I first attempted the Sealey Challenge in 2021. The aim is to read a whole book of poetry every day throughout the month of August. And this year I decided to try it again, thinking it would be a helpful way to delve into the stack of poetry books that I’ve been meaning to read for the last few months. Although there were a couple of days when I read poetry magazines, rather than collections, I think my total of 28 out of 31 days is pretty good going. So here are my favourite books from this year’s Sealey Challenge…

Dancing about Architecture is an anthology of ekphrastic poems edited by Oz Hardwick and Cassandra Atherton. I love the fact that it includes a short fascinating insight into the writing process from each poet. It’s packed full of gems, including lots of big names. I particularly enjoyed reading poems from Pascale Petit, John McCullough and Simon Collings.

Wing by Matthew Francis. I heard him read from this book as part of the Aberystwyth Poetry Festival in May. Many of these poems focus on the natural world in microscopic detail.

Stairs and Whispers: D/deaf and Disabled Poets Write Back is an anthology that includes poems in different media. I particularly like this poem-film from Mark Mace Smith, titled ‘Goat Poem (for the kids)’. The anthology was edited by Sandra Alland, Khairani Barokka and Daniel Sluman.

Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan. This one is fabulously surreal, and I can’t seem to stop going back to it.

White Ghosts by Katie Hale is one that I’ve been meaning to read for a long time, full of thought-provoking poems and a sense of wading back through a difficult and complex family history.

Of Mutability by Jo Shapcott. I have previously borrowed this from the library, but was pleased to find a second-hand copy of it on my last trip to Hay-on-Wye. It contains some real stunners.

My two favourite poems (out of the whole month) were:

• Mary Ford Neal’s poem ‘About a Man’ published in The North Magazine (read on Day 17) – which you can read on my Instagram post here.
• And ‘Composition’ on page 51 of Jo Shapcott’s Of Mutability (read on Day 27)

I was also delighted to receive messages from a few people who contacted me to say that they were enjoying my book. I am honoured to know that Octopus Mind is busy spreading its poetic tentacles out there in the world!

As well as getting back into the habit of reading poetry on a regular basis, I have also managed to break through my writer’s block and produce a few new poems and poetry-drafts along the way.

You can see further comments, poems (from the books listed above) and poetic thoughts on my Instagram profile…