The Friday Poem

A poem every Friday

In Conversation

Close up of Mike Bartholomew-Biggs' smiling face. He has light coloured hair, a greying small beard and glasses.

We certainly like our poets to be challenging in what they say but perhaps less so in how they say it!

We talk to Mike Bartholomew-Biggs from London Grip about managing poetry reviews, London Grip New Poetry, the re-launch of Poetry in the Crypt, and the joy of maths
Ink stencil style picture of a cat (the Mariscat cat) on a cream watercolour background.

Vivat Mariscat

The Friday Poem talks to Hamish Whyte of Mariscat Press about current Scottish Galvanisers, the timidity of contemporary review culture, and to blurb or not to blurb
Black and white composite image of Zoë Brigley and Rhian Edwards.

We punch above our weight and compete with the big five

The Friday Poem talks to Zoë Brigley and Rhian Edwards, the new Poetry Editors at Seren Books
Line drawing of a lily on a pink background

Gathering flowers

In Conversation: The Friday Poem talks to Kathryn Gray and Andrew Neilson, founders and editors of digital poetry journal Bad Lilies
The word 'iamb' in white a light grey circle on a dark grey background. Underneath it says 'poetry seen and heard' in small white lower-case text.

Inside iamb

The Friday Poem talks to Mark Antony Owen, founder and editor of poet directory and quarterly journal iamb
photo of Sharon, she has dark hair and is smiling

The poet has to have the last word

We talk to Sharon Black, editor of Pindrop Press, about the impact of Brexit, living and writing in two languages, and what’s new with Pindrop
Lorna with short gray hair, she is wearing glasses.

Ups and Downs

In Conversation: Lorna Dowell talks about her first teachers at school, setting up Poetic Licence, and how creative expression is key to general well-being and mental health
a man sitting at a table reading a book which hides his face, also on the table is a tabby cat

I’m enjoying the anonymity while it lasts

We talk to the Poet Laureate of Twitter, Brian Bilston, about pressure to publish, how writing about politics can be a form of therapy, and why he's writing love poems now
Picture of Emma smiling with shoulder length brown hair wearing blue shirt and dungarees sitting behind a table full of books.

Make nice things

In Conversation: The Friday Poem talks to Emma Dai'an Wright of The Emma Press about what it's like to be a gatekeeper, increased diversity in the publishing industry, and the joy of making nice things
Photograph of a man walking by a white wall in Kabul, on the wall is an illustration of a man pushing a wheelbarrow with a large red heart shape in it

Voices in a strange land

Feature: The Friday Poem talks to Exiled Writers Ink founding director Jennifer Langer. Photograph of Kabul Street Art by Kabir Mokamel
Big Yellow letter V on a white background surrounded by an multicoloured ring that looks a bit sixties

We want everyone to feel they can come and join our poetry party!

In Conversation: Stuart Bartholomew talks to The Friday Poem
Abstract design. Blue, black and yellow triangles and squares on a black background with the text "Ignition Press" on a blue background

My general approach is to question the norm

In Conversation: The Friday Poem talks to Les Robinson about finding new poets, writing blurbs, and the usefulness (or not) of poetry reviews