Poems in Progress

This collection showcases culturally significant poems addressing themes like love and inequality, featuring diverse drafts from various languages. Practicing poets share insights into their creative processes and inspirations.

Poems in Progress explores a rich tapestry of themes such as love, inequality, and the natural world, showcasing some of the most culturally significant and emotionally resonant poems from the British Library's extensive collections and beyond. The book highlights the importance of first drafts, revealing how they offer unique insights into the creative process of poets. By comparing the initial drafts of various poets, readers can appreciate the diverse approaches to writing, from meticulous typed pages with annotations to spontaneous notes scrawled in well-worn notebooks.

The selected drafts are notable not only for their content but also for the materials on which they were created. From school exercise books to more unconventional surfaces like mulberry bark and even toilet paper from Holloway prison, these drafts underscore the varied contexts in which poetry can emerge. The collection spans multiple languages, including English, Amharic, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Persian, Thai, and Sanskrit, illustrating the universal nature of poetic expression.

Accompanying the drafts are expert commentaries that delve into the history of the manuscripts and the insights they provide about the writing process. The book features previously unpublished early drafts from contemporary poets such as Benjamin Zephaniah, Simon Armitage, Pascale Petit, and Hollie McNish. These poets also share their reflections on inspiration and the craft of writing, offering readers a deeper understanding of the evolution of their work and the artistic journey behind each poem.