About

I'm a poet and teacher living in East Sussex, UK. I've had a couple of books published, The Zoo Keeper (Egg Box, 2003) and Orbiting (Moth Light Press, 2009).

The poetry I love is tantalising and transformative or just skilful, intelligent and funny. My favourite poets are Denise Riley, W.S. Graham, John Berryman and Ted Hughes.

For me, poems should jump out at you, but also make you want to read them again and again. I like the fact that although a fine poetry collection is usually much slimmer than a novel, it demands at least as much time, and remains unfinished even when you've read the last page.

Collaborating with visual artists is an essential part of my work, and both my collections have images alongside the poems. The Zoo Keeper included photographs by Camilla Stapleton-Hibbert, and Orbiting has drawings by Ed Boxall.

I love to teach Creative Writing when I get the chance, and have taught groups of all ages, in schools, community centres, retirement homes and at writing retreats.  

A couple of my poems found their way into the latest edition of Structo - from September it will be available online - until then there's the beautifully produced
newpaper version, available from the Rough Trade shop
and from the Structo website.