Rosie Miles is a poet, writer and educator. She has over twenty years experience of teaching in higher education and other adult settings, and values the making of connections and community that are holistic, honest and committed to genuine wellbeing.
I have lived in Birmingham for a substantive part of my adult life, though I’m originally from south Manchester/Cheshire. I’m also a bit of a London-o-phile and deliberately chose to do my PhD there. While I’ve often thought of myself as very urban, I’m increasingly drawn to the wilder, edge-bound places, in particular in south-west England. As this website sets out, poetry has been a thread running through much of my adult life and I can’t really imagine my life without it — reading it, teaching others about it, writing it.
One of the things about a personal website is that it can bring together various strands of a life in a holistic way. I’ve been privileged to teach Victorian and other aspects of English Literature in university settings and (at best) there was a great deal I enjoyed about that. But universities are also today very challenging places to work, sometimes destroying the very people who are their creative and intellectual lifeblood through structures, practices, mindsets and conditions within which it is almost impossible to flourish. A life solely of the mind unable to recognise the heart or soul is not actually much of a life. Over the years I have also run workshops and residential events for adults in numerous different places, including Holland House Retreat Centre, Worcestershire, Holy Rood House, Thirsk, and Iona Abbey, Scotland. Creating temporary community—whether through teaching or a weekend gathering—is something I value. I’m currently working out what a freelance, portfolio life might look like for me, “making my own days”, as poet Frank O’ Hara said.
Please do explore my website for more information about some of the things I’m interested in and get in touch if you’d like to join one of my courses or events or explore working with me on a creative or academic project.