Many of your poems have "urban" settings, yet have colour and natural vividness. What is the significance of the urban for you?

More than anything the urban influence comes from daily life in Leeds. Having grown up in rural Worcestershire and then lived in Aberystwyth, I came to the city with a sense of wonder that few people have when faced with skyscrapers, building sites and graffiti. I think cities are more human than rural landscapes, which can feel solitary and empty at times. The way in which people change their own surroundings, the graffiti, the building and demolition, means that the map is always changing, and this fascinates me. City landscapes have a natural cycle of growth and decay and in this sense are not that different to the natural landscape.

I think it is important for poetry to engage with urban spaces in order to remain contemporary and relevant. I am a firm believer that as cities grow they need to be represented positively in writing, rather than Dickensian centres of industry and corruption. You could say that I am on a mission to make the everyday beautiful, whether it's someone's commute to work each morning or the roadworks outside.

Where do you think this urge to "make the every day beautiful" comes from? Is it a way of using poetry to beautify the unattractive or is it something more meaningful than that?

I don't think that 'every day' necessarily means 'unattractive', it's more things that would otherwise go unnoticed because they become familiar. Poetry takes something well-known and encourages the reader to look at it in a new way. I am a big believer in the William Carlos Williams quote 'No ideas but in things'- that small objects can convey epic themes.

How significant is it that the Cadaverine is being published in print? Is publishing online not enough?

It is wonderful to see the Cadaverine going into print, as this should bring a new readership to it; those who have not visited the site before or are not accustomed to reading online. It is also a physical document of the magazine since it was set up which gives a great sense of satisfaction to all involved.

I do, however, think writers underestimate the potential of publishing online. Some