STEPHEN LIGHTBOWN

Poet / Yoga Teacher / Para Surfer

Born in Blackburn, lives in Bristol.

Wheelchair user and disability rights champion.

published

Books and Publications

And I Climbed, And I Climbed, Poetry Collection, Troika Books

The Last Custodian, Poetry Collection, Burning Eye Books

Only Air, Poetry Collection, Burning Eye Books

The Result Is What You See Today, Poems about running anthology, smith|doorstop

Poems from a Green and Blue Planet Children’s nature anthology, Hachette UK

Spirit of Fire and Dust Anthology, Fire and Dust

Law and Poetry, American Bar Association

We Are Not Your Metaphor, A disability poetry anthology, Squares and Rebels

Closed Gates or Open Arms, Verve Poetry Press, community themed anthology

Summer Anywhere, Dreich anthology

Locked Down, poems and art from the pandemic, Poetry Space

Tree (20 Poems for 20 Years), Self Published, Zine

In Print

Why Does Everyone Have Something to Say, The Toy Press

Hitting the Berlin Wall, The North - 63

Walking Again Through Avatar, Poem, Magma 71, The Film Issue

Pushed Away, Bristol247

The Hedgehog's Life, Poem, British Hedgehog Preservation Society Newsletter

Online

It’s Hard to Push a Wheelchair With a Tree in Your Finger, The Dirigible Balloon

Bedtime, The Dirigible Balloon

What Do You Think At Nighttime? The Dirigible Balloon

Release, Squawk Back

Wheel, Ink Sweat and Tears

Sweet Dreams, Free Wheel and Falling from a Wheelchair, Mollyhouse, Issue 3

Necessary Silence, Selcouth Station

Tell Me What You Know Through Tarot, Riggwelter Press

Bear off a Leash, Poem, Burning House Press

Park Warden, Poem, Poetry Space

Pastel Beach, Poem, Poetry Space

Decisions, Poem, Poetry Space

The Arranged Marriage, blog for Scope 

The Acceptable Discrimination, blog for Scope 

Media

Lunar Poetry Podcast (Ep 125), In conversation with David Turner

Brum Radio Poets, In conversation with Rick Sanders along with poets Chloe Jacquet and Paul Francis

Turning Points, Sketches Series 2, Interview, Radio 4

Only Air launch, Interview, Lancashire Telegraph

Bristol Favourites, Interview, Bristol 24/7

Scratchcard Memories of Dad, poetry film, Muddy Feet Poetry

Access to poetry, blog, Euan’s Guide

Before Time, poem and interview with Pete Simson on BBC Upload (no longer available)

Only Air launch, Interview, Bristol 24/7

On the Number 76 in Bristol, reading and interview on the Adam Crowther Show (no longer available)

On the Number 76 in Bristol, poetry film, Poetry Film Live

Me and My Body, Interviewee, Channel 5 Documentary

Access to the Arts, Interview, Bristol 24/7

'Mark's Story, 1996', Performance, A Poem A Week Podcast

'The Race', Performance, A Lovely Word (no longer available)

Brave Poor Things: Reclaiming Bristol's Disability History, Interviewee, M Shed (Exhibition)

Competition

Hacienda, Poem, Instagram Poetry Competition, The Poetry School (highly commended)

Not My Stop, The Plough Prize 2017 poetry competition (longlisted in short poem category)

One Foot On Display, the Other Hides a Lie, The A3 Review poetry competition (shortlisted for poems on the theme of circles)