Bernard Landreth's career as a chartered civil engineer took him around Britain working on schemes as diverse as industrial estates, sewage disposal, power stations and coast protection. He considers himself lucky to have been able to spend his working life in employment he really enjoyed. "What could be better than being paid to walk along a beach inspecting sea defences?"

Having had to retire earlier than planned, he took the opportunity to study creative writing at Northumbria University. He had always been interested in writing, and had some small successes with poetry and short stories in magazines, competitions and on BBC radio. The course helped him to focus more clearly on his writing and his MA with Distinction now hangs proudly on his wall next to his engineering certificates.

Originally from Birmingham, he has lived in Carlisle for the past 15 years. He teaches creative writing and does voluntary work on community arts projects. He enjoys music, bird watching, historic buildings and sitting in tea rooms thinking how fortunate he is to have retired early.

His collection of poetry, Give or Take, was published by Red Squirrel Press in 2007; his first novel, Samuel is forthcoming.

"Bernard Landreth's life experience and viewpoint is vigorous and refreshing: 'A cruel to be / kind of man / blunt as a scalpel / honest as an insult / open as a Spar shop / oozing sincerity like sweat / he is the salt of the earth / who would tend our wounds' (Salt of the Earth)... Good to find poems from the non-literary life."
Other Poetry