Poetry School Articles
Laurel Prize Shortlist 2026: Laura Wainwright
Laura Wainwright has been shortlisted for this year’s Laurel Prize 2026! Read more about her and her poem ‘River Roses’ from her collection The Storm’s Flora. About Laura Laura Wainwright is from Newport, South Wales. Her debut poetry collection, The Storm’s Flora (Seren), was shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney First Collection Prize 2026 and won the Wales…
Poetry School
6 Ways Poetry Meets Science
How are poetry and science connected, and what can they learn from one another? Zakia Carpenter-Hall, who will be teaching her Online Masterclass, Into Greater Fields of Possibility, with us this Autumn, explores the fascinating intersection where poetry meets science. 1. Exploration Poets and scientists alike often observe the physical world, life within it, human…
Zakia Carpenter-Hall
Laurel Prize Shortlist 2026: Jane Lovell
Jane Lovell has been shortlisted for this year’s Laurel Prize 2026! Read more about her and her poem ‘Gyrfalcon’ from her collection Tipping Point. Image credit: Christopher Jelley About Jane Winner of the Ginkgo Prize, Jane Lovell explores the shifting relationship between people and the natural world. Her latest collection, Tipping Point, draws on polar exploration,…
Poetry School
Shortlist Announcement: The Laurel Prize 2026
The Poetry School and UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage are delighted to announce the shortlist for The Laurel Prize 2026, rewarding the best nature and environmental poetry books of the year. This prize is funded by Simon Armitage’s Laureate’s honorarium, which he receives annually from the King, and is run by the Poetry School. It…
Beth Evans (Poetry School)
Free Poetry Mentoring Opportunity: TLC Free Reads Scheme 2027
Looking to develop your writing under the guidance of a published poet? Poetry School is delighted to be partnering with The Literary Consultancy, offering one poet a free poetry mentoring opportunity from February 2027. Find out how to apply below! APPLICATIONS HAVE NOW CLOSED This year, we’re excited to once again participate in the TLC…
Chloe Elliott (Poetry School)
Autumn 2026 – Quick Course Guide
Our Autumn Term is now live! We have a whole host of brilliant tutors and poetry courses ready for you to pick from and, as they tend to sell out really fast, we’ve made this Autumn 2026 Quick Course Guide to help guide you to the right course. Online Courses INTERNATIONAL Asynchonrous Online courses with…
Chloe Elliott (Poetry School)
5 Things to Consider as a Poetry Beginner
Thinking about starting to write poetry, but not sure where to begin? Isabelle Baafi, who is leading our First Steps programme, shares the important things to consider as a poetry beginner. 1. Be open to receive The most engaging art responds to the world around us and finds life, beauty and wisdom in the most…
Isabelle Baafi
FAQs for Autumn Term 2026
Our Autumn Courses have now launched! We’ve put together a list of FAQs you may find useful – so whether you are a new or returning student, make sure to give them a read before you book… Autumn Term: Your Questions Answered Where can I find the Autumn Courses? We have put together an Autumn…
Poetry School
Emerging Voices: Online Showcase Reading
Poetry School’s talented MA Foundation Seminar students will be giving a special poetry reading on Thursday 23 July, sharing new work developed during the course. This intimate event, hosted by tutor Meryl Pugh, offers a chance to hear fresh voices and celebrate emerging talent in a supportive setting. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone considering…
Poetry School
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter today to receive all the latest news, updates and opportunities at The Poetry School! This newsletter will provide you with all the updates on: We also love to give a shout out to all our student and tutor poetry successes, so if you have a poetry success you’d like to share…
Poetry School
September Sessions: 10 Years of the MA in Writing in Poetry
To celebrate 10 years of the MA in Writing in Poetry, we are delighted to announce a series of exciting zoom workshops tutored by fresh voices from our MA Graduates taking place this September! Check out our fantastic line up and make sure you book your place soon to avoid disappointment. Thursday 3 September A…
Poetry School
Take Your First Steps in Writing Poetry
Looking to start your journey into poetry? Welcome to First Steps, our new Beginners series with Isabelle Baafi! What is First Steps? First Steps is our new Beginners’ series. The programme consists of two alternating monthly workshops (‘Finding Inspiration’ and ‘A Closer Look’), running between July and December 2026. Who is First Steps for? This series…
Poetry School
Creative Voice and Receiving Critiques in Poetry Workshops
