English Heritage has announced a new poetry programme in collaboration with the charity’s recently appointed Poet in Residence, Jacob Sam-La Rose.

Untold Stories, Poetry at English Heritage will run throughout Black History Month and beyond. It seeks to highlight the voices and vision of Black poets and explore the hidden histories of English Heritage sites.

The programme will include an open poetry competition, workshops and a public panel discussion, as well as new works by some of England’s best poets, both established and emerging. This includes Malika Booker and Esme Allman, reflecting on the history and atmosphere of English Heritage sites.

On National Poetry Day (1 October), English Heritage’s Poet in Residence for 2020, Jacob Sam-La Rose, will release the first poem of his residency. There will also be newly-commissioned poems published throughout the last week of October.

Dr Dominique Bouchard, Head of Learning and Interpretation at English Heritage, said:

'Poetry has played such an important role in England’s history, and our poetic tradition reaches back centuries. Writing, and poetry especially, have been ways for artists to explore their ideas about England, from Chaucer to Shakespeare to Blake to Wordsworth.

'Poetry in the 21st century continues to be a vital medium for understanding who we are.'

As part of the programme, English Heritage is inviting members of the public to take part in a poetry competition.

The competition will be a chance for everyone to participate in the Untold Stories programme, and use poetry as a way to explore the past and to tell the stories that get left out of the history books.

A winner from each age category (5-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17+) will be selected to be included in the Untold Stories digital poetry anthology alongside poems commissioned by English Heritage by Jacob Sam-La Rose and Malika Booker.

The Untold Stories Poetry Competition is open to anyone aged 5+ and opens at midday on 1 October 2020. Entries must be received by midnight on 13 November 2020.

Poets commissioned by English Heritage:

• Jacob Sam-La Rose (Poet-in-Residence)
• Esme Allman
• Malika Booker
• Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa
• Nii Ayikwei Parkes
• Jay Bernard 

For more information visit our Untold Stories page.

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