Gregory Woods

"The poet with the sharpest technique for social verse in Britain today. He lets off fireworks through the official groves of English literature"--Peter Porter

"The poems of Gregory Woods have never failed to impress me. When a book like Quidnunc, his fourth collection from Carcanet, makes its appearance it makes me seriously wonder what the selectors and pre-selectors of prestigious awards are up to. Why isn't Gregory Woods' name up there? For a start there are few poets around who can rival him technically"--Matt Simpson

"When I think of the dross that is regularly published, noticed, praised, rewarded, and then consider that for the most part Woods goes without recognition, I'm not so much aghast as enraged at the (still largely London) cabal that decides poetic worth in England"--John Lucas

"What an enviable talent Gregory Woods has"--Thom Gunn

"I have read Gregory Woods' poems with real excitement"--Sir Stephen Spender

"Probably, the finest gay poet in the United Kingdom ... a poet of considerable technical ability and intellectual depth"--Sinead Morrissey


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Welcome to my website.

I want to use it to post information about my poetry and literary criticism, but also about my career as an academic and teacher. As it develops, I’ll be using it to showcase new poetry, and to post news about forthcoming publications and public appearances.

  
INTO BATTLE

Across the river valley, eye to eye, we face

each other’s fears, embodied in a blinding mass

of shields and breastplates, visors as expressionless

as saints, and bugles orchestrated to concuss

the very air with dread. Between us, like a sluice,

the glinting river waits to profit from our loss.

A day so fine should moderate the bellicose,

but orders drafted on a map must take their course.


There’s nothing like a war to ready men for peace,

and nothing like their cowardice to make a farce

of tragedy. Not one of us could keep his voice

as firm as if delivering heroic verse,

once hurt, or beautify his body’s sacrifice

with lips still masculine, still worthy of a kiss.



   

  
(c) Gregory Woods, 2007