Hampshire Poet blog - January 2026
- Damian Kelly-Basher
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
During his two year tenure, your Hampshire Poet - Damian Kelly-Basher - will be writing a series of blog posts for us sharing what he has been up to, telling us his poetic plans for the future, and inviting you to get involved in poetry in Hampshire. Read on to find out what's happening in Damian's world!
It's a brand new year, and Damian's first Hampshire Poet blog of 2026 is about List Poems
Happy New Year!
I’m sure you’re all experts at lists by now: Christmas shopping. Santa wish-lists, New Year Resolutions.
List poems have been used for thousands of years. It’s a flexible form, able to be used as a storyline; a way to describe people, situations or personal expression. List poems are also used to express love, hate, joy and humour.
Over 2000 years ago, in the Christian Bible’s, Song of Solomon, a woman lists lyrical about her lover's body. “His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh”
Simon Armitage’s poem ‘Not the furniture game’ describes a man in less than flattering ways. Read 'Not The Furniture Game' by Simon Armitage here
New Zealand poet, Lauris Edmond, uses lists in describing her pregnancy.
Modern songwriters also use the list form. For example, in ‘Reasons to be cheerful. Part 3’ Ian Dury and The Blockheads use a quirky list of physical objects, ideas (like equal votes) and childhood memories to describe what makes them happy.
My own list poem (pictured) is about seeing a model Saxon grave in a museum.
Our (German) ancestors believed that placing things in a grave would help the person later in the ‘afterlife’.
I listed things from my past, imagining what my own ‘grave goods’ might say about me.
Exercises:
List what gives you ‘reasons to be cheerful’?
What would you want to be included in your own 'grave goods'?
Damian Kelly-Basher is Hampshire Poet Laureate 2024-26. The appointment of the Hampshire Poet takes place every two years and is jointly led by Winchester Poetry Festival and Hampshire Cultural Trust. The position of Hampshire Poet provides the opportunity for a Hampshire-based poet to undertake commissions, lead workshops and give readings and talks throughout the county, as well as acting as an advocate for poetry and poets.
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