In this series, we interview our tutors about poetry and its place in their world. These interviews will cover creative writing tips, excelling in a poetry workshop, building a literary career, and finding your poetic voice. Here’s Natasha Hakimi Zapata on Creative Voice and Receiving Critiques. Can you discuss the emotional aspect of receiving feedback…
Natasha Hakimi Zapata
4 Poems for Times of Crisis
Shazea Quraishi, who teaches her popular course Lighting the World: Writing in Times of Crisis, recommends her top 4 poems that demonstrate writing in response to times of crisis. Image credit: @usgs Crisis comes from the Greek ‘krisis’, meaning decision. In English it was first used in a medical context to refer to the decisive, turning…
Shazea Quraishi
Poetry School MA in Writing Poetry Scholarship 2026
**** APPLICATIONS CLOSED **** We’re delighted to announce that applications are open for the Poetry School MA in Writing Poetry Scholarship 2026. This is a full fee scholarship award to the Poetry School / Newcastle University MA in Writing Poetry for an outstanding UK-based applicant who is currently underrepresented in the poetry world. By underrepresented poets, we mean…
Poetry School
6 tips to Improve your Writing
Wondering where to start with refining your writing practise? Leah Umansky shares her top tips which will help you improve your poetry. 1. Read (and Take Note!) Keep some kind of journal, whether it be one for the morning, when you wake up, or one for evening, before bed. I also have a small journal…
Leah Umansky
5 Ways to Use Sound in Poetry
Curious about the sonic possibilities of poetry and the poetic possibilities of sound? Iris Colomb, who is teaching her Online course Sonic Language / Poetic Noise Masterclass with us this Summer, talks us through her top 5 ways writers can use sound in their poetry. 1. Listen Listen to strangers. Listen to yourself. Notice the…
Iris Colomb
Finding Your Poetic Inspiration
Are you stuck in a writers’ block, or struggling to find that spark of inspiration for writing new poetry? Finding inspiration for your poetry can be tricky at times, so we’ve put together a list of our courses which include a variety of themes guaranteed to unlock new ideas and get those creative juices flowing! Poems…
Poetry School
How do I know if my Poem is Working?
Ever felt like your poem just isn’t working, or that there’s something missing but you’re not sure what? Receiving feedback from fellow writers, and getting tips from esteemed tutors, is the best way to finetune those poems and get them ready for submission. We have a range of workshops for poets of all abilities. Check…
Poetry School
Writing About England in Strange Times
As part of our Poetry Craft series, JLM Morton asks how can poets write about England in strange times. England has a long literary and folkloric history, but how can poets write about the country today – especially in the context of rising nationalism and exclusion? Poets today can write about England by reimagining national…
JLM Morton
Summer 2026 – Quick Course Guide
Our Summer Term is now live! We have a whole host of brilliant tutors and poetry courses ready for you to pick from and, as they tend to sell out really fast, we’ve made this Summer 2026 Quick Course Guide to help guide you to the right course. Online Courses INTERNATIONAL Online courses without Live…
Poetry School
MA Graduation Day with Suzanna Fitzpatrick
As we prepare for another MA Open Day, poet and MA Graduate Suzanna Fitzpatrick reflects on Graduation Day 2025. Image Credit: Suzanna Fitzpatrick Sometimes we all need a buffer I write my first lines of the Poetry School MA in Writing Poetry in the brand-new notebook I’ve just been given. It’s our first workshop with…
Poetry School
Laurel Prize Weekend with Poet in Residence, Manisha Dhesi
In preparation for our launch of the Laurel Prize 2026, we are proud to present a beautiful blog and two stunning new poems from our Laurel Prize Poet in Residence, Manisha Dhesi. Over the prize weekend, Manisha attended two workshops ran by Kathleen Jamie and Daljit Nagra, as well as the Laurel Prize-Giving Ceremony. Read…
Manisha Dhesi
Can Menopause Make You a Better Writer?
As part of our Poetry Queries series, Helen Ivory discusses whether menopause can make you a better writer. Menopause is still often seen as a taboo topic. How can writing about this life transition help women reclaim their voices? I believe that women’s voices are repressed their whole lives in one way or another. From childhood, girls are encouraged to be nice, to use…
Helen Ivory
MA in Writing Poetry Open Day
On Saturday 14 March The Poetry School will be holding an MA in Writing Poetry Open Day, led by our MA Manager and poet Tessa Foley. Do I have to register to attend? Yes, in order to attend you must register. To do this, please contact [email protected] and you will be added to the register….
Poetry School