Sussex Poet To Launch New Collection At University Of Chichester

The University of Chichester is set to host the local launch of Rag Argonauts, the 12th collection of West Sussex-based poet and publisher Alan Morrison.

Alan Morrison will read from the book and, in conversation with Dr Naomi Foyle, discuss his prolific literary career, including the impact on his writing of his recent diagnosis of autism.

This public event is one in a series presented by the Chichester Centre for Critical and Creative Writing.

Formerly of Brighton, now based in Bognor Regis, Alan Morrison has published poetry collections with six UK presses.

He was joint winner of the 2018 Bread and Roses Poetry Award and highly commended in the Shelley Memorial Poetry Competition 2022.

Alan Morrison is also a prolific poetry critic; founding editor of The Recusant and Militant Thistles poetry webzines, and The Recusant imprint, Caparison; and Associate Editor of arts cooperative Culture Matters.

Rag Argonauts (Caparison, 2024) is a collection of erudite and emotionally charged poems.

Reviewing Rag Argonauts for the literary webzine London Grip, Dr Naomi Foyle praised the book’s combination of innovative and scholarly ‘verse-essays’ and more personal and affective lyric poems, which explore the poet’s working-class background, socialist beliefs and mental health struggles.

Dr Foyle said:

“Having myself received a late diagnosis of autism, I am hugely looking forward to hearing Alan Morrison read his multifaceted poems, and to speaking with him about the relationship between autism, creativity, mysticism, anxiety and depression.

"Alan’s beautiful, sensitive poetry dismantles the stereotypes that autistic people lack empathy and cannot understand metaphor.

"Rather, his writing career demonstrates the autistic strengths of perseverance, focus, a keen eye for detail and a powerful sense of justice."

The event is free, and members of the public are welcome.

It will be held on Wednesday 23 October, 4pm to 4.50pm in Room E124 on Bishop Otter Campus, Chichester. The room will be signposted on the day.