“I eventually chose to respond to an anecdote he told about his five-year-old daughter walking off in a park. Instead of telling her to come back he started following her, wondering what she was thinking about. This went on for about an hour, during which she never looked back, and when she finally did, it…
Dan O’Brien on how he writes a poem
“Perhaps this is the playwriting side of my nature, but I want the poem to retain something of my present tense, my breath and body.” I don’t know how I write a poem. Saying that poems come to me or through me—an image, a voice, the misty, muddy movement-without-form—may sound precious or pompous (and of…
From the Archive: Peter Finch on How He Writes a Poem
For the month of April we have the inimitable Peter Finch musing on how to craft a poem: Collect the data. All of it. Research endlessly. Nothing should be below notice. The more specialist the better. Scour and store. Absorb this stuff. Think about it and then absorb some more. When there’s enough the poem will emerge….
From the Archive: Sophie McKeand on How She Writes a Poem
‘As the years roll by I feel I am no longer waiting at a dried-up riverside, instead I’m slowly metamorphosing into the river, and that is as much as I can hope for.’ Since discovering the mental landscape existed over a decade ago I’ve realised how important it is to cultivate this space when creating….
From the Archive: Frances Presley on How She Writes a Poem
‘See if the draft poem has thematic and technical substance or throw it away. Subject it to all the tests you can think of.’ In September’s instalment of ‘How to write a poem’ Frances Presley shares her lovely and instructive wisdom for approaching a poem: 1. Write a sequence of poems with a theme and…
From the Archive: Ailbhe Darcy on How She Writes a Poem
We kick off 2018 with the marvellous poet, Ailbhe Darcy, on how she writes a poem: First, invest monstrously in your own personal mythology. Novelists build a fictional world for the space of a volume or several volumes, but the poet builds a fictional world across an entire life. Then, disagree. A poem is a disagreement….
Poetry Wales launches new website
Welcome to our new website! It’s currently still in the development process, but take a look round, make yourself comfortable and browse our latest issue.