alters this view the Government has been working

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C.R.E.A.M. Fields (22/01/13)

Redundancies are regrettable it’s taking time but we’re not happy and the British public isn’t happy with every aspect of our relationship now the world’s so peculiar brownfield land and empty buildings

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Increasing un-fares (24/01/13)

The ongoing Eurozone crisis will put the Agency on a surer footing soon we can realise that it all turned out okay these are very positive figures down eight per cent in the year ending September 2012 in the UK we’ve already committed to dreaming about characters again this is deeply unfair

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Debts toupée (25/01/13)

We have a reminder today to deal with our debts someone talked loudly but there are some forms of avoidance that have become so aggressive Marriage is a hugely important institution in this country These questions aren’t going away all worming around We are deeply concerned by the situation

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When I stand up (28/01/13)

Linking communities and businesses across the country he wonders what went wrong this is where the Green Deal comes in

A further freeze offer is available to councils this year the events of the past few days have only served to demonstrate the ambulances opening up like ice cream vans

to deliver a credible and lasting legacy Disabled people should have exactly the same choices as everyone else in the world of work —

from hairdressing to engineering and everything in between

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The birds and bees military (29/01/13)

The children's news channel is cancelled and too often nursery staff lack basic literacy and numeracy skills and invigorate our regional economies we are considering how many UK military trainers will look at all serious policy ideas to tackle this issue

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Our relationships in the night (06/02/13)

Hundreds of people suffered from the most appalling neglect and mistreatment Since the issue came to light six months ago we have been clear all along that the status quo is not an option Yesterday’s vote on equal marriage was an important step forward to give every child the chance to make the most of their talents in school a microchip will make it much easier to reunite a dog with its owner I've met real people and eaten bacon sandwiches with them.

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The broadest shoulders will carry the heaviest burden (07/02/13)

what a sadness so we will argue for a cut not just wrong it was truly dreadful what happened at RBS and other banks will “hit the richest households hardest” our extradition arrangements function properly we condemn the murder

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Micro and macro climates (27/02/13)

Energy company profits are a matter for them to justify and we spend over £120 million every day following a hot air balloon crash the scandal of discards has gone on for too long

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From a distance, the money looks green (12/03/13)

The Falkland Islands may be thousands of miles away but the public rightly want answers I assure you they're there a two-year £100,000 mortgage As employers it is unacceptable

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Turn off all mobile devices (02/04/13)

To help hardworking people of tutting grandmothers on major road building projects our Balance of Competences Review take this issue extremely seriously if you can pay for a flight using your phone where there is a demand for them the real progress being made on the ground in Helmand province will allow us.

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This Woman’s Work (09/04/13)

Her voice stretches like a woman stepping over a puddle, we lost a great leader, a great Prime Minister and a great Briton We have an excellent tradition about the danger of miscalculation by the North Korean regime introducing reforms through the Energy Bill seek redress through the Local Government Ombudsmen

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Mind that child (05/06/13)

We don’t believe that the well-off make their already horrific experiences worse to fight the noxious extremism A&E services are facing increased pressure from The middle aged upright man We have an experienced senior team in place, Careless drivers are a menace And we will help and support them wherever they can

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Turn the page over and begin (14/06/13)

Finding new solutions to some of the most pressing global concerns the PM discussed this with President Obama on his recent visit concerned by some of the images we have seen standing like pylons RBS today is safer like all Whitehall departments we have rewritten the ‘Life in the UK’ test this may involve legislation.

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Stop the World War, I’m Getting Off (27/06/13)

As a major new report estimates more than 130,000 jobseekers have escaped burn all the books and throw them in landfills since the Second World War none of us would want that for our parents or grandparents it is essential that we manage the project carefully during an illegal incursion by a Guardia Civil vessel a Guardia Civil officer fired a weapon to date, no UK prisoner has been awarded damages

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Xenophonics (04/07/13)

to improve the life chances of millions of young people we advise British citizens to avoid all non-essential travel we’re spending £370 million on building new flood defences we're poking this heap by the shore We are committed to reducing the size of all main political parties those residing or visiting the UK have a serious impact on UK society

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Into the blue again, after the money's gone (11/07/13)

We don’t agree that the cost of politics should rise the NHS is facing increasing demands we’ve announced the next stage but where would we be without sensibility? The new benefit will also provide clarity what people will get from the state which got out of control in the last decade and where do I place myself?

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Paramilitary Chefs (12/07/13)

Leon restaurant founders Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent burst through the skylight of the building. This is an important decision the Ministry of Justice has confirmed that things are alright today so Britain can compete in the global race and there has been a welcome reduction in antipsychotic prescribing

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Post Lapsarian (15/07/13)

We inherited a broken welfare system the two servicemen’s next of kin have been informed in a world which is getting more dangerous you have to be a little disturbed, don't you? We all want our loved ones’ final hours of life to be pain free and we are completely and utterly opposed to the establishment

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Joy to/from the World (23/07/13)

It’s wonderful news from St Mary’s Paddington we are determined to back people and shout on towers how we are existing in glee, the single market, health, development co-operation and humanitarian aid, foreign policy, animal health and welfare and food safety, and taxation and family friendly content filters where our audits identify any drop in quality

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Christian Bailing (17/09/13)

Bailing out the banks five years ago was a big ask, our thoughts and prayers sunk in and my liver managed to shrivel. This is a tragic case.

