Interview with Dublin Poet Mark Ward

Welcome back to Words That Burn, the poetry podcast where host Benjamin Collopy takes a closer look at the verse that shapes our world. Whether you're here to deepen your poetry appreciation or are simply looking for accessible poetry for beginners, the goal is to make poetry education engaging for everyone. In this episode, Ben sits down for an in-depth poem discussion with Mark Ward, an incredible voice in modern Irish poetry. They explore Mark's compelling poet biography; from his early days writing in Dublin to his work as a playwright, before jumping into a full poem deep dive of his brand-new collection, Real Estate ( from Salmon Poetry). Listeners will get the mechanics of Mark's poetry explained by the poet himself. Through thoughtful poetry analysis, Ben and Mark unpack the evocative literary devices used to capture everything from the collapse of a relationship to the profound grief of losing a beloved pet. Key Topics Discussed The Architecture of Verse: Why Mark considers every line of a poem to be "prime real estate" and the importance of leaning into subjects that scare you. Grief and the Physical World: A close look at the sequence Nine Lives, dedicated to Mark's cat, Carbon, which beautifully captures the tactile realities of caregiving and loss. Body Horror & Metaphor: Exploring the complex imagery and literary devices in the poem Hunger, where inner anxieties warp physical, domestic spaces. Documenting Queer History: How poetry serves as an alternative lineage, with a focus on 1992, a piece that memorializes Dublin's 1980s and 1990s gay culture. Subverting Expectations: A reading and analysis of Slow Evening, a joyful and tender poem that acts as a poignant rebuke to the tragic "Bury Your Gays" narrative trope. About the Guest Mark Ward is a poet, playwright, and short story writer based in Dublin. He is the author of two full-length collections with Salmon Poetry: Nightlight (2023) and his latest release, Real Estate. His diverse body of work also includes six chapbooks ranging from sonnets to queer ekphrastic verse, and his plays have been staged at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. Follow & Support Mark: On Instagram Buy the book here or here Follow the Podcast: Read the interview on Substack Follow the Podcast On Instagram Follow the Podcast on X/Twitter Follow the Podcast on Tiktok Follow the podcast on Bluesky Time Stamps: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:01 What Real Estate Means 03:04 Building Poem Sequences 05:00 Revisiting Old Work 06:29 Writing Breakup Darkness 11:05 Nine Lives and Pet Grief 13:16 Reading Carer Aloud 14:44 Desire and Physicality 17:41 Hunger Image Craft 20:43 Reading Hunger Aloud 22:35 Desire Versus Self 24:15 Writing From Observation 26:04 Finding Poetry Mentors 28:14 Ekphrasis And Queer Lineage 31:42 Poetry As Cultural Memory 36:18 Reading Poem 1992 38:24 Slow Evening And Gay Joy 42:47 Closing Thanks