Julie Hogg : part five

How do you know when a poem is finished?

It’s instinctual; a poem is finished when it becomes its own entity.

Julie Hogg : part four

When you require renewal, is there a particular poem or book that you return to? A particular author?

I adore Margaret Atwood’s poetry, the work and theory of Levertov and Symborska; Heaney and Hughes are side by side on my shelf. I find Wayne-Holloway Smith’s poetry exciting in its content and form. Stephen Sexton’s acute combinations of words twist my heart.

Julie Hogg : part three

What do you feel poetry can accomplish that other forms can’t?

In true Freudian style, I can play with words.

Julie Hogg : part two

How important is music to your poetry?

Music is intrinsic to my poetry. My first degree is Language and Linguistics and I’ve always been fascinated by rhythm, repetition, sounds – the musicality of lexis and speech. Often, a particular song or instrumental will capture the very same energy as my poem and I’ll play it on repeat whilst I write. I love a good riff.

Julie Hogg : part one

Julie Hogg is published widely in many literary journals and anthologies. Her debut pamphlets are Majuba Road Vane Women Press 2016 and Eleutheromania Blueprint Poetry Press 2019. She tweets @hogg_julie.

What are you working on?

Firstly, I’m currently thoroughly enjoying writing the final poems of my first, full, collection. Also, as a publisher, fellow poet Jo Colley and I are Blueprint Poetry Press; we founded in the later part of 2019, publishing satisfying slices of poetry by poets who are between full collections @poetryblueprint. Following publication of my debut pamphlet Majuba Road in 2016, Vane Women Press invited me to become a member of their esteemed collective; we publish first pamphlets of fine poetry by women poets in the North East of England. www.vanewomen.co.uk. I’m lucky enough to review poetry pamphlets and collections for London Grip. www.londongrip.co.uk