Good poems don’t always explain themselves. We’ll experiment with implication, ambiguity, omission and restraint, looking at how to trust an image, leave space for the reader and resist the temptation to tell them exactly what a poem means. Attendees are encouraged to bring a draft poem where they may be over-explaining to workshop in a friendly and supportive setting. **Rough schedule** 6:30-6:40pm: welcome, time to grab a drink 6:40-7:00pm: warm-up exercise & discussion 7:00-7:45pm: reading, discussing, writing 7:45-8:00pm: break 8:00-8:30pm: reading, discussing, writing 8:30-9:00pm: sharing, workshopping, editing *Ruth is a London-based poet & tutor originally from the West Midlands. She believes everyone can write poetry & is passionate about making the community more inclusive & accessible. Ruth’s first pamphlet ‘The Thought Sits With Me’ was published by Nine Pens in 2022. She edited Morocco Bound’s first anthology of poetry, ‘Slow Progress’ in 2024. She has placed & been shortlisted for several prizes in the last few years, including the Passionfruit, New Poet’s, Plough and Prole Prizes.*