Writing poetry is one challenge, but ‘delivering’ your poem, or several poems, to a potential audience at a live reading, is another. However, the two things are also intimately inter-twined.

Over six fortnightly, 2-hour sessions, you’ll get the opportunity to read new work to the rest of the group [the audience] who will then, under the direction of the tutor, join in a positive critique of both your reading and also, by extension, the poem itself, in effect merging the usual poetry workshop format with the rehearsal of a live gig. The final session will be as close to an actual gig as possible before an invited audience.

Matthew Caley’s 7th collection, To Abandon Wizardry, was published by Bloodaxe in November 2023. Since his debut, Thirst [ Slow Dancer, 1999] was nominated for The Forward Prize for Best First Collection, his work has been widely anthologised and appeared in many magazines, websites and journals. He has given many readings both in th UK and abroad. In addition to being a regular tutor/mentor for The Poetry School in London, he has recently held Poetry/Creative Writing posts at St Andrews University [twice], at The University of Winchester, and Royal Holloway University London.

NOTE: Although this course isn’t specifically focused on ‘performance’ or ‘spoken word’ poems, it will examine the degree[s] of performance involved in reading poems live [and how we’re all performing to some degree, even when we’re not], alongside how this can open up insights into improving your poems overall. Whatever type of poet you are, if you have poems-on-the-page and want to explore their potential as poems-off-the-page with developmental feedback and instruction, this course is for you.

Dates: 6 fortnightly sessions on Thursdays, 7–9pm (GMT), 30 May - 8 August 2024
Location: The Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton St, London WC2H 9BX
Cost: £150

Further info and to book here.