Poetry blog

We keep you updated on the world of poetry with our news roundups.

Recent posts

John Barbour Poems

 

John Barbour was a 14th century Scottish poet, church minister and royal courtier who, it is believed, was the first to write in a Germanic version of the Middle English language known as Scots.  This variety was popular in the Lowlands of Scotland while Gaelic was spoken in the Highlands and Islands regions, and still is to some degree.  His most famous piece of ...

Atticus/Athletes and the Kundiman Prize – Poetry News Roundup July 21st

 

In today’s stories, we delve into the world of poetry and social media to take a look at the anonymous Instagram poet, look at what inspires the winner of the 2017 Kundiman Poetry Prize and we explore the unusual collaboration between athleticism and poetry. Atticus – The Instagram Poet The rise of social media has made it possible for poetry to reach more people ...

John Arbuthnot Poems

 

John Arbuthnot was an intellectually gifted man who was a satirist, physician and mathematician.  He is often described as a true polymath and was responsible for the invention, in 1712, of a character named John Bull who would go on to symbolise “middle England” in political and sociological posters, pamphlets and publications.  He was one of the founder members of a London literary ...

John Allan Wyeth Poems

 

John Allan Wyeth was an American writer, artist and school teacher.  His poignant pieces written about the First World War earned him the epithet “war poet” but it actually took until the year 2008 for this to happen.  This was when his book This Man’s Army:  A War in Fifty-Odd Sonnets, originally published 80 years before, was reprinted.  It became one of the ...

Poetry Prescriptions and Jane Austen remembered – Poetry News Roundup 20th July

 

Today we look at poetry as an alternative to medicine; can it really work? And look at the ways in which the world remembered Jane Austen on the bicentenary of her death. Poetry on Prescription Arts on Prescription, a scheme which is available in the UK via GP referral is nothing new, it has been around for quite a few years and has very ...

John Addington Symonds Poems

 

John Addington Symonds was a 19th century English poet, biographer, literary historian and critic.  He also taught at a number of establishments in Bristol.  His life took a curious course in that he married and had children but was also an enthusiastic advocate of homosexuality, espousing pederasty and egalitarianism in equal measures.  Indeed, one of his poems (simply called Hymn) suggested a utopian ...

Poetry and Politics/Palestinian Poetry/Poetry in the Indian Language – Poetry News Roundup 19th July

 

Today we bring you poetry news from three very different cultures; poetry and politics from Cuba, a Palestinian poet who is being brought out of the shadows and a rise in Indian language poetry. Poetry and Politics At My Poetic Side, we are interested to see that once again poetry and politics have become interwoven in the news. This time at Cuba’s First Itinerant ...

Rumi, Social Media and Latitude – Poetry News Roundup 18th July

 

In today’s news round-up, Music and poetry meet in two very different ways and we see just how much of an influence social media is having on the popularity and accessibility of poetry. Persian Poet and Philosopher: Rumi Following the announcement that Beyonce and Jay-Z had chosen the name Rumi for one of their twins, the big question that many people were asking was ...

Liu Xiaobo Passes Away After Short Illness Poetry News 17th July

 

News has reached My Poetic Side of the passing of poet Liu Xiaobo. Born on 28th December 1955 in Changchun, Jilin, Liu Xiaobo was a Chinese writer, literary critic, and poet. He is possibly best known for his role as a human rights activist, the role that he played in calling for political reforms in China and his involvement in campaigns to ...

Johannes Carl Andersen Poems

 

Johannes Carl Andersen was a Danish-born New Zealand poet and anthropologist who was an authority on Maori folklore and customs.  He also held down an administrative job with the Department of Lands and Survey for almost three decades. He was born on the 14th March 1873 in a small Jutland village called Klakring, the son of a watchmaker.  The family emigrated to New ...