Versify - Poetry and English Literature

Mai Black

May 13, 2022 Dan Hill
Versify - Poetry and English Literature
Mai Black
Show Notes

High excitement on the pod as we interview actual living poet Mai Black.
Mai's book Thirty Angry Ghosts takes figures from across the world and gives their anger voice.
In this Episode,  we meet Anne Boleyn;  Henry VIII and the Unknown Soldier.

From Mai:
'Thirty Angry Ghosts' is the result of my year in lockdown. Someone on 'Suffolk Writers Group' Facebook challenged us all to write from the point of view of a famous person's ghost. I did Anne Boleyn and loved it, so the next day I wrote a poem in the voice of Helen of Troy. I've always loved history as well as poetry so it was the perfect project for me.

I'm so pleased with the finished book and with the response it's had so far. Next, I'm hoping to share it with local high schools as it seems a fairly natural follow-on from the popular 'Horrible Histories' series and fits in well with quite a few curriculum areas.

Currently I'm writing and researching a novel set in 18th Century London. I'm also running a variety of poetry courses on Zoom and leading writing workshops for the well-being charity 'Inside Out Community'.

Details of the book and the courses I run can be found at www.suffolkwritersgroup.com