Sunday Stories: Gregory Leadbetter
A Romanticism Come of Age
(Breaking news: I will be touring Canada, first two weeks in May. More info here: Codes from the Old World Tour )
I was delighted to have time with Gregory Leadbetter recently, he came to teach at the Dartington Art School MA Poetics of Imagination. Alice Oswald, Valentin Gerlier, Emma Bush, myself and a valiant troupe of visiting tutors contribute to this course. On a freezing very, very early Spring day I caught up with Gregory and had the following chat as we hopped from foot to foot trying to stay warm.
For more on the MA listen to my chat with Alice Oswald and Valentin Gerlier (we are currently taking applications).
Professor Gregory Leadbetter is a poet and critic. His research focuses on Romantic poetry and thought, the traditions to which these relate, and the history and practice of poetry more generally.
He is the author of two poetry collections, Maskwork (2020) and The Fetch (2016), both with Nine Arches Press, as well as the pamphlet The Body in the Well (HappenStance Press, 2007), and (with photographs by Phil Thomson) Balanuve (Broken Sleep, 2021).
His book Coleridge and the Daemonic Imagination (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) won the University English Book Prize 2012.
As Director of the Institute of Creative and Critical Writing in the School of English, Greg leads our programme of guest seminars and masterclasses with authors, critics, editors and agents for our students, together with a programme of public literary events every year.
As the humane race we always see ourselves evolving, uncovering something new, adventures into the unknown. As he was talking about the romantics I could not help but think of the 1960’s and the free love revolution. Over and over again we seem to rise up on these waves that ride high for a time till they run out of depth as they come crashing into the shore. As they come crashing into what has always been and truly is. A voyage we are all destained to take if we are worth our salt and a prayer that all find mercy as they reach the shore.
A fascinating listen, I like the dynamic approach to these Romantic poets, this ensures relevance and that civilised dialogue we so badly need at this present time.That sense of enquiry with judgement. All of us who wind Blake’s golden string need that dynamic connection, that creative and imaginative imperative. I would have liked more of this conversation.