Candlestick Press

Biographies

Here you can find out more about the huge range of poets we feature in our pamphlets and the artists whose work appears on our beautiful covers.

We’ve now published poems by almost 700 historical and contemporary poets. In our pages you’ll find old favourites alongside twenty-first century voices – everyone from WH Auden to Benjamin Zephaniah. Although our emphasis is on British poetry, you’ll also find Irish, American and Australian writers.

We hope these pages will encourage you to explore further the work of a poet you’ve enjoyed in one of our pamphlets.

  • Dannie Abse

    Dannie Abse (1923 – 2014) was born in Cardiff, Wales to a Jewish family. Although best known as a poet, Abse worked in medicine, and was a specialist at a chest clinic for over thirty years. In 2012 was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to poetry and literature.

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  • Bill Adair

    Bill Adair is an award-winning singer-songwriter, based in Stirling, who performs at festivals and folk clubs throughout the UK and abroad. His CDs, Along the Miners’ Rows and Dusty Boots on a Gravel Road, combine his own compositions with interpretations of traditional Scottish ballads and Delta Blues. His first collection of poetry, Learning to Fly, was published in 2017 and his most recent volume, New Testament Wives, appeared in 2019.

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  • Fleur Adcock

    Fleur Adcock was born in New Zealand. She is an award-winning poet, who has also written libretti and is a regular contributor to, and editor and translator of, poetry anthologies. She was awarded an OBE in 1996. Recent collections are Poems 1960-2000 (2000) and Glass Wings (2013), both published by Bloodaxe Books.

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  • Lizzie Adcock

    Lizzie Adcock is an artist and textile designer based in Derbyshire. She creates pieces ranging from framed original artwork to textiles and screen- and block-printed fabrics. She also sculpts pewter buttons and decorations. Many of her designs are informed by her love of historical textiles.

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  • Kim Addonizio

    Kim Addonizio is an American writer and the author of seven poetry collections, two novels, two short story collections and two books on writing poetry. She received a Guggenheim Fellowship and was a National Book Award Finalist for her collection Tell Me. Her latest books are Mortal Trash: Poems (W.W. Norton) and a memoir, Bukowski in a Sundress (Penguin).

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  • John Agard

    John Agard is a Guyanese poet, author of several poetry collections for both adults and children, the latest being Clever Backbone (2009). He often writes in collaboration with his partner Grace Nichols, and lives in South East England. He has travelled throughout the world performing his poetry.

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