Man Met poets Helen Mort and Carol Ann Duffy listed among ‘must read’ women writers in the world
- Poet Laureate and Man Met lecturer in top 10 list by Poetry Book Society
- Both poets members of Manchester Writing School at MMU
Two poets from Manchester Metropolitan University have been named in the world’s top 10 ‘women poets to read’.
The Poetry Book Society’s (PBS) rankings place Poet Laureate Professor Dame Carol Ann Duffy and Dr Helen Mort – both from the Man Met’s renowned Manchester Writing School – among the top must-read female poets in the world currently.
The list was voted for by social media followers of the PBS accounts, @PoetryBookSoc, to celebrate International Women’s Day.
PBS’s 100 Women Poets list celebrated the diversity of poetry across the globe, highlighting the power of the female voice.
The double ranking serves is a reflection of the literary strength in Manchester, recently designated a UNESCO City of Literature.
Dr Mort, a lecturer in creative writing, said: “The PBS is one of our foremost contemporary poetry organisations. For two of the University’s poets to be recognised is very special, an affirmation of the depth of quality across the Manchester Writing School.
“The university is home to both established and emerging writers working together, producing new poetry that interrogates the world we live in. This creative excellence filters directly into the teaching, and positions Manchester Metropolitan as a leading creative writing centre on the international stage.”
As well as her work as an award-winning poet, Dr Mort specialises in an emerging strand of creative writing known as ‘place writing’, for which Manchester Metropolitan is a leading hub.
She has published two collections of poetry, has been shortlisted for prestigious literary prizes including the Costa Prize and TS Eliot Prize, and was a judge for last year’s International Man BookeProf Carol Ann Duffy DBE has been the figurehead for British poetry since her appointment as UK Poet Laureate in 2009.
She created the Manchester Writing Competition and Manchester Children’s Book Festival at the university,and hosts a series of evenings at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, ‘Carol Ann Duffy and Friends’.
James Draper, manager of the Writing School, said: “It is no exaggeration to say that Manchester has become an envied hub of creative writing with some of the most innovative, daring and expressive writing emanating from here.
“At the forefront of this is the Manchester Writing School – our lecturers are revered as some of the leading talent in the world, while students and graduates swell the ranks with new publications as their writing careers take flight.”
The Manchester Writing School is the country’s largest post-graduate English and creative writing centre.