Skip to main content
Tim Liardet – Bath Spa University

Personal statement

Tim Liardet is Professor of Poetry at Bath Spa University. He teaches the Poetry Workshop 1 and 2 and the context module Poet’s Eye at MA level, a cohort of PhD students focussing particularly on poetry and runs the Form and Listening module—largely concerned with poetic form—at undergraduate level.

Twice shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize, for The World Before Snow (Carcanet) and The Blood Choir (Seren), Tim Liardet has produced eleven collections of poetry to date. He has also been longlisted for the Whitbread Poetry Prize, received several Poetry Book Society Recommendations, a Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choice, an Arts Council England Writer’s Award, a Society of Authors Award, a Hawthornden fellowship, four Pushcart nominations, and various other awards.

His poems have appeared or are due to appear in The Kenyon Review, The New Republic, Slate Magazine, North American Review, London Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, Granta, The Poetry Review, Poetry London, New Statesman, The Spectator, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Independent, and many other journals. Arcimboldo’s Bulldog: New and Selected Poems appeared from Carcanet in 2018. In September 2019, he received an Authors’ Foundation work-in-progress award from the Society of Authors for his twelfth collection Atlas, Tick, Hog and Gold, now nearing completion.

Academic qualifications

  • BA (Hons) University of York

  • Poetry Society
  • Poetry Book Society
  • Welsh Academy
  • The Arvon Foundation

Other external roles

  • Teaching Creative Writing in Stoke Heath Prison, 2001
  • Teaching MA Creative Writing, University of Bristol (2002 onwards)
  • Reading poetry submissions for New Writing Journal
  • Moderator for Norwich School of Art and Design, 2005
  • Poet in Residence, The Guardian, 2006
  • AHRC Collaborative Project on Training and Development for PhD Students in Creative Writing
  • Regular courses taught for the Arvon Foundation at Totleigh Barton, Lumb Bank and The Hearst from 2004
  • Teaching at Ty Newydd, the National Writers' Centre for Wales
  • The Association of Writers and Writing Programs: AWP Conference, Vancouver 2005
  • The Association of Writers and Writing Programs: AWP Conference, New York 2008
  • The Association of Writers and Writing Programs: AWP Conference, Chicago 2009
  • The Association of Writers and Writing Programs: AWP Conference, Washington DC 2011
  • The Association of Writers and Writing Programs: AWP Conference, Chicago 2012
  • Visiting Professor to College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine, 2015-2016
  • External Examiner, University of Warwick, 2016-2017
  • External Examiner, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2016-2019
  • Poetry Book Society Selector, 2016-2019
  • Judge for the Plaza Poetry Prizes, 2024

Teaching specialism

  • Transatlantic poetry
  • The shifting of form in contemporary poetry
  • The poetry sequence
  • The Long Poem
  • Creative Punctuation
  • The publishing market for contemporary poetry
  • The interface between Poetry and Prose
  • The 'poetic techniques of novelists': De Lillo , Golding, Lawrence, Marquez, Nabokov, Woolf, Melville
  • ‘The Organ Music of Milton'
  • Ted Hughes and the Dark Gods of Nature
  • Ekphrasis
  • The Paradoxes of Audodidacticism

Current research projects

  • Twelfth collection. A book of 46 poems exploring the evolution of mental states, now nearing completion.
  • Thirteenth collection. A book of 87 poems ironically exploring the evolution of the heteronormative gaze from its origins in the Fourteenth Century poet Petrarch.

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

Arcimboldo’s bulldog: new and selected poems
book

Liardet, T (2018) Arcimboldo’s bulldog: new and selected poems. Carcanet, Manchester. ISBN 9781784105709


The world before snow
book

Liardet, T (2015) The world before snow. Carcanet, Manchester. ISBN 9781847772091


Madame Sassoo goes bathing
book

Liardet, T (2013) Madame Sassoo goes bathing. Shoestring Press, Nottingham. ISBN 9781907356643


The storm house
book

Liardet, T (2011) The storm house. Carcanet, Manchester. ISBN 9781847770677


Priest Skear
book

Liardet, T (2010) Priest Skear. Shoestring Press, Beeston. ISBN 9781907356094


The blood choir
book

Liardet, T (2006) The blood choir. Seren, Bridgend. ISBN 9781854114143


The uses of pepper
book

Liardet, T (2003) The uses of pepper. Smith/Doorstop, Huddersfield. ISBN 9781902382562


