SAD LAUREATE.
Ghosts. Doom. Time Travel. Misery.
Sam J. Grudgings
Sam is a poet perpetually on the edge of collapse, nominated for the Outspoken Poetry Prize 2019, renowned for his off-kilter, frenetic delivery and intense stage dynamic, Sam grew up in the punk scene and it shows. Injecting gallows humour into fiercely wrought metaphors, Sam subverts the narratives of addiction, bringing a wry touch to devastating subjects whilst still allowing himself the space to be painfully candid and devastatingly vulnerable. He yells stories about recovery, loss, mental health and cities made of teeth because it’s cheaper than therapy and is less physically taxing than porno
Sam runs workshops on performance and writing as well as campaigning for the recognition of lived experience in professional and academic circles. He endeavours to bring poetry to everyone, by collaboration efforts with musicians, dancers artists and initiatives in local communities. He has written commissions for KWMC, We Can Make Homes, No Bindings Press amongst others and his written work can be found in a variety of journals including Riggwelter, Under the Radar and Pizza Eaters.
