Self-Portrait Poems

Following a rich tradition of self-portraiture in art (Artemisia Gentileschi, Vincent Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington), contemporary poets have adapted the form to look at who we are and playfully explore who we might be. By placing the self alongside unexpected objects or concepts, in a different time or place, even in a work of art, or becoming someone else entirely, the poem as self-portrait subverts and extends our sense of identity, inviting inventive play, surrealism and metaphor. Taking prompts from poets such as Diane Seuss, Pascale Petit, Chen Chen, Mary Jo Bang, and inspired by paintings, we will create short pieces of poetry and prose that let us view things anew and approach our lives from startling angles.

About Rosie Jackson

Rosie Jackson, based in Teignmouth Devon, has a background in teaching (Universities of East Anglia and West of England) and therapy, and has taken creative work into hospitals and community settings. Widely published, she has won many poetry awards, including 1^st prizes: McLellan Trust 2026, Indigo Dreams 2026, Watchet 2026, Red Shed 2025, Teignmouth 2021, Hedgehog 2020, Poetry Space 2019, Wells 2018, Stanley Spencer 2017. She was commended in Mslexia 2025, Troubadour 2024, the National 2022. Her poetry collections include Love Leans over the Table (Two Rivers Press, 2023), Light Makes it Easy (2022), Two Girls and a Beehive: Poems about Stanley Spencer (2020). She’s also published several prose works, amongst them a memoir, The Glass Mother (2016). Jane Hirshfield calls her work ‘gorgeously original,’ while Kim Moore describes her poetry as ‘a heady rush of restless searching and utter stillness’. You can discover more on her website www.rosiejackson.org.uk

Zoom

These workshops will be conducted via Zoom. We have put together this simple 'How To' document to help you download Zoom, join a meeting, and navigate around the meeting features (such as adjusting video and audio, uploading files, and sharing screens).

You will receive a confirmation email from Ticket Tailor with your ticket and the Zoom invitation, containing the meeting link and Meeting ID & Password.

Someone from The Poetry Business team will be on hand prior to each workshop to offer additional help in getting connected.

There is usually a lot of interest in our workshops: in the interest of fairness, please limit yourself to one workshop ticket in every two week period.

Bursary Spaces

There are two bursary spaces available per workshop for writers from groups that are under-represented in contemporary poetry (for instance because of ethnic background) or who are experiencing financial hardship. If you would like to apply for one of these bursary places, please contact workshops@poetrybusiness.co.uk

Refunds

If you no longer wish to attend the workshop please let us know by emailing us. We ask for 3 working days' notice before the workshop starts in order to offer a full refund, and enable us to offer the place to someone else.

Though we will do all we can to help you get set up with the technology it is the participants' responsibility to ensure that their camera, microphone and other computer settings are configured correctly. Please contact us (workshops@poetrybusiness.co.uk) if you are concerned about getting set up for Zoom.