Poetry for the New Year

January takes its name from Janus, the Roman god who looks both backward and forward — a fitting spirit for a course that celebrates poetry of reflection and renewal. Across seven weeks, we will enjoy poems that explore the changing seasons, the turn of the year, and the human experiences that shape our hopes and memories.

We will read a lively mix of poets — old and new, tender and bold, wintry and full of spring’s promise. Along the way, we’ll take inspiration from key moments in the calendar, from Valentine’s Day to International Women’s Day (8 March).

This is a friendly, inclusive course where everyone is welcome to bring and share favourite poems. Each week, your chosen selections will be collected into a printed booklet for us all to enjoy — making this not only a poetry class, but a shared creative journey into the year ahead.

Bring curiosity, warmth, and a willingness to explore — and the poems will do the rest.