Poetry London and Goldsmiths Writers’ Centre present John Agard, Anthony Joseph and Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa.

Caribbean poetry has always been a coffer of urgent, evocative ideas – reshaping form, interrogating language, and crafting aesthetics for imagining new worlds and challenging the Western canon. Whether the vibrant surrealism of Aimé Césaire, the epic mythmaking of Derek Walcott, the gripping dub rhythms of Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze, or the archival examinations of M NourbeSe Phillip, Caribbean poets have pioneered some of poetry’s most significant leaps and bounds in the past century. In association with Poetry London, the Writers’ Centre hosted an evening celebrating Caribbean poetry past and present, with performances by three poets – John Agard, Anthony Joseph, and Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa – whose startling innovations represent just three illustrious generations of Caribbean poetry.

Drawing its title from a poem in Éduouard Glissant’s sequence ‘Monomagic’, the event was a magical and thought-provoking night, with the opportunity to hear the poets in conversation after their readings with chair Isabelle Baafi.

We’re happy to announce our Summer issue launch at Foyles Charing Cross Road. The event will feature live readings from Jay Bernard, Ian Duhig, Mona Kareem, lisa luxx and Christos Koukis, as well as the winner of the Poetry London Pamphlet Prize (to be announced shortly). Join us on Thursday 6 July for an exciting poetry evening!

This is a recording of our Summer Launch at the Southbank Centre, on June 25. The line-up consisted of poets Grace Nichols, Rory Waterman, Yousif M Qasmiyeh, Jennifer Wong, and Will Burns.

This is a recording of our Spring Launch at Hatchards, on March 26. The line-up consisted of poets Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Robert Selby, Romalyn Ante, Natalie Linh Bolderston, and Dante Micheaux.

We are delighted to share the details of our programme of events outside London to celebrate the publication of our 100th issue this autumn. Please click on the links below for further details, and to book your ticket. Saturday Oct [...]

Saturday 23rd October 2021, 7–8.30pm Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall, Level 5 Function Room Tickets £7 Join us for a stellar line-up of poets as we celebrate Poetry London’s 100th issue. This event draws on the illustrious 33-year history of the magazine’s [...]

Our summer 2020 readings will now be taking place on YouTube Live on Thursday 18 June. With readings from Raymond Antrobus, Rachael Boast, Supriya Kaur Dhaliwal, Jee Leong Koh, John McCullough and Claudine Toutoungi. The event will be free, unticketed [...]