To the god of rain
book

Liardet, T (2003) To the god of rain. Seren, Bridgend. ISBN 9781854113351


Competing with the piano tuner
book

Liardet, T (1998) Competing with the piano tuner. Seren, Bridgend. ISBN 9781854112279


Fellini Beach
book

Liardet, T (1994) Fellini Beach. Seren, Bridgend. ISBN 9781854111159


Clay Hill
book

Liardet, T (1988) Clay Hill. Poetry Wales poets, 12 . Poetry Wales Press, Ogmore-by-Sea. ISBN 9780907476887


Versions of the life-force 2 [the greyhound]; Lab sample 1: Espoliniq, controlled drug to suppress agitation, on entering the bloodstream
book_section

Liardet, T (2024) 'Versions of the life-force 2 [the greyhound]; Lab sample 1: Espoliniq, controlled drug to suppress agitation, on entering the bloodstream.' In: Dove, R, Kent, A and McPherson, S, eds. Masculinity: an anthology of modern voices. Broken Sleep Books, Talgarreg. ISBN 9781915760876


Self-portrait with aquarium octopus flashing a mirror
book_section

Liardet, T (2016) 'Self-portrait with aquarium octopus flashing a mirror.' In: The T.S. Eliot Prize 2015. The Poetry Book Society, London.


Self-portrait with hiss and rattle of sleet
book_section

Liardet, T (2015) 'Self-portrait with hiss and rattle of sleet.' In: Dear world. Three Shoes Press, Cheltenham.


Self-portrait with view of the great Chihuahuan wilderness; Self-portrait as water; Self-portrait with opium den deep interior
book_section

Liardet, T (2015) 'Self-portrait with view of the great Chihuahuan wilderness; Self-portrait as water; Self-portrait with opium den deep interior.' In: Curator aquarum: in memoriam Regina Derieva. Ars Interpres, Stockholm. ISBN 9789198038651


Like slant rain; The dark age; The revenant
book_section

Liardet, T (2014) 'Like slant rain; The dark age; The revenant.' In: Bailey, R.V and Hall, J, eds. The book of love and loss: poems for today. Belgrave, Bath. ISBN 9780954621520


Viginty Alley
book_section

Liardet, T (2014) 'Viginty Alley.' In: Hannah, S, ed. The poetry of sex. Penguin, London. ISBN 9780670921836


Subverting the Sonnet: Poems (2016-2020) [REF2021 collection]
artefact

Liardet, T (2021) Subverting the Sonnet: Poems (2016-2020) [REF2021 collection].


The third law of motion; Amusia
other

Liardet, T (2024) The third law of motion; Amusia. Anthropocene. (Forthcoming)


Versions of Amusia 1 [concerto for 33 violins]; Versions of Amusia 5 [eat him by his own light]; On Rimsky Korsakov’s birthday
other

Liardet, T (2023) Versions of Amusia 1 [concerto for 33 violins]; Versions of Amusia 5 [eat him by his own light]; On Rimsky Korsakov’s birthday. Manhattan Review, 21 (1). ISSN 0275-6889


On one hundred and ninety-six seconds of solace
other

Liardet, T (2023) On one hundred and ninety-six seconds of solace. Fourteen Magazine, 2 (4).


Versions of the non-dominant hand (the apocryph); Versions of Oedipus (the phantom thread); Versions of divination (the Lacrimosa)
other

Liardet, T (2023) Versions of the non-dominant hand (the apocryph); Versions of Oedipus (the phantom thread); Versions of divination (the Lacrimosa). Bad Lilies, 14.


The etymology wars
other

Liardet, T (2023) The etymology wars. The Spectator. 15 April.


Versions of the staircase [a decuplet of treads]
other

Liardet, T (2023) Versions of the staircase [a decuplet of treads]. The Spectator. 18 March.


Fourteen ways of reading the messages sent from a spot marked in yellow; Lab sample 5: Quehonavir, serum drug for acuity of vision, perception and seeing
other

Liardet, T (2023) Fourteen ways of reading the messages sent from a spot marked in yellow; Lab sample 5: Quehonavir, serum drug for acuity of vision, perception and seeing. Poetry Review, 113 (1). ISSN 0032-2156


Portrait of Amazon boxes as a wrecked nest; Doctor Vertu diagnoses Attention Deficit Disorder
other

Liardet, T (2022) Portrait of Amazon boxes as a wrecked nest; Doctor Vertu diagnoses Attention Deficit Disorder. Ambit, 246. ISSN 0002-6972


A sidewalk vanished under flowers and grass; To the crime lords of the syndicates
other

Liardet, T (2022) A sidewalk vanished under flowers and grass; To the crime lords of the syndicates. Granta Online.


