Adrian Blackledge - Birmingham poet laureate 2014 to 2016

Adrian Blackledge is the recipient of an Eric Gregory Award, and has won prizes in the National Poetry Competition, The Blackwell Poetry Competition, Café Writers Poetry Competition, and The Poetry Business Competition. His poems have been published in a wide range of journals, including The Spectator, London Magazine, Encounter, Orbis, and The Reader. A volume of his poems, Green Eyes, was published by Pikestaff Press.

He has lived in Birmingham for almost all of his life. He is a Professor in the School of Education at University of Birmingham.

"When I attended the presentation ceremony for the award of Birmingham Poet Laureate at the Library of Birmingham on National Poetry Day I was certain that one of the other shortlisted poets would be the recipient of the award. They presented such inspired and original poems, and each of them seemed comfortable performing poetry before an audience. So when Brian Gambles, Director of the Library of Birmingham, opened a pink envelope and read out my name I was a little astonished.

It is an immense honour to be named as Birmingham Poet Laureate 2014/2015. I have lived in Birmingham for 47 years. During almost all of that time I have been involved in writing and publishing poems, reading them in public, running workshops, and organizing poetry events in the city, hoping to inspire students young and old. I very much welcome the opportunity to bring to the position enthusiasm, experience, and a genuine will to ensure that Birmingham consolidates and extends its reputation as a city of poetry."

Download Adrian Blackledge's poems

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