Ross Cogan

Ross CoganRoss Cogan was born in 1970 and studied philosophy at various universities. His poetry and essays are widely published in journals and he won a Gregory Award in 1999. Ross is the Creative Director of the Cheltenham Poetry Festival.

Sample poems

Stalin’s Desk
It’s always April underneath your arms

Oversteps publications

The Book I Never Wrote (2012)
Stalin’s Desk (2005)

…he might have heard the knife working its stone,
the blade’s argument against the soft faith
of flesh, the disquisition mapping his limbs,
the whirring buzz-saw hum of the mind of God.


Recent news

  • Ross Cogan has had a poem commended in the Cannon Poets ‘Sonnet or not’ competition.

    [9-Jan-20 ]


  • Ross Cogan won 2nd prize in the Stanley Spencer poetry competition

    [17-Oct-17 ]


  • Ross Cogan won 2nd prize in the Sentinel Poetry Prize, and had another poem highly  commended.

    [15-Feb-17 ]


  • Ross Cogan was one of the commended poets in this year’s McLellan prize.

    [7-Nov-16 ]


  • Congratulations to Ross Cogan who has won second prize in the Troubadour Poetry Competition.

    [11-Dec-14 ]