About Sue
Sue
Johns originates from Cornwall where she started performing as a punk poet, in
the 1980’s.
She
has published 2 pamphlets and 2 full collections, the most recent Hush
(Morgan’s Eye Press
2011)
and Rented, Poems on Prostitution and Dependency (Palewell Press, 2018).
A
new pamphlet Track Record is due in May 2021 (Dempsey & Windle)
Her
work has appeared in a wide range of anthologies such as can You Hear the
People Sing
(Palewell Press, 2020), Alter Egos
(Bad Betty, 2019) Welling Up (Palewell Press, 2019) and Time for Song,
Contemporary Cornish Poetry ( Morgan’s Eye Press, 2009) and magazines including
Poetry News, The Morning Star, Southbank Poetry, Dreich, The Atlanta Review,
Prole, Brittle Star, The Big Issue and London Grip.
Sue
has also written and performed theatrical monologues and worked on numerous
art/poetry collaborations including Spectre of Abandonment with visual
artist Lorraine Clarke, 2014.
She
is a veteran of the Performance Poetry circuit and has performed at readings
and festivals around the country including The Edinburgh Festival and St Ives
literary festival.
She
is currently studying for an MA in Writing Poetry.
Reviews
of Sue’s work:
For Hush;
‘Sue
Johns is one of contemporary poetry’s finest voices.’ (Steve Tasane, Poet and Performer)
‘As
we journey through a series of provocative subjects, both sensual and
political, we can admire Johns’s perfectly judged pitch.’ (Niall O’Sullivan, Poet, Writer, Performer).
For
Rented:
Sue
Johns…uses her pages bullet-ridden’ (Katy Evans-Bush)
Sue
Johns pulls no punches. Like Peter Reading she picks at life’s scabs, casting
her eye on the dark corners that others ignore. (Tristram Fane-Saunders).
The poems are never gratitious nor do they
flinch from their subject. Sue Johns approach is lyrical, varied, sometimes
humorous, occasionally shocking to devastating effect. (Pauline Sewards).
