Despite being stuck at home, my appetite for talking about poetry (or just talking to adults, full stop) is undimmed, so I’ve had to get my fix online! If you’re in the market for some poetry discussion, I talked to the wonderful Kate Halabura of Wandsworth Town Library. We had planned an event at the library in March but it was not to be, so it was lovely to chat with Kate via Zoom instead about She is Fierce and the hidden history of women’s poetry. You can see our chat below.

I also had the enormous pleasure of interviewing William Sieghart, author of the glorious Poetry Pharmacy books, for the Chiddingstone Literary Festival podcast. William is a poetry legend, and his books dispense thoughtful, perceptive advice on the perfect piece of poetry for whatever ails you - be it grief, loneliness or just not having enough pep for a party. You can listen to our conversation on the Chiddingstone Literary Festival website here. I’d love to interview more authors and poets so if you are looking for an event chair (online for the forseeable future, I guess) do get in touch.

I’ve long been convinced that poetry is good for you (here’s me harping on about it some years ago in the Daily Express) and it’s an approach also taken by the marvellous Deborah Alma. As well as being an incredibly talented poet, Deb is the Emergency Poet, touring the country in a vintage ambulance with Nurse Verse, dispensing poems to ease your problems. Her anthologies The Emergency Poet and The Everyday Poet are two of my favourites, and she now runs a real life Poetry Pharmacy in Shropshire. I hope to visit in *the time after* but, for now, you can order from them online and even book an email or telephone consultation.

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