Some poets with a political agenda represent or fight for a specific group of people. In Anthony Anaxagorou’s case, he represents poets themselves. Specifically, those who aren’t automatically accepted as poets. The Independent describes Anaxagorou as ‘a vastly accomplished, unconventional, selfless poet, keen to nurture the poets of tomorrow.’

Using his words to take on the establishment, one might expect to find anger in Anaxagorou’s writing and spoken word performances, much as you might find in many activist artists. When listening to him speak, however, you are confronted with a sense of contemplation. He doesn’t hide his insecurity and his shortcomings, which results in an art that encourages thought and empathy. Anaxagorou doesn’t just fight for his people with his words – he takes an active role in providing opportunities for diverse poets as the founder of ‘Out-Spoken’, a poetry night and press organisation that encourages those who might be overlooked by classic publishers.

His poetry addresses politics, society, race, ethnicity, gender and class in clear language that states that important political topics should not be hidden behind a fanciful vocabulary. His work ‘This is Not a Poem’, is an example of that sentiment. ‘You know what,’ he explains, ‘Some issues in the world can transcend poetry and the poem can present itself in such a simple form, but we convolute it to exaggerate how sophisticated we are.’ Anaxagorou’s talent to portray a sad beauty with cold, hard facts have made him impossible to overlook. He has earned the recognition of various awards, and he has been featured in multiple BBC channels and esteemed literary journals.