Profile of Poet Laura Wainwright Following Award Win

Born in Cardiff and currently residing in Newport, Wainwright holds a BA, MA, and PhD in English Literature. Her previous works include the pamphlets Air and Armour (Green Bottle Press, 2021), Coedcernyw: among other things (Clutag Press, 2023), and the collaborative work Thrall: Poems and Art (Seventh Quarry Press, 2025) with poet Robert Minhinnick. In this interview, she discusses her love of music, cycling, and the inspiration behind her writing.

When reflecting on what first drew her to poetry, Wainwright mentioned her appreciation for the sounds and arrangements of words that evoke musicality. She described her ongoing thrill in poetry as stemming from its concise yet intricate nature, where seemingly simple words reveal profound meanings.

Discussing her favorite poets, Wainwright expressed difficulty in naming favorites due to the evolving nature of art and discovery. However, she expressed a desire for Robert Minhinnick’s Diary of the Last Man to be preserved for future generations.

Wainwright also shared that she wishes she had written Lynette Roberts’ poem ‘Curlew.’ Recently, she was excited by Dean Browne’s After Party, which she described as a remarkable collection and a worthy winner of the Seamus Heaney First Collection Prize.

Beyond literature, Wainwright finds inspiration in playing the guitar, painting, and cycling, describing cycling as an excellent way to immerse herself in her surroundings.

Currently, she is working on a collaborative musical project and a new poetry collection, though she noted that she is a slow writer. Wainwright emphasized the importance of life experiences and connections in her writing process, stating that embracing new diversions aids her creativity.

When asked about a word she wishes she could incorporate into her poetry, she expressed a desire to write in Welsh, which she considers particularly poetic. If her poems were to embody an animal, she believed they would be birds, representing freedom and exploration.

Wainwright chose to share her poem ‘The Luthier’ from The Storm’s Flora, which poignantly captures the themes of music and remembrance through its imagery.

On the coldest morning she could recall,

breath scrawled about the mourners,

who rubbed and shuffled,

while blue grass sparkled

around a sound-hole in the earth.

From down there came the frost’s harmonics –

three silverish strings – singing:

lully, lulla, lullay,

sleep well my luthier,

you made such music yet didn’t play.