Corinna Board

teaches English as an additional language in Oxford. She grew up on a farm, and her writing is often inspired by the rural environment. She particularly enjoys exploring our connection to the more-than-human. Her work has appeared in various journals, and she was recently commended in the Verve Eco-poetry competition. Arboreal, her debut pamphlet, was published in January. Find her on Instagram

@parole_de_reveuse or

X/Twitter @CorinnaBoard.

Link to book:

https://www.blackcatpress.co.uk/product-page/arboreal

The Interview

Q:1. When and why did you start writing poetry?

I started writing poetry in my late teens, probably around the age of 17/18. At the time, it was a way of processing difficult emotions, and I never intended for anyone to read them.

Q:2. Who introduced you to poetry?

The way poetry is taught in schools is often criticised, but that was where I first learnt about poetry. I remember studying Phillip Larkin and, later on, Sylvia Plath. Her poems were a bit like locked boxes – I didn’t completely understand them, but I was intrigued and wanted to read more.

Q:3. How did you decide on the order of the poems in Arboreal?

It was a lengthy process! The final manuscript is very different to the one I originally put together in 2022. Poems have been swapped around, taken out, put back in, then taken out again! (Sometimes at the last minute… I have a very understanding publisher!) The final order of the poems came over time; l’d look for words or themes that linked particular poems. I put the ones about childhood and the family farm together, one poem about birds or death would interlock with another, etc.

Q:4. How aware are and were you of the dominating presence of older poets traditional and contemporary?

That’s an interesting question, and something I don’t really pay much attention to when I’m reading poetry – either I like it or I don’t! Perhaps the traditional poetry scene was more dominated by older male poets, but the contemporary poetry I read is written by poets of all ages, and I think that’s a good thing!

Q:5. What is your daily writing routine?

I wish I had one! I’ve tried getting up early to write before work, as I have a lot more creative energy in the morning, but that doesn’t really help… I just end up spending more time doing other stuff! A lot of my inspiration comes in little bursts when I’m walking or reading, so I’ll jot down snippets, or thoughts in a little notebook or on my phone notes app. I then tend to let them “cook” for a while in my mind before attempting to draft anything (I often draft poems at the weekend or whenever I have more time on my hands).

Q:6. Why the title, “Arboreal”?

Arboreal means ‘of or living in trees.’ I really love the word and chose it as a title quite early on in the process of putting the pamphlet together. I think it conveys a sense of symbiosis between trees and the humans and more-than-humans that live in and around them.

Q:7. How do the writers you read when you were young influence your work today?

Reading Sylvia Plath as a teen has definitely influenced the way I write today. I was fascinated by the darkness in her writing, and her work also taught me that it’s OK to not understand everything in a poem – that, in fact, it’s important to leave some things open to interpretation, ambiguous or unsaid so, as readers, we can find what we need within a poem’s lines.

Q:7.1. How do you think the “darkness” comes through in Arboreal?

There are quite a few references to death in Arboreal. As I get older, it’s something that preoccupies me more and more. Perhaps writing about it is a way of accepting that nothing’s permanent, which is also probably the biggest lesson we can learn from Nature.

Q:8. Who of today’s writers do you admire the most and why?


That’s a really difficult question haha. There are too many to pick just one! Pascale Petit, because her imagery is astounding, and I love the way she weaves the natural world into her poems. Jane Burn, because she has such a unique voice, and she writes brilliantly about the more-than-human; her recent pamphlet ‘A thousand Miles from the Sea’ is breathtaking. Jane Lovell, because she writes the kind of ecopoetry I wish I could write. Kathryn Bevis, Caroline Bird… I could go on and on and on! I enjoy reading poetry as much as I enjoy writing it.

Q:9. How do you want the white space to work on the pages in Arboreal?

It varies from one poem to another. A poem like ‘The Shed’ is very compact with little white space to reflect the heavy nature of the subject.  I enjoy playing with line breaks, and the space between couplets can be a useful tool for creating a sense of anticipation or surprise. In ‘Genesis’, the lines are arranged to look a bit like a sapling.

Q:10. What would you say to someone who asked you “How do you become a writer?”

I’m still learning myself! I’d say reading as much, if not more, than you write would be a good starting point. Also, write what you want to write, not what you think people want to read. Finally, don’t give up!

Q:11. What does mythology and folklore give to your poetry in Arboreal?

I’m a massive fan of Norse mythology, the poem ‘Embla’ was inspired directly by this. The forest is a highly symbolic place in folklore and fairytales – wolves, witches, the Green Man… all of these can be found lurking in the pages of Arboreal in some form or other.

Q:12. How do you cope with the irony that a book is made from a forest?

It might seem hypocritical to love trees so much, then bring out a pamphlet made from them…  I try to do as much as I can to give back what I take from the planet, and I also buy a lot of second-hand books, read ebooks or borrow from the local library. Loving books and trees in equal measures is a bit tricky!

Q:13. What did trees bring to your childhood?

I grew up on my grandparents’ farm and feel really lucky to have been surrounded by animals and nature throughout childhood. Trees were places to climb, hide or shelter. I’d often go on trips to the local woods with my Nan, always with a bag to pick up anything interesting: pinecones, feathers, acorns… it’s something I still do! One of my most prized treasures is a tiny jay feather found on the forest floor.

Q:14. With adulthood how do you see trees, differently?

I’ve learnt much more about what trees do for the planet and just how important they are. One book that taught me a lot was ‘The Treeline’ by Ben Rawlence. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking read.

Q.15. Once they have read your book what do you want the reader to leave with?

I hope they get some enjoyment from reading the poems, that it makes them want to go outside for a walk or visit a local forest, perhaps even plant a tree!

Q:16. Tell me about the writing projects you have on at the moment.

I’m writing a lot about the rural environment where I grew up – the fields, meadows and wildlife. I’ve also been writing some poems about my father, who was totally absent from my life until he died. Not sure if those two themes can somehow be woven together, we’ll see!