Roberts, Michael Symmons

(1963- )

   Born in Preston, Lancashire, he read philosophy and theology at Oxford University, has worked as a producer and director of documentaries for the BBC, and still writes extensively for radio and television. His work for radio includes Last Words, commissioned by BBC Radio 4 to mark the first anniversary of 9/11. He regularly collaborates with composer James MacMillan as librettist on song cycles, choral works, music theatre pieces and operas, and he has worked with other composers, including James Whitbourn and John Harle. His first novel, Patrick's Alphabet, was published in 2006. His poetry publications: Soft Keys, 1993. Raising Sparks, 1999. Burning Babylon, 2001 (short listed for the T.S. Eliot Prize). Corpus, 2004 (short listed for the Best Poetry Collection of the Year; for the T.S. Eliot Prize, and for the Whitbread Poetry Award). Some of his poems: "Angel of the Perfumes," "Flesh," "Food for Risen Bodies," "Jairus."

   Sources: British Council Arts (http://www.contemporarywriters.com). Griffin Poetry Prize, 2005. Michael Symmons Roberts (http://www.griffinpoetryprize.com/shortlist_2005.php?t=5). Angel of the Perfumes, by Michael Symmons Roberts (http://www.jeanettewinterson.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=230). Jairus, by Michael Symmons Roberts. http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoem.do?poemId=3486.