Stewart Carswell portrait. Standing in dark coat with yellow leaves as background

Stewart Carswell grew up in the Forest of Dean and currently lives in Cambridgeshire, where he organises the Fen Speak open mic night. He studied Physics at Southampton University, and has a PhD from the University of Bristol. His poems have recently been widely published, including in Under the Radar, Envoi, Finished Creatures, Ink Sweat & Tears, The Lighthouse, The Storms Journal, and The Fenland Reed. He has performed poems at the Cheltenham Poetry Festival, Poetry in Aldeburgh Festival, Gloucester Poetry Festival, The Troubadour, and at various outdoor locations in the Forest of Dean and Bristol. His pamphlet "Knots and branches" was published in 2016, and his debut collection is "Earthworks" (Indigo Dreams, 2021).

The poems in "Earthworks" are about connecting with historical landscapes to learn how to live, and draw on locations and historical sites in the West Country, such as the West Kennett long barrow in Wiltshire, Offa’s Dyke in Gloucestershire, and the industrial heritage of the Forest of Dean. Explore ancient burial chambers, disused railway lines, and iron age hill forts.  Explore garden fences, park benches, and Christmas trees.  Explore childhood, gemstones, and yourself. What will you discover?