For this Understory Conversation, Georgia Gildea and Charlotte compare notes on hugeness, need and containment.

Hilary Menos shares a poem and chats to Charlotte about the importance of craft and remaking the world.

Heidi Beck chats to Sarah about one of her poems, and on working with discomfort, containment and risk.

For this conversation, Sarah invites guest poet and Poetry Business stablemate Helen Seymour in for a chat about Helen’s new collection The Underlook. They explore how humour and surrealism can help if we feel driven underground.

Here, Vic Pickup chats with Charlotte about how she rediscovered poetry, and found the (angry) friends she needed.

In this Understory Conversation, Lorna Dowell chats with Anne Bailey. They look together at a poem Lorna chose from Anne’s new pamphlet.

Alan Buckley and Charlotte decided to frame their sample Understory Conversation as a ‘poem exchange’: they each chose a poem of the other’s to respond to. Alan chose Charlotte’s poem ‘Corners’.

Alan Buckley and Charlotte decided to frame their sample Understory Conversation as a ‘poem exchange’: they each chose a poem of the other’s to respond to. First up, Alan’s poem ‘Peaches’.

Here, Kate Hendry shares a poem, and chats with Charlotte about the vital balance – in life and in poetry – between hiding and being seen.

Here’s another sample conversation between two Understory members. This time, Karen Smith chats with Charlotte about how mindfulness and writing entwine for her, and why she loves wild swimming.