A pamphlet for the ghost

After a hectic month of work and thanks to the heroic efforts of my editor, Les Robinson, my tall-lighthouse pamphlet 'a pint for the ghost' is almost finished, containing poems from the show and some extra ghosts besides. Though it won't officially be launched until later in the year, there will be advance copies available at the Hotbed festival on June 27th. If you believe Ian McMillan (and I always do), the pamphlet is "full of ghosts of language, ghosts of long forgotten stories, invisible ghosts that haunt landscapes we think we know well...an exciting collection from a writer who knows the value of the past, and how to set it against the present to illuminate them both".

When I was gathering quotations for the book, I ended up revisiting great ghost poems by other writers, and realising what a potent theme spirits have been for some of my favourite poets. I started with Robert Frost's 'Ghost House', which evokes a ramshackle, haunted cellar. Then, I moved to Edward Thomas' 'The Other', with its account of a strange pursuit: Thomas' narrator is tracking a man who might almost be his double from inn to inn, though when he finally catches up with him, he meets with a poor welcome... Finally, I turned to John Burnside's work, which is full of allusions to the other, the liminal, the strange. 'The Good Neighbour' is a poem that has haunted me for years.

When I first embarked upon 'A Pint For The Ghost', I wanted to create something that could have a life both on and off the page. The poems in the book create a very different mood to the one they conjure in the show. I hope the ghosts of South Yorkshire enjoy seeing themselves in print...

tall-lighthouse is an independent poetry publisher based in south east London, with a fast growing reputation for publishing a diverse range of writers (including Kate Potts, shortlisted for the Michael Marks award). The press is currently celebrating its tenth year; more details about upcoming events on the tall-lighthouse website.