Poetry
Anna is a published poet who was short-listed for the Lancelot Andrewes Poetry Award by the Poet Lauruette Carol Ann Duffy and my work was published in the 'Journeys Through Fire' Anthology. Her poem 'Confidential Inquiry' was published by the Department of Health. In 2016, she was one of fifteen 'leading U.K. poets commissioned to read at the Bristol Festival of Ideas 'Utopia' event. In 2016, she was also invited to read at a Salon event for the Bristol Women's Literature Festival where she read alongside Shagufta Iqbal.
In 2020, Anna won the Bathnes ‘Lockdown Poetry’ competition for her poem ‘In-spite of or Because of’.
What Bathnes said:
This poem, 'In-spite Of/Because Of’, was written by Anna Hoghton.
From the 17th of April to the 18th of May 2020, during the height of lockdown, B&NES Libraries ran two creative, online competitions. Working in partnership with Bath Spa University and Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, we asked adult members of LibrariesWest to submit poems or short stories based on the theme of ‘Lockdown’. We had lots of entries for both competitions and the judges praised the high standard of work submitted. A number of entrants told us it was relaxing to have a creative outlet for their feelings, others told us they enjoyed having a task to concentrate on. We’re really pleased it allowed our community to come together and channel their emotions in a positive way, finding relief through creativity.
The judges awarded this entry first prize, commenting: This was the poem that wouldn’t go away. It remained with us throughout our readings. We particularly liked the pace of it, the way that it moves in space, time and scale, from the first stanza, which casts a spell, a magical recollection of both a particular time and a more specific childhood, a bit like magic, like childhood, to the more mundane, domestic and current concerns of the final stanza. It encapsulates the spirit of lockdown in both a personal and universal spirit. 'It’s nice/Right here, isn’t it? Better than any café.'
This poem is read by Chris Beale, a performance poet who runs the event series Bristol Tonic. He is a writer, producer and a real supporter of libraries.
BRISTOL FESTIVAL OF IDEAS 'UTOPIA' Event
Photo by Jon Craig.
To launch the May 2016 season and the May Bristol800 Weekender – two days debating the practical aspects of creating utopia – the Festival of Ideas commissioned 15 leading poets to each write a new poem on the utopian theme. They presented their work, talked about what inspired them and joined the debate on creating perfect worlds. Hosted by historian and presenter David Olusoga. The poets and speakers included:
Fleur Adcock
Dean Atta
Helen Dunmore
Anna Hoghton
Matthew Hollis
Sarah Howe
Nick Laird
Tim Liardet
Andrew McMillan
Hollie McNish
Daljit Nagra
Ruth Padel
Jo Shapcott
Michael Symmons Roberts
Jane Yeh
You can hear a recording of Anna reading her poem below:
