Simon R. Gladdish

Simon R. Gladdish was born in Kampala, Uganda in 1957. His family returned to Britain in 1961, to Reading where he grew up. Educated at Oxford and Cambridge Universities, he trained as an English Language Teacher, a profession which enabled him to live and work for many years in Spain, France, Turkey, Tunisia and Kuwait. Domiciled near Swansea since 1992, he has no plans to return to the land of his father. In 1999 Poet Laureate Andrew Motion wrote to him saying 'I love the energy of your poems.' Simon strongly believes that poetry ought to be enjoyable, entertaining and enlightening. Most of Simon R. Gladdish's colourful and striking covers were painted by his wife, the artist Rusty Gladdish. (The cover of 'Torn Tickets and Routine Returns' was painted by American artist David Holcombe.)