The Poetry Habit

Week 1: Poetry Is Not A Luxury

The first session will explore ideas about why poetry matters and how it can help us navigate uncertain times. We’ll learn how to adopt a beginner’s mindset, discover new voices, broaden our tastes, and experiment with different ways of reading a poem.

Week 2: Tattoos on the Heart 

This week we'll focus on listening to poetry and on learning poems by heart. We'll dip into the slam scene, exploring different styles of performance poetry and consider ways of borrowing creative inspiration from others.

Week 3: Everyday Matters 

Our third session will be about finding magic in the mundane and fortifying ourselves with small moments of beauty: noticing the sunlight as it falls across a wooden floor or the sound of water as it's poured into a teapot, appreciating the small kindnesses in a waiting room or tiny epiphanies that can happen in the supermarket.

Week 4: Finding The Words 

The fourth session will focus on developing habits and practices for doing something creative every day. We’ll explore the challenges of working in imperfect conditions, defying inner critics, seeing and growing what’s good, and persevering with creative habits even when we feel like giving up.

Week 5: Sharing the Joy 

The final session is a collective celebration. We’ll share the fruits of our new habits, and marvel at just how many different ways our group have found to bring more poetry into both our own and others’ daily lives.

The course runs on Zoom over five Tuesday evenings (18.30-20.30 GMT). Before each session you will be emailed with instructions for accessing the meeting.

This is a participatory course and you will be asked to take a supportive interest in other people’s creative development. For those who wish there will also be an opportunity to share poetry and build community in between sessions. 

Tickets are valid for the full course even if you cannot attend all dates. No partial course ticket is available.

"Brilliantly structured, thought provoking, mind expanding and playful"

"Emboldening and inspiring, an invitation to playfulness and wonder"

"A rich and varied feast of poetic nourishment"

"Enough food for the soul to last me years"

" It made my heart so full, inspired me, lifted me, held me and encouraged me"

"A glorious introduction to poetry without pretension"

"Safe, comforting, welcoming and encouraging. It's the best course I've ever done"

“Sophie quietly and effortlessly dazzles, twinkles and shines.”

My aim is to offer you a well planned and supportive learning experience for the lowest possible feee.

A limited number of concessionary places are available. Using the code ‘concession’ will give you a third off the course fee when checking-out. Please only use this discount if you are sure you would not otherwise be able to attend.

I offer two bursary places on every course I run. You are welcome to contact me here to request one.