Versions of a fractious night, in SoHo or Soho
other

Liardet, T (2022) Versions of a fractious night, in SoHo or Soho. Poetry Review, 112 (3). ISSN 0032-2156


The doctrine of the last things; The rage room; The room as atmospheric refraction; Versions of vertigo
other

Liardet, T (2022) The doctrine of the last things; The rage room; The room as atmospheric refraction; Versions of vertigo. Stand, 20 (4). ISSN 2041-4056


The North Sea shoals are further inland
other

Liardet, T (2022) The North Sea shoals are further inland. New Statesman. 4 March. ISSN 1364-7431


Garrulity my greyhound
other

Liardet, T (2022) Garrulity my greyhound. New Welsh Review, 29. ISSN 0954-2116


Notes for the hyperaroused
other

Liardet, T (2022) Notes for the hyperaroused. Poetry Wales, 57 (3). ISSN 0032-2202


From Petrarch redux: three poems
other

Liardet, T (2021) From Petrarch redux: three poems. Bad Lilies, 5.


The haptic fugues, (a sequence of 32 tercets)
other

Liardet, T (2021) The haptic fugues, (a sequence of 32 tercets). Long Poem Magazine, 26.


On hearing Mr Blum the funeral director
other

Liardet, T (2021) On hearing Mr Blum the funeral director. Poetry Review, 111 (3). ISSN 0032-2156


The crowd's enthusiasm was unimaginable
other

Liardet, T (2021) The crowd's enthusiasm was unimaginable. The London Magazine. June/July. ISSN 0024-6085


Elegy for Jacques-of-Jacques-and-Jack
other

Liardet, T (2021) Elegy for Jacques-of-Jacques-and-Jack. Poetry Ireland Review, 135. ISSN 0332-2998


Self-portrait with multiple yells; Aisling
other

Liardet, T (2020) Self-portrait with multiple yells; Aisling. Poetry Review, 110 (3). ISSN 0032-2156


Prayer to mother serotonin
other

Liardet, T (2020) Prayer to mother serotonin. The London Magazine. June/July. ISSN 0024-6085


An imposter syndrome bot replies to Jehovah; A future bot’s Lacrimosa
other

Liardet, T (2019) An imposter syndrome bot replies to Jehovah; A future bot’s Lacrimosa. Poetry Review, 109 (3). ISSN 0032-2156


A robot invents the Orphic puddle
other

Liardet, T (2019) A robot invents the Orphic puddle. New Statesman. ISSN 1364-7431


On hearing of a 98.2% chance of heavy precipitation a bot considers the question of negative probability
other

Liardet, T (2019) On hearing of a 98.2% chance of heavy precipitation a bot considers the question of negative probability. The North American Review, Spring. ISSN 0029-2397


A future robot considers the human heart; A future bot projects onto itself a likeness of Darwin; A future bot addresses the mob boss released from jail at a hundred years of age
other

Liardet, T (2018) A future robot considers the human heart; A future bot projects onto itself a likeness of Darwin; A future bot addresses the mob boss released from jail at a hundred years of age. Kenyon Review. May-June. ISSN 0163-075X


Address to the Bethlehem Female Seminary, Germantown, Pennsylvania, 1742
other

Liardet, T (2018) Address to the Bethlehem Female Seminary, Germantown, Pennsylvania, 1742. New Statesman, 12 Jan. ISSN 1364-7431


Empath to the punctured Kevlar helmet; Ugly world to empath
other

Liardet, T (2018) Empath to the punctured Kevlar helmet; Ugly world to empath. London Review of Books, 40 (9). ISSN 0260-9592


The chorus of the fathers addresses the Shuqualak hermit; The Shuqualak hermit addresses the chorus of the fathers; Address to the abstract expressionist concerning his painting of the woman; The abstract expressionist replies; To the peepers at Bible Hill; To a field of Tennessee sunflowers
other

