I’m a poet, broadcaster and sailor. Welcome!

This is where you can find my poetry blog, including featured poets, and some of my own work.

My pamphlet ‘Orca Mother’ is a winner of the 2026 Live Canon competition.

My poem ‘A hundred tiny naked women’ won third place in the 2026 Magma Prize, judged by Rishi Dastidar who said it was ‘possibly the best single image I’ve encountered in a long while. Vivid, precise… superb. ‘

My poems have been Forward Prize and Pushcart Prize-nominated. I’m active on BlueSky and Insta as @elcurwen.

I also make poetry films. Ink, Sweat and Tears recently published my film poem. https://inksweatandtears.co.uk/lesley-curwen-2/

BOOKS: Permanence published Dec 2025 by Atomic Bohemian, a collaboration on microplastics with Stephen Paul Wren. https://www.atomicbohemian.com/product-page/permanence-lesley-curwen-stephen-paul-wren

Rescue Lines published July 2024 by Hedgehog Poetry Press https://www.hedgehogpress.co.uk/product/rescue-lines-lesley-curwen-print-edition/

Sticky with Miles published in 2024 by Dreich

Invisible Continents published 2023 by Nine Pens

Praise for the books:

Gwyneth Lewis: ‘devastating, forensic’

Rishi Dastidar ‘gripping, unapologetically direct’

Greta Stoddart ‘poignant and hard-hitting’

Dr Chris Laoutaris: ‘soaring, incisive, executed with daring grace’