Catherine will be leading some poetry writing exercises which explore ways of finding and using/extending different types of imagery, figurative language and symbolism, to energise poems and deepen their connection to readers.

Join poet Lewis Buxton for a workshop on the body in poetry. How do you capture the beauty of the body? Or the ugliness of an injury? Whether it’s in sport, sickness or sex, in this workshop you will read poems by Sharon Olds, Hannah Lowe, Terrance Hayes and other well known poets then write your own poems about the body.

• Ellen, a poet from Ipswich, began pursuing publication and performance opportunities a few years ago, finding inspiration in the Mum Poet Club during the 2021 lockdown.
• Ellen’s poetry has been featured in zines, journals, and on platforms like BBC Upload and Radio Suffolk, with performances at venues like The Soho Theatre and The Southbank Centre.
• Ellen’s current book, “Simmer,” is a feminist pamphlet available at Dial Lane Books in Ipswich and online.
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellen_writes_poems
• Book purchase link: Simmer – https://amzn.eu/d/9PdQG6Y 
• Substack: https://ellenclayton.substack.com/ 

• First poem published in a collection called “Poems for Freedom” a decade ago.
• Self-published “Cruor” in 2021, followed by “Domesticated Volume 1” in 2023, “Domesticated Volume 2” in 2023, and “Domesticated Volume 3” in 2024.
• Working on two themed poetry collections for 2025.
• Compared to John Cooper Clarke, Spike Milligan, Ivor Cutler, and Benjamin Zephaniah.
• Performed at events across the country, supported Luke Wright and Attila The Stockbroker, and appeared on BBC Essex Radio, BBC Three Counties Radio, podcasts, and BBC Breakfast TV.
• Commissioned by Mark Grist to write and perform a poem for his ‘We, The Poets’ podcast.