5 Brilliant Poetry Books From The Latitude Line Up

It’s the 25th anniversary of National Poetry Day! Feeling like you’d like to try your hand at poetry yourself to celebrate? Look no further, as the poets of the Latitude 2019 line up have plenty of work to encourage you to get writing – which is why we’ve collected some of the very best right here.

From the latest book from current Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, to a book of poems entirely about cricket from Zaffar Kunial – read on and get inspired!

1. ‘Sandettie light vessel automatic’ – simon armitage

Simon Armitage‘s most recent book ‘Sandettie Light Vessel Automatic’ is “a collection of commissioned, collaborative and occasional poems”. Published earlier this year, it features works the Poet Laureate has written for various projects and events that you won’t find in any of his previous mainstream volumes. From heartfelt war poetry to a series about artist Henry Moore, this collection has something for everyone.

2. ‘O Positive’ – joe dunthorne

The much-anticipated debut poetry collection from author Joe Dunthorne arrived earlier this year. It’s a very promising start, having gained rave reviews from the likes of The Guardian. Don’t miss ‘After I have written my important poem’ – guaranteed to have you laughing out loud on your commute.

3. ‘kingdomland’ – rachael allen

Another poet to release her debut collection this year was Rachael Allen, described as “a writer of rare vision and flair”. Those who saw her performance in The SpeakEasy at Latitude 2019 will be able to attest to this, and ‘Kingdomland’ contains some of her strongest and most unnerving imagery yet.

4. ‘anecdotal evidence’ – wendy cope

One of Britain’s best-loved poets, Wendy Cope released her latest collection ‘Anecdotal Evidence’ last year – her first since 2011. As the title suggests, it’s packed with her own experiences of childhood, family, and growing older, all told in her trademark sharp, witty style.

5. ‘six’ – zaffar kunial

Here’s one for the sports fans. Zaffar Kunial makes no secret of the fact he loves cricket, having recently been employed as poet-in-residence at none other than the Kia Oval cricket ground in London. His most recent pamphlet ‘Six’, published last month, is a collection of poems about the sport to coincide with his Oval residency, and features tales of cricketing legend Imran Khan and famed commentator Brian Johnston.

Book your Latitude 2020 tickets now so you can be back in The SpeakEasy listening to poetry next year! Latitude 2020 will be back in Henham Park on 16th-19th July, and you can get tickets now at Early Bird prices!