Hundreds were gassed in the worst confirmed use, she looks so small in the car, empty of people. It is up to individual public bodies.

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The Past Inside The Precedent (04/10/13)

The Government will end the automatic release from prison while there is still a long way to go I want you to know I know who you are

The Home Office remains committed to supporting the search for Madeleine McCann, or any other country, deciding to leave the Commonwealth And yesterday

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Working hard or hardly working (17/10/13)

There are now more people in work than ever before and we are on the side of people who work hard, tackling crime, I can't think of anything worse than falling down repeatedly in public and this strike will hit hardworking people the welfare and education systems will help people who want to work hard and we were already investigating this school.

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Timely Releases (24/10/13)

We estimate the time it takes. Yesterday the Prime Minister announced that we will roll back the green levies but that doesn’t mean that we should ignore the fact that we’re firmly on the side of people with page upon page of blacked out notes, and we are working closely with the Scottish Government.

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Some quality time of life (29/10/13)

Let's talk about that, just you and me, rail travel has doubled over the past 20 years we are committed to doing all we can  so young people are capable to remark on the pearls on my tortoise neck, the new Victims’ Code will for the first time entitle victims to any injury or any loss of life.

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Slaying the Global Beast (04/11/13)

Look, Grendel, Britain is in a global race for jobs and wealth, to make sure children are protected, this Government is committed to the heaviest meadow for employers to train staff, our national interest is best served in flexible adverts that play throughout the night.

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Risky business (14/01/14)

The biggest economic risk facing Europe doesn’t come from those who want reform and renegotiation, we have consistently argued that paying anything less than this is unacceptable, a question in shallow water, we believe that state schools understand the very legitimate concerns that these papers will raise, these events led to a tragic loss of life.

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See-through Treaty (17/01/14)

Part of our long-term economic plan is about creating jobs, a mouse in the ruined mansion, nearly three quarters of young people reoffend within a year which contravenes the code of conduct set out by the Market Research Society, all the associations we ward away while having a broken economy, we can act as a powerful force for good in the world, which will make the courts more transparent.

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Please see Annexe A (18/03/14)

Today the PM & DPM have announced that we are witnessing a clear attempt to pave the way for the annexation that’s why we will be asking hospitals to see what can be done he is cruel and busy in the long store room this helps everyone but routine screening of women under 25 does more harm than good

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Back waters (11/06/14)

It’s welcome that there is no backlog. What do I have to give you, water supply? Energy suppliers need to cause unnecessary disruption for hardworking Londoners, it's horrible to look at things that should not have happened in our schools were allowed to happen

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For the record (12/06/14)

Tonight in his Mansion House speech I sat next to the chef's brother. The number of people in work has reached a new record high, that's why from the start of this year we left Iraq in the hands of elected Iraqi leaders. In the monument park there are lots of shadows, we believe a solution can be reached.

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Connecting trains (24/06/14)

We are already building a new north-south railway. This is a simple issue of principle. We support the living wage and we're all quietly ruining our institutions.

Our thoughts are with the Iraqi people who have suffered. to address the threat posed by returning foreign fighters, this new website will introduce an unprecedented level of transparency but the news washes over us like a mist.

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European apologists (26/06/14)

We inherited a paralysed housing market. The Prime Minister has always said that love hangs over me, dripping.

Before the Prime Minister made his public apology, the judge has also made clear that things are ordered that don't go together.

If you want reform in Europe, cancer will stare out at you like wild deer.

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Ibsen in Iraq (30/06/14)

What is this face I am holding? We are ready to move on, because of the difficult decisions we’ve taken, I walk through a street and see ghosts. For example, extending the right to request flexible working. Iraq needs a new and inclusive government.

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Hello I Want To Kill You (02/07/14)

A £10,000 ‘Golden Hello’ has been announced. This is not some distant threat but something is happening right now, carried by the smell of buddleia. We have given an extra £1.1 billion to humped back children to address the threat posed by returning foreign fighters. Revenge pornography is clearly becoming a bigger problem in our society.

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New collaborative poem by me and Amy Key on The Bohemyth

Amy and me wrote a collaborative piece based on star signs, which was commissioned by SJ Fowler as part of the Gelynion: Welsh Enemies project. It was a joy to write and work with Amy, who has been a great friend and poetry chum ever since I started writing.

You can read our poem ‘G E M I N I’ right here, kindly published by the good people at The Bohemyth (lots of other good sutff in the issue, too).

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My Simpsons poem in Clinic’s anthology Can I Borrow A Feeling?

I am so delighted that my poem Homer’s Final Speech in Harold Pinter’s ‘The Homercoming’ has been published in this beautiful Simpson’s poem anthology by Clinic. 

It is full of amazing poems about Springfield from writers like Sam Riviere, Rebecca Perry, Crispin Best, Amy Blakemore, Jack Underwood and Mark Waldron.

You can buy a copy here.