We wanted to gauge the transformative effect of spending time with bogs, and how our commissioned poets spent a weekend together in and on the bogs of Dartmoor, accompanied by specialists from the South West Peatland Partnership. We discovered hummocks of sundew, clefts of bog asphodel, and reflected on the idea of underworlds, of decay and regeneration. Afterwards, the poets created new work in response and compiled their advice for those wanted to write their own bog-based poetry.
Above: The Bog Talk commissioned poets with the team (Photo: Lara Goodband) Fiona Benson exploring sundew in Dartmoor (Photo: Rose Ferraby)
Their work offers inspiration for developing creative writing approaches that challenge and enhance historic and contemporary responses to bogs.
Listen to Fiona and Richard reading their commissioned poems on the BogTalk Podcast
