Northern Words (Spoken word poetry, 29th November)

We're proud to announce a new collaboration between the Centre for Poetry and Poetics, Department of English Studies and Gong Fu Poets, which will bring seven of the region's award-winning and up-and-coming spoken word artists to St Chad's College Chapel on 29th November. In two hours of top entertainment you'll hear from seven acclaimed Northern...

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Back to Back Poetry: Review of Michael O’Neill and Jamie McKendrick at Durham Book Festival

Michael O’Neill’s The Return of the Gift and Jamie McKendrick’s Anomaly are two compelling poetry collections. Though individual in style, both encapsulate the personal experiences that have shaped the mind of their authors. Aalia Ahmed and Lucia Scigliano attended their reflective reading at Durham Book Festival. Michael O’Neill’s reading incorporated a diverse selection from his...

Patriotism and Dissent: Anna Laetitia Barbauld and the Pleasures of the Imagination (Public lecture, 15th November)

The poet Anna Leaetitia Barbauld might not be widely known today, but her work in the late eighteenth century helped to set the tone for what would become known as Romanticism. Come and learn more from about this pioneering female voice, and the debt she owes to Newcastle-born poet Mark Akenside, as Dr Emma Major gives...

Avians and Aviators: Review of Simon Armitage at Durham Book Festival

Simon Armitage describes himself as only an ‘occasional birder’, but his poetry is flocked with avian imagery and flighty themes. Dr Venetia Bridges spotted Armitage at Durham Book Festival, where he was appearing as part of our own Literary Birds conference. Although his main focus was poetry featuring birds, Simon Armitage’s reading at St Chad’s...

Lyrically Profound: Review of Keith James’ The Songs of Leonard Cohen at Durham Book Festival

Leonard Cohen may be best-known as a musician, but he was inspired by and wrote poetry too. Keith James’s intimate performance at Durham Book Festival drew songs and literature together, while bringing the audience – among them Emon Keshavarz – into tuneful chorus. The deeply spiritual aspects of Leonard Cohen’s life and the religious iconography...