Stand up: Fiona Sampson

This interview marks the first in The Stand’s ‘poetry series’ which aims to bring some attention to contemporary poets working in the UK. People don’t get enough poetry in their lives, and The Stand is going to help you out. You’re welcome. 

To kick it all off, here’s an introduction to… Fiona Sampson.

She was born in London and grew up in the West Country, originally a musician, she came to poetry at a later stage in her life and until earlier this year, she was editor of the Poetry Review. Lucie Ware sat down with her at this year’s Stanza Poetry Festival to talk about life as a poet.

If you thought it was a fun job, think again.

You were a professional violinist?

Yes, I came to poetry a bit later. Which on the one hand I recommend because you bring more with you, but on the other hand pragmatically it means it’s quite difficult. Most poets have a cult of youth, and if you’ve never been a young poet you’ve somehow missed out on a vital stage in other people’s eyes, even though your development might be quite organic.

Do you feel you’ve had to work harder to become accepted as a poet in your own right?

Massively much harder. I think it’s been extraordinarily difficult and had I known how difficult it would be, I might not have had the courage to make the change. It’s a good thing I didn’t know, because I do think you have to be true to yourself and words are my thing. Music is a meritocracy , its quite simple, everyone can see what you do. It’s naive and honest. Publishing in general is a lot more word of mouth, it’s about marketing and brands. I still feel that I am having to disown those earlier presentations of me.

Are there any regrets about leaving the honest naive world of music and entering the world of poetry?

Yes, I’m hugely regretful.

Oh.

I’m not hugely regretful that I’m doing what I’m doing now, and I love it, but yes I have a lot of regrets about that.

Are there any positives to be drawn from the world of poetry?

The poems themselves. I think poetry is the chamber music of literature. It’s the form which is most for actual lovers of language and thought.

Well there you go. If you like language and thought, be a poet. But it won’t be fun, and you’ll probably regret it. Stay tuned.

Rough Music is available on Amazon, 6.97