Gill Learner was born and grew up near Birmingham but moved south many years ago and now lives in Reading.

She began writing poetry in 2001. Since then her poems have appeared in anthologies such as Blinking Eye 2004, 2005, 2006; Outbox (Leaf Books), Hand luggage only (Open Poetry), the Manchester Cathedral anthology 2008 and A Twist of Malice and Cracking on (both Grey Hen Press). Her work has also been published in a variety of journals including Acumen, Artemis, Envoi, Orbis, Poetry News, Seam, Smiths Knoll, South and Tears in the Fence, been read on Radio 3 and Gill has read herself on BBC South Today. A member of Second Light Network, she has a poem in their anthology My mother threw knives. To her delight she was awarded the Poetry Society’s Hamish Canham Prize 2008.

In 2009 she was a ‘Bard in the Bog’ in Shetland Library’s delightful scheme to put poems in public loos, and the successful verse appears in the associated booklet. She also had a poem selected for the Poetry Trail in Polesworth, North Warwickshire, was highly commended in the Petra Kenney competition, short-listed for the Bridport Prize 2009 and, as a finalist in the Aesthetica Competition 2009, her poem appears in the Aesthetica Creative Works Annual. Her first collection will be published by Two Rivers Press in late 2010.

Gill finds inspiration in family past and present, in all the arts but particularly music, and in technologies such as printing which she worked in and then taught, as well as the natural world. Classes and workshops, particularly Thin Raft in Reading, have been invaluable and feedback is always welcome. She goes to hear poets as often as possible, subscribes to a number of journals and buys far too many collections. A fan of Reading’s monthly Poets’ Café which features nationally-known guests but also local writers such as herself (May 2007), and unable to resist reading to an audience, she always participates in its open mic sessions. Brickwork Poets, a feedback and performance group, was formed by Reading-area poets in late 2008 giving her further chances to read in public. There is an audio recording of her on Poetcasting.

e-mail Gill

poetry favourites:
Brickwork Poets
Grey Hen Press
HappenStance
Poetcasting
Poets' Café - Reading
SecondLightLive
Two Rivers Press

ppf shop on-line...
anthology -
"A Twist of Malice"

shop elsewhere...
anthologies - "Cracking on",
Grey Hen Press;

"My Mother Threw Knives",
Second Light Publications

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