Graeme Richardson
@ravoon.bsky.social
Poetry Critic for the Sunday Times. Anglican Priest. Poetry Collection, "Dirt Rich", out from Carcanet in January 2026. TLS contributor since 2010. All views very much my own.
Good piece by Mathew, but I think it's likely JC was right about Barker -
January 21, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Good piece by Mathew, but I think it's likely JC was right about Barker -
...winner of the TS Eliot prize - and I can now complete this old tweet from @nemoloris.bsky.social
January 20, 2026 at 8:48 AM
...winner of the TS Eliot prize - and I can now complete this old tweet from @nemoloris.bsky.social
It's grand here in the snow
January 10, 2026 at 3:39 PM
It's grand here in the snow
THE HAPPIEST CHRISTMAS DOG IN THE WORLD!
December 20, 2025 at 7:12 PM
THE HAPPIEST CHRISTMAS DOG IN THE WORLD!
Great tribute. JC's approach to reviewing is an approach I share, and one which poetry needs. If your review only cements a friendship, or solicits a good review in return, or is only written for "the community", it's not doing its job.
December 15, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Great tribute. JC's approach to reviewing is an approach I share, and one which poetry needs. If your review only cements a friendship, or solicits a good review in return, or is only written for "the community", it's not doing its job.
Bit rough on Armers this
December 5, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Bit rough on Armers this
Would love this sort of headline to say "read"
November 29, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Would love this sort of headline to say "read"
In the Times today offering commentary in the Love Song of RFK Jr:
November 25, 2025 at 10:07 AM
In the Times today offering commentary in the Love Song of RFK Jr:
Tom Paulin's 1986 LRB piece on Yeats' letters is a glass of champagne - both dry and sparkling. Look at these 3 sentences! "The impulse dissolved in helpless love..." What a writer he was.
November 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Tom Paulin's 1986 LRB piece on Yeats' letters is a glass of champagne - both dry and sparkling. Look at these 3 sentences! "The impulse dissolved in helpless love..." What a writer he was.
This is the illustration accompanying Robert Pinsky's review of Seamus Heaney's Collected Poems in the New York Times... But who the fuck is it supposed to be?
November 17, 2025 at 8:22 PM
This is the illustration accompanying Robert Pinsky's review of Seamus Heaney's Collected Poems in the New York Times... But who the fuck is it supposed to be?
On whether or not a harsh review is pointless, I call, as my next witness, Michael Hulse:
November 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
On whether or not a harsh review is pointless, I call, as my next witness, Michael Hulse:
Among the 5000 German war dead in Cannock Chase Cemetery... History surprising and complex.
November 6, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Among the 5000 German war dead in Cannock Chase Cemetery... History surprising and complex.
I like this, by Clare Pollard - the best "lockdown" poem in a very overcrowded field - and now included in her new collection "Lives of the Female Poets". Note the quietly infectious internal rhymes...
October 27, 2025 at 3:22 PM
I like this, by Clare Pollard - the best "lockdown" poem in a very overcrowded field - and now included in her new collection "Lives of the Female Poets". Note the quietly infectious internal rhymes...
I'm thrilled to say that my collection "Dirt Rich" will be published by Carcanet in January. I've been working at it for almost 30 years: love poems, elegies, lamentations, jokes... The aim is "all killer no filler". Please buy it if you can. Here's Andrew Latimer's brilliant cover:
October 24, 2025 at 2:59 PM
I'm thrilled to say that my collection "Dirt Rich" will be published by Carcanet in January. I've been working at it for almost 30 years: love poems, elegies, lamentations, jokes... The aim is "all killer no filler". Please buy it if you can. Here's Andrew Latimer's brilliant cover:
Hurrahing in Harvest
October 14, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Hurrahing in Harvest
Is it ok to like this poem, and to judge that it narrowly misses the obvious pitfall of the sentimental? I hope so.
October 5, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Is it ok to like this poem, and to judge that it narrowly misses the obvious pitfall of the sentimental? I hope so.
Tony Harrison RIP. Cracking poet
September 27, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Tony Harrison RIP. Cracking poet
Thank you Alex. But fairly wild accusations are being made on here too...
September 24, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Thank you Alex. But fairly wild accusations are being made on here too...
This, from welovestornaway.com is my favourite news item about the Forward Prizes so far... @niallpoetry.bsky.social
July 21, 2025 at 8:13 AM
This, from welovestornaway.com is my favourite news item about the Forward Prizes so far... @niallpoetry.bsky.social
Love this - Kurt Vonnegut on his sister Alice, a painter:
July 6, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Love this - Kurt Vonnegut on his sister Alice, a painter:
This translation might be your cup of tea...
May 1, 2025 at 1:42 PM
This translation might be your cup of tea...
Jeremy, asking this question:
April 30, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Jeremy, asking this question: