I’m leading an online workshop tomorrow for the Poetry Business. It looks pretty full, but I just checked and there’s at least one place available here. Very much looking forward to it.
Author: cliffyates
Poetry Reading: Buzzwords, Cheltenham
I’ll be reading and leading a workshop at Buzzwords in Cheltenham on Sunday. Open mic also available. Looking forward to giving Birmingham Canal Navigation and Another Last Word a live outing.
Science: a new poem on Ink Sweat & Tears
I have a new poem up on Ink Sweat & Tears. This one’s for my old science teacher. Thanks to Helen Ivory.
Two new poems on Anthropocene
Great to have new work published on Anthropocene online poetry journal. Thanks to Charlie Baylis. It was satisfying, I have to say, to have Bob Dylan and the Screwfix catalogue appear in the one poem. ‘Fish Street’ is a companion poem to ‘Awareness Through Movement’ which appeared a while ago on Litter magazine, edited by Alan Baker. Both poems are set in St Ives. ‘Psychology’ is the first poem to be published in an ongoing sequence.
‘Steeple’ poem on Poetry Breakfast
Thanks to Jean Atkin for selecting my poem ‘Steeple’ for Wenlock Books’ Poetry Breakfast blog, on the subject of Staring into Space featuring Char March. Thanks also to Anna Dreda.
Online Poetry Workshop Tomorrow
Looking forward to kicking off the Poetry Business digital workshops tomorrow morning. An interesting line-up of guest tutors.

New Work on NOON: Journal of the Short Poem
I have four new poems, including ‘Long Tall Sally’ in issue 19 of NOON: Journal of the Short Poem. Thanks to Philip Rowland. Issue 19 can be read on Issuu or as a pdf on NOON’s website.
Shearsman 129 & 130

I have four new poems in the latest Shearsman, in good company. Thanks to Kelvin Corcoran and Tony Frazer.
‘Sky Blues Bus’ poem on BBC Radio 3
My poem ‘Sky Blues Bus’ will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 Words and Music on 3rd October 2021, a feature on Coventry and Transport as part of the BBC Contains Strong Language Festival. ‘Sky Blues Bus’ is published in Birmingham Canal Navigation (Knives Forks & Spoons) and was commissioned by the Centre for Travel Writing Studies at Nottingham Trent University. Warm thanks to everyone involved.
‘Sky Blues Bus’ is written partly ‘in the voice of’ the bus which carried Coventry City Football team through Coventry following their historic victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the 1987 FA Cup final. It also references the bombing of Coventry in 1940 during the second world war. I wrote the poem after encountering the bus in the brilliant Coventry Transport Museum.
Poetry Business online workshop Wed 4 August
There are a handful of tickets left for my Poetry Business digital workshop on Wed 4th August (11am BST). You can book here. Really looking forward to it.