WENDY COPE - MY FAVOURITE POET IN A SERENDIPITOUS MOMENT!

The emotional range of the poet Wendy Cope has always impressed me from villanelle to haiku, yep, we writers have all have a go at both - I'm not terribly good - but Wendy's work is so very clever and her output is amazing. 

In our history of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists - soon to celebrate the 125 years since being founded in Victorian times (by a man - no less!) - we are proud of the wonderful poets who were members - among every other genre of writing that you can think of. At least one of our members, Alice Meynell, almost became Poet Laureate in 1913, but that was a difficult time politically, for women, as your historical knowledge on suffragettes will reveal.

Right this minute, on Friday 1 February, Wendy is being interviewed on BBC Radio 4's  Desert Island Discs by Lauren Lavern. Do a 'catch up' and listen to one of the best poets in this country today. Better still, read her work published by Faber & Faber. 

In my history of the SWWJ, I devote a chapter to the success of our poets, and you will recognise some of the most celebrated names in international literary history. 

There is plenty more to read about our members from the time we began this Society on 1 May 1894 and I am delighted that many of our leading academics continually make contact with us on www.swwj.co.uk when they are composing their own work.

Oh, what a joy to bump into Wendy and two other superb poets, John Agard and Fleur Adcock relaxing over a drink at our ALCS party in Westminster - an exciting and entertaining trio! Wasn't I lucky?

John Agard Fleur Adcock and Wendy Cope snapped at a London writers' event