Fifth International Symposium on Poetry and Medicine: 10 May, 2014

The programme for this year’s Poetry and Medicine Symposium on Saturday 10 May (to be held at The Royal Society of Medicine in Wimpole Street) looks rich and varied, with talks ranging from Michael Hulse on ‘The Romantic ego in medical poetry’ to David Francis on ‘Surgical metaphor in the poetry of Sylvia Plath’, from Dean Gianakos on ‘Forgetfulness and Ageing: what poetry has to say about it’ to Eleanor Ward on ‘Acts of naming disabilities in contemporary poetry’ and much else besides. The day will end with the announcement of the winners of the 2014 Hippocrates Prizes, with judges Sarah Crown, Robert Francis, Philip Gross and Kit Wright.

And I’m really thrilled to be taking part. I’ll be reading with Rebecca Goss and Lesley Saunders at 11.40 (before lunch) and then there’ll be a panel discussion with the three of us, chaired by Michael Hulse, at 13.40 (after lunch).