A poem on Ben Banyard's blog...

I'm delighted to report that my poem Scroll Down is up at Ben Banyard's blog as part of his "Finest" series. This poem was first published in Strix, but is now making its online debut.

You can read it via this link. Moreover, while you're there, you can explore an extensive, top-notch back catalogue of his choices...

Clear Poetry Anthology 2017

First the bad news: Ben Banyard at Clear Poetry is shutting up shop to concentrate on his own writing, which is understandable, bearing in mind that his first full collection is coming out in 2018.

The good news, however, is that he's going out with a bang. The Clear Poetry Anthology 2017 is now available for download here, and it's packed with a veritable treasure trove of excellent work from well-known poets and new names alike. There's even a piece by myself in there, taken from The Knives of Villalejo.

Clear Poetry

Amid the myriad of poetry e-zines that have emerged over the past few years, it's becoming more and more difficult for their creators to establish a clear editorial identity for them. That's why Ben Banyard's description of Clear Poetry is so refreshing:

"This blog is aimed at encouraging an appreciation of, and an engagement with, contemporary poetry. The poems you’ll find here are my personal choice and I feel that they are approachable, accessible and downright astonishing!"

You might disagree with his aesthetic, but it nails its colours to the mast from the off. My own views do very much align with his, so I'm pleased to report that I'm currently the Featured Poet at Clear Poetry with four poems that you can view by following this link. Moreover, while you're there, why not explore the treasure trove of verse in its archive, which includes the likes of Alison Brackenbury, Geoff Hattersley, Roy Marshall, etc, etc...?