‘Sometimes, the hardest thing for poets is to free themselves from their own habitual ways of seeing the world.’ – Charles Simic.

Great writing often comes through deepening attention, whether we’re attending to the somatic information from our own bodies, the details of our environment, the nuances of encounters with others or life in our society. Join Mike Conley and Kate Feld for a writing workshop suitable for poets and prose writers of any level of experience. We’ll read and discuss inspirational writing by Elizabeth Bishop, Carl Phillips and Benjamin Zephaniah and then try writing our own pieces that work with attention.

Mike Conley is the author of the poetry pamphlets Aquarium (Flarestack Poets) and These Are Not My Dreams… (Nine Pens Press), and has published writing in Rialto, New Welsh Review, Magma and Butcher’s Dog among others. He was the 2022 recipient of Poetry Society’s Peggy Poole Prize.

Kate Feld is the author of the poetry and photography pamphlet Deeryard (Death of Workers Whilst Building Skyscrapers). She has published work in literary journals including The Stinging Fly, Hotel, Banshee and Tolka.

Cost: £15/£10 lower income/unwaged. To book a place email kate.feld@gmail.com

Saturday November 29, Saan.1 Gallery, 5 Kelvin Street, Manchester M4 1ET