Now that he’s dead I’m waiting for Fatherbird to visit me

in a dream.

Months and years have passed.

- from The Afterlife of Fatherbird by Moniza Alvi

In Blackbird, Bye Bye, Moniza Alvi creates the figures of Motherbird and Fatherbird to pay homage to her parents, and find her way through loss. Close or distant, present or absent, there are innumerable ways to approach these most personal and singular relationships.

We will taking inspiration from poets including Patrick McGuiness, Laura Scott, Ghassan Zaqtan, Mimi Khalvati, Raymond Carver, Zbigniew Herbert, Moniza Alvi and more.