I was born in Jersey and studied English and American literature at UEA, where I stayed on to do an MA in creative writing with Malcolm Bradbury.

I moved to Aachen, Germany, on the Dutch and Belgium border, began teaching English to Germans and running literature workshops in adult education.

I started publishing poetry in magazines and anthologies.

My daughter, Esther Rose, was born in 1982.

Samuel, my son, in 1985.

In 1991 an experimental band, Menagerie, was formed by David O’Brien and myself. We consisted of songwriters, poets and musicians, performing our work in cafes and on stage in Germany. I also began writing lyrics for German musicians.

In 1995 I returned to Jersey and continue to teach, perform and write poetry and song lyrics, in particular, in collaboration with Esther Rose Parkes.

Some of my poetry has been set to music by Annika Fehling and also by my daughter.

I’ve won various prizes including The Blue Nose poet of the year, joint second in the Keats/Shelley memorial prize, winner of a Kitley Trust award, twice runner-up in the National Poetry competition, and winner of the Jersey Poetry Prize.

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