Liardet, T (2018) The chorus of the fathers addresses the Shuqualak hermit; The Shuqualak hermit addresses the chorus of the fathers; Address to the abstract expressionist concerning his painting of the woman; The abstract expressionist replies; To the peepers at Bible Hill; To a field of Tennessee sunflowers. Stand. ISSN 2041-4056


To the mother as event horizon; To the mother at the electric
other

Liardet, T (2017) To the mother as event horizon; To the mother at the electric. Poetry Review, 107 (3). pp. 64-65. ISSN 0032-2156


The longest red light in America; The world's first photograph; Address to the long-haul travellers set in a blood-red utero of light; The polygraph addresses the polygraph martyr; The polygraph martyr replies
other

Liardet, T (2017) The longest red light in America; The world's first photograph; Address to the long-haul travellers set in a blood-red utero of light; The polygraph addresses the polygraph martyr; The polygraph martyr replies. The Manhattan Review, 18 (1). pp. 26-30.


To the mother at this angle; The vanishment; For the vanishing twin
other

Liardet, T (2017) To the mother at this angle; The vanishment; For the vanishing twin. The Spectator, 334 (9848/9). 11/38/48. ISSN 0038-6952


To a sliver of Sicilian-American sky; A suitcase with A. Einstein written inside; The woman among the Nerudas; The apparel addresses the spirit
other

Liardet, T (2017) To a sliver of Sicilian-American sky; A suitcase with A. Einstein written inside; The woman among the Nerudas; The apparel addresses the spirit. Poetry London, Spring (86). pp. 21-22. ISSN 1479-2591


To the multitasking hands
other

Liardet, T (2016) To the multitasking hands. Poetry Wales, 52 (2). ISSN 0032-2202


Address to the drowned seaman, in answer to his distress flare at Rockall, Mid-Atlantic, 1944; The drowned seaman replies
other

Liardet, T (2016) Address to the drowned seaman, in answer to his distress flare at Rockall, Mid-Atlantic, 1944; The drowned seaman replies. London Review of Books, 38 (19). p. 35. ISSN 0260-9592


The flint-rasp
other

Liardet, T (2016) The flint-rasp. Agenda, 49 (3-4).


Self-portrait as extreme human empathy; Self-portrait as biomolecular love
other

Liardet, T (2015) Self-portrait as extreme human empathy; Self-portrait as biomolecular love. Agenda, 49 (2).


Cop convo; Subtitles only
other

Liardet, T (2015) Cop convo; Subtitles only. Poetry Review, 105 (3). ISSN 0032-2156


Self-portrait with Goffstown deep black and sun-up intensity
other

Liardet, T (2014) Self-portrait with Goffstown deep black and sun-up intensity. Oxford Poetry, XV (ii).


Fevered by legible light [book review]
other

Liardet, T (2014) Fevered by legible light [book review]. PN Review, 40 (3). ISSN 0144-7076


Two poems - God love the art deco angel; Portrait in the Gaudi mirror
other

Liardet, T (2013) Two poems - God love the art deco angel; Portrait in the Gaudi mirror. PN Review, 40 (2). ISSN 0144-7076


Black silent waters; The rain-charm
other

Liardet, T (2013) Black silent waters; The rain-charm. Poetry Review, 103 (1). ISSN 0032-2156


The vipers of Chanteau; The best art nouveau restaurant in Europe; Grunt; Darwin in Mauritius; Mister Gul as a migrating bush; Babe Ruth and the jumping women; Morpheum; Meeting Peter Porter a year after his death; A beggar in St Petesburg; Laws of probability; A dream of fair cyclists
other

Liardet, T (2010) The vipers of Chanteau; The best art nouveau restaurant in Europe; Grunt; Darwin in Mauritius; Mister Gul as a migrating bush; Babe Ruth and the jumping women; Morpheum; Meeting Peter Porter a year after his death; A beggar in St Petesburg; Laws of probability; A dream of fair cyclists.


Ur-blue; The water-halt; Bucko in love; The pitch-dowsing
other

Liardet, T (2007) Ur-blue; The water-halt; Bucko in love; The pitch-dowsing.


Chickens in Chinatown; Madame Sasoo goes bathing; Boy and bicycle in metamorphosis; Visions of the jet-lagged
other

Liardet, T (2003) Chickens in Chinatown; Madame Sasoo goes bathing; Boy and bicycle in metamorphosis; Visions of the jet-lagged.


Edit profile | Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk