poetry
Scotland's national poet Kathleen Jamie on why book festivals are wrong target for climate activism
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1623_Books_Hero.jpg?w=768)
Scotland's national poet Kathleen Jamie on why book festivals are wrong target for climate activism
Scotland's national poet's new collection, Cairn, uses personal notes, prose poems, micro-essays and fragments to make sense of our fractured world
Punk poet John Cooper Clarke: 'The drugs? Well, obviously keep away from all that s**t'
![John Cooper Clarke. Portrait by Bryan Ledgard](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/the_cadaverous_complexion_of_a_compulsive_blood_donor._John_Cooper_Clarke_5111743899.jpg?w=650)
Punk poet John Cooper Clarke: 'The drugs? Well, obviously keep away from all that s**t'
'A man of integrity': Tributes pour in after writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah dies aged 65
![Benjamin Zephaniah](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zephaniah.jpg?w=648)
'A man of integrity': Tributes pour in after writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah dies aged 65
Artist and poet Chris Bird: My art is an attempt to create hope and beauty in the everyday
Artist and poet Chris Bird: My art is an attempt to create hope and beauty in the everyday
Top 5 books to inspire you to write poetry, selected by The Poetry Pharmacy's Deborah Alma
Top 5 books to inspire you to write poetry, selected by The Poetry Pharmacy's Deborah Alma
Poet and author Blake Morrison on grief and why he wrote so much about his family
![Blake Morrison close up to the camera](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/1583_YS_Blake-Morrison-047-credit-Nobby-Clark.jpg?w=768)
Poet and author Blake Morrison on grief and why he wrote so much about his family
Paul Simon unveils surprise collaboration with artist Charlie Mackesy: 'It's nice to make a friend this way'
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/1565_PS_Paul-Simon-Suarez_0315_rev-COVER-1.jpg?w=768)
Paul Simon unveils surprise collaboration with artist Charlie Mackesy: 'It's nice to make a friend this way'
Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan: Poetry alive with compassion and acceptance
![Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1578_Books-Bright-Fear-HERO.jpg?w=768)
Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan: Poetry alive with compassion and acceptance
Marxist take on Keats poetry opens up possibilities
![Keats’s Odes: A Lover’s Discourse book cover](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1571_JB_.jpg?w=768)
Marxist take on Keats poetry opens up possibilities
Faith healing: How churches offer reassurance in tough times
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1569_Books-cr-Matthew-Green-ONLINE.jpg?w=768)
Faith healing: How churches offer reassurance in tough times
Patterflash by Adam Lowe review: Acrobatic and winking poems of queer life
![Patterflash by Adam Lowe](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1569_BOOKS_patterflash-pbs-cover-HERO.jpg?w=768)
Patterflash by Adam Lowe review: Acrobatic and winking poems of queer life
Quiet Fires by andriniki mattis review: Realities of living as a transgender Black person in America
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1567-books_quiet-fires-HERO-jpg.webp?w=768)
Quiet Fires by andriniki mattis review: Realities of living as a transgender Black person in America
Paul Simon: 'Seven Psalms is very much about God. But not always praise'
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/1565_PS_HERO_4116_Photo-credit-Jake-Edwards_copyright-2018-Paul-Simon-Music-ART.jpg?w=768)
Paul Simon: 'Seven Psalms is very much about God. But not always praise'
Paul Simon reveals he has ‘lost the hearing’ in his left ear
![Paul Simon performing in his native New York on the final concert of his farewell tour in 2018. Image: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/1565_PS_2MMFYWM-2.jpg?w=768)
Paul Simon reveals he has ‘lost the hearing’ in his left ear
Top 5 poetry collections on climate change, chosen by Rishi Dastidar
![Climate change: Arid landscape beside a field of flowers](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/pxclimateaction-g145729929_1920.jpg?w=768)
Top 5 poetry collections on climate change, chosen by Rishi Dastidar
The Speculations of Country People review: Majella Kelly's poems of desire
![The Speculations of Country People by Majella Kelly](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/1555_books_HERO_The-Speculations-2.jpeg?w=768)
The Speculations of Country People review: Majella Kelly's poems of desire
Dust Sucker review: Jen Calleja weaves resonant strands together
![Dust Sucker cover](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/1555_Books_HERO_dust-sucker-transparent-render-hi-res-scaled-2.jpg?w=768)
Dust Sucker review: Jen Calleja weaves resonant strands together
Orlam by PJ Harvey review: Singer-songwriter's poetry book is a rich and unwieldy epic
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PJ_Harvey.gif?w=768)
Orlam by PJ Harvey review: Singer-songwriter's poetry book is a rich and unwieldy epic
Hussain Manawer: 'From sadness, I created beautiful things'
![Hussain Manawer features on BetterPod The Big Issue's podcast](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/1516_Arts_2.jpg?w=768)
Hussain Manawer: 'From sadness, I created beautiful things'
Ben Okri: 'War taught me as a kid that there is no certainty in this world'
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/1510_YS_1.jpg?w=768)
Ben Okri: 'War taught me as a kid that there is no certainty in this world'
Limbic by Peter Scalpello review: the dark side of queer writing
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/sushil-nash-LY-vxKePtE-unsplash.gif?w=768)
Limbic by Peter Scalpello review: the dark side of queer writing
The Kids by Hannah Lowe review: Poetry that sings from the page
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/1498_Books_6-e1645622201666.jpg?w=768)
The Kids by Hannah Lowe review: Poetry that sings from the page
Read this exclusive poem about homelessness by Ian McMillan
![Tents in Butler Place in London, ont far from the houses of parliament](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/49519312598_41bd08b91d_o.jpg?w=768)
Read this exclusive poem about homelessness by Ian McMillan
Benjamin Zephaniah hails the rising tide of poetry in lockdown
![Benjamin Zephaniah](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zephaniah.jpg?w=648)
Benjamin Zephaniah hails the rising tide of poetry in lockdown
Michael Rosen: 'We never know when, why or how we might become a refugee'
![](https://www.bigissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Michael-Rosen-hero.jpg?w=768)