Poetry RSS

by Rhian Elizabeth I posted the obligatory back to school photograph of my daughter on Facebook this morning. Because if you don’t post that photo then basically you are a bad mother and all your Facebook mother friends will judge you. Although I will admit that, unlike other parents and their photo captions, I was not 'bursting with pride' at the sight of Scout in her new uniform (after weeks of complaining about the stiffness of collars and the length of skirts and the uncomfortableness of ties I was just glad she put the fucking thing on), I was not...

Rhian Elizabeth here. Parthian have given me control of their blog for the next month. Perhaps this will be a mistake on their part. I’ve been asked to write as much as I can manage and whatever I feel comfortable with. Since I’ve been focusing on poetry this past year, I haven’t written prose in a really long time, so whatever I can manage may not be very much at all. I’ve got to try and remember what a full stop is, where the caps lock is on my keyboard, and to fill the page with loads of words. Becoming...

As we prepare to launch our new season of poetry titles by Kate North, Rhian Elizabeth, Rhys Owain Williams and Mari Ellis Dunning, the first review is in: 'All four poets are spiky and surprising, often dark, sometimes funny...' Read the review in full by Thomas Tyrrell on the Wales Arts Review website Come along to Cardiff Book Festival next Friday 7 September to see three of the poets reading in the New Poetry Showcase. 19:30 — SPLOTT STAGE Poetry showcase - The Friday Night Poetry Party Our Friday night Festival fixture showcases some of Wales’ most exciting and engrossing...

As she prepares to release her debut poetry collection the last polar bear on earth, Rhian will be writing a daily blog for us across September about her writing and her life, so here's an interview to get you all introduced...

There is clearly a lot going on in your poetry, what influenced you to write?

I know. It’s because there’s a lot going on in my head! What first influenced me to write in general is what still influences me to write now – it’s not any sort of influence as such, just the need to write. I’ve always written about things that I’m going through that are difficult. I’m not good at talking about my feelings so I write them down instead. In my first book I fictionalised growing up, being a teenager, the death of my father, friendships, music. This poetry collection is all about me having Multiple Sclerosis, being a mother, being gay, being in and getting over a violent relationship, making mistakes.

Don’t miss this last minute opportunity to enter the PENfro writing competitions. 

The PENfro Book Festival is now in its eighth year and the popularity of our writing competitions continues to grow. Entering competitions, daring to dip your toe into the water and compete with others, encourages writers to hone and develop their work. The benefits are obvious. Not only might you win a nice cash prize, or – better still – some professional editorial help, but you’re also taking steps to put your work out into the world. Whether it’s a poem, a play or the beginnings of a novel, entering a competition is great way to honour your work.

This year they have three writing competitions: their ever-popular poetry competition, a first chapter competition and a short radio drama competition. 

The extended deadlines are: First chapter to July 29, poetry and radio drama till 15 August. Enter via the web site: https://penfrobookfestival.org.uk