“As a poet I’m spending my time
turning words on their head till they rhyme,
or perhaps more perverse,
I’m employing free verse.
Which simply does not rhyme at all.”
Ben has been creating poetry and spoken word projects since the mid 2010s. From the wry rhymes that shoot a sideways glance at society, to heartfelt meditations on queerness, kindness and other-ness, Ben has an eclectic catalogue of work that is perfect for any occasion.
He is a member of the GOBS Collective, and a director of Nottingham Poetry Festival. He has also worked for Derby Poetry Festival and performed at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Latitude Festival and Splore Festival in Corby.
He has delivered commissions for national organisations, local charities and private functions across themes including history and heritage, science communication and mental health.
Writing for All Ages
Ben grew up loving nonsense poetry. His bookcase was filled with Roald Dahl, Spike Milligan and Hilaire Belloc. It left an unmistakable impact on his writing and sense of humour. Among his poetry for children and families you will find silly just-so stories, reminiscences about childhood and of course grim accidents befalling terrible people who probably deserve everything that happens to them!
Serious Nonsense For Terribly Grown Up People
Ben’s debut poetry collection, Serious Nonsense (For Terribly Grown Up People) was published by Big White Shed in May 2023. A selection of the superb nonsense akin to the works of Hilaire Belloc, Roald Dahl and Spike Milligan. Find it right now through Ko-fi.
Serious Nonsense for the Unbearably Festive
Serious Nonsense for the Unbearably Festive is packed with playful poems, heartfelt reflections and laugh out loud lyrics. This collection takes you from the humble Brussels Sprout to those people we miss at Christmas via the secret lives of reindeer, the perils of Christmas jumpers and what happened when Granny mixed up the labels. Available through Ko-fi.
Writing for Adults
Ben’s writing for adult audiences is a blend of the comic and profound. Often drawing on narratives, legacies and otherness, Bens poetry sizzles with the spirit of the storyteller, his eye for detail turning as easily to a joke as a moment of true pathos.
Poems from the British School at Athens
Poems from the British School at Athens is a poetry pamphlet created by Ben in November 2023 when he received an Artist Award from the BSA. This 20 poem collection brings together romanticism, modernism and absurdism in a delightful set of poems inspired by the residency. It is available through Ko-Fi as a Pay-What-You-Want digital download.
Fat Man Found
Fat Man Found explores plus size bodies and paths to masculinity. Blending myth, pop culture and storytelling with queer experience, these works delve into moments of recognition, anger and acceptance in an exploration of physicality through snapshots of identity. With moments of tenderness and cynicism, these poems are a walk through a hall of mirrors to see who is looking back.
Ben Macpherson 