Alternative Selves, Personas in Poetry, Kate Potts 8/4/25

In each of us there is a differingness and a manyness and a profusion of ourselves. Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese poet

The ‘I’ of the poem is always, to some degree, a construction. But how can we use poetry to explore alternative selves, and to think through and express ideas around pretence, performance, or fraudulence?

In this workshop, we’ll look at how poets have used alternative selves to explore and express their truths, as well as looking at poems that describe and consider multiple or changeable selves. 

 We’ll analyse and discuss poems by Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa (in translation), Christopher Reid, Hieu Minh Nguyen and Abigail Parry. Though experiments with heteronyms, alter egos and transformations, we'll produce fresh new poems that celebrate and give voice to our slippery, multi-faceted selves.

In this rather special masterclass, Kate will consider themes and processes she has explored in depth for her new book, Pretenders, a multi-vocal exploration of 'the imposter phenomenon' just as it is launched this month.

Sometimes it’s easier to get closer to the feeling from behind the mask. But the mask or veil is thinner when the poem is written through the lyric 'I' that looks like me. I might need a little distance, so that it can push me farther away from the feeling.

Donika Kelly, American poet

2hrs 30mins long 

Start time:  Start time: 10am UK time // 5pm Perth Australia // 6.30pm Adelaide & Darwin // 7pm Brisbane & Sydney, AEST // // 9pm NZ

Times on the homepage of this site are in London, UK Timezone, but when you add the event to your calendar it should be correct for your local time zone.

You can check your timezone against London UK time here: https://greenwichmeantime.com/time-gadgets/time-zone-converter/

Cost £30 GBP (with cost effective exchange via STRIPE)

Kate Potts is a poet and editor. Her second collection, Feral (Bloodaxe Books, 2018) was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation and a Telegraph poetry book of the month. Her debut pamphlet Whichever Music (tall-lighthouse, 2008) was a Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choice and was shortlisted for a Michael Marks Award. Her first full-length collection was Pure Hustle (Bloodaxe Books, 2011). Her third, Pretenders, is published by Bloodaxe in 2025. Kate writes about creative writing and everyday life, including the intersections and tensions between writing and caregiving, in her newsletter Speak Up! On Writing, Failing Better, and Taking up Space. She lives in Stroud, Gloucestershire, with her son.

Zoom link and materials will be sent by email at least 2 days prior. If you don’t receive it get in touch with me.

More events here https://www.cathdrake.com