Bruno Cooke
![A pink square-shaped speech bubble on a dark blue background.](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Forward-prize-320x225.jpg)
The hairier I am, the sexier I feel
Bruno Cooke ranks the five poems shortlisted for the Jerwood Prize for Best Single Poem – Performed 2024
![A photograph of a bearded man with wild greying hair. The words 'LIFE'S ALWAYS BEEN A BATTLE BETWEEN DEAD POETS AND LIVING' are superimposed in white text.](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DEAD-POETS-AND-LIVING--320x225.jpg)
Making sense of an often-meaningless world
Bruno Cooke talks to Darby Hudson, the bearded Australian poet in the cuddly jumper
![A photograph of Taylor Swift taking a vinyl disc from its sleeve. the album is hers, the cover shows the normal rock'n'roll stuff, you know, woman in underwear lying on a bed etc.](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Taylor-Swift-320x225.jpg)
Lunar valleys in my mind
Is Taylor Swift a 'tortured poet'? Bruno Cooke listens to her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, to find out
![Graphic with a green background showing a repeating motif of drawn black and white bicycles. It would make excellent wallpaper for a keen cyclist.](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ten-poems-about-bicycles-cover-320x225.jpg)
The Joy of Cycling
Our Spoken Word Editor Bruno Cooke is off round the world on two wheels. He considers the joy of cycling, in poetry.
![Portion of a book cover showing an abstract image (I know , another one, but this one is quite good). The background is horizontal thick blue and red wavy lines. On top of this are some flat yellow graphics representing wooden signposts.](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/STEFAN-MOHAMED-FAREWELL-TOUR--320x225.jpg)
Haunted, haunting, cursed and cursing
Bruno Cooke reviews Farewell Tour by Stefan Mohamed (Verve, 2022)
![Photograph of what looks like a goalpost at dusk. Its hard to tell though, it could be a large staple superimposed on a landscape background.](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/polar-bear-320x225.jpg)
A good flow is like a fossil / it preserves the time
Bruno Cooke reviews The Lost Chronicle by Polarbear (Bloomsbury, 2022)
![A red background has a repeating pattern on it, the pattern comprises two open hands with stigmata, a syringe with a needle and some figs, halved and whole.](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Phlebotomist-320x225.jpg)
The wasp in the fig’s tissue, sharp as a slice of paper
Bruno Cooke reviews Stephen the Phlebotomist by Nadia Lines (Nine Pens, 2022)
![The word Orlam in black script on a parchment background. The "O" is enormous and is surrounded by small line drawings of birds and insects in red. White lines like trees are in the background, and a black line-drawn lamb hangs in the centre.](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Orlam-320x225.jpg)
Your death opens gates to the dark world
Bruno Cooke reviews Orlam by PJ Harvey (Picador, 2022)
![Tom is dressed in, I dunno, cellophane maybe? the background is broadly pink and they have a hat that resembles a chicken carcasse](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Tom-stockley-320x225.jpg)
Sky blue pink
Bruno Cooke on the many faces of artist, poet and social worker Tom Stockley
Photo by Will Thomas
Photo by Will Thomas
![three book covers in a fan shape, one has blue and grey vertical stripes, one has a pattern of hexagonal cells a bit like a hive with a black and white bee on it, one is green with a painting of a mother and daughter](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Three-pamphlets-19-May-320x225.jpg)
Three pamphlets: Erica Gillingham, Stephen Payne and Khadija Rouf
Rachael Matthews reviews The Human Body is a Hive by Erica Gillingham, Richie McCaffery reviews The Wax Argument by Steven Payne, and Bruno Cooke reviews House Work by Khadija Rouf
![Kind ofd abstract blocky design in blue and grey with a pause icon in a orange circle in the centre.](https://thefridaypoem.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Aphex-Twin-Anthology-320x225.jpg)
Selected Ambient Works
Bruno Cooke reviews You've got so many machines, Richard: an anthology of Aphex Twin poetry, edited by Rishi Dastidar and Aaron Kent (Broken Sleep, 2022)