A chat with Fiona Halliday about her poetry book, Thoughts on Life (Hedgehog Press, 2025)
How would you describe Thoughts on Life in one sentence?
Thoughts on Life is a collection of poems about life, love, grief and hope.
How did you structure the poems?
I like to write poems of different genres, I’m always looking for a form I haven’t tried. In this book, I have used a few different forms, including cinquain, tanka and senryu, rhyming and non- rhyming poems and free verse.
How long did the book take to write?
The book was written over about six months. I try to write something every day, although I don’t always manage it!
What would you say are the main themes of the book?
The main themes of the book are how we treat one another and the planet, grief, love and hope.
Do you have a favourite of the poems?
My favourite poem is ‘Is this a love poem?’ which I wrote with my husband in mind, it has a lot of truth in it, although, there is some poetic licence too!
My favourite poem from the book is ‘Fear’ – it’s so succinct and impactful. It also feels (perhaps ironically or perhaps pertinently!) a very brave choice to create such a short poem, it’s something I find very hard to do. I wondered, if it isn’t too personal a question, about the role of fear and bravery in your writing. Do you feel as though writing offers you the opportunity to ‘say’ things you wouldn’t in real life, or does it feel scarier to leave a permanent record of what has been said, especially in these days of social media?
Yes, I certainly do think I’m much braver when writing! I don’t usually speak about very personal things in day-to-day life and I certainly don’t mention politics very much. However, I’m really pleased that you like the ‘Fear’ poem, as I think many of us feel similarly – that we want to fill the silence when sitting with others, but we are often afraid of saying something that might upset the other person. Indeed, not every one likes to have that silence filled. In this age of technology and social media, I think that we often avoid face-to-face interactions and this is something I worry about for the next generation. Human beings need other human beings, we are social creatures. This poem is written as a senryu, it has a 5-7-5 syllable pattern like the haiku, but is about human nature, rather than the natural world.
How did you choose a publisher? Has Hedgehog published any other of your works?
I first found out about Hedgehog Poetry Press during lockdown. This was as a result of discovering the online poetry of Home Stage. I watched YouTube videos and joined the online group, Poetry 2, which meets on zoom once a month. One of the poets I discovered at that time was Sue Burge, whose work had been published by Hedgehog Poetry Press. I loved what I’d seen and heard of her work and was thrilled to discover the press she had been published by. I have had several poems published in anthologies by Hedgehog, but this is my first collection. I’m really delighted about it!
Which poets/writers inspire your work?
This is such a difficult question! I love so many different poets. The ones I read most are Roger McGough, Maya Angelou, Paul Cookson, Pam Ayres and a plethora of children’s poets, including Brian Moses, Sue Hardy-Dawson, Ian Bland and Coral Rumble.
If you could have a blurb from anyone – living or dead – who would it be and why?
I have been wracking my brains over this one. I think Maya Angelou. She overcame such difficulty and was so talented and inspirational – she was a ‘phenomenal woman’!
How does Thoughts on Life compare to what you have written previously?
The things I have written and shared previously have been prayers and worship materials for church, although, these have not been published, I’ve used them in services from time to time. Thoughts on Life is very different as it is definitely a poetry book and hopefully accessible to those of any or no faith. It is a very honest book about life, it includes lots of ups and downs.
Do you have any other writing projects in the pipeline?
I have written a book of poetry for children in KS1 and KS2. I am looking for a publisher for that at the moment. It includes poetry that focuses on language and writing, as well as poetry about animals, school and more!
Have you any readings or other events planned to promote the book?
I read at Open Mic nights, particularly Word Central at Manchester Library. I’m hoping to arrange a reading at one of my local libraries, perhaps with a few other poets, in the near future. I also do readings for groups in churches. I’m open to anything!
To buy Thoughts on Life:
I am selling copies of the book myself. For details, please message me @fionahalliday1 on Twitter X or Bluesky @fhalliday.bsky.social. With every author copy sold, £1 will go to Willow Wood Hospice in memory of my Dad.
Copies are also available from Amazon and Hedgehog Poetry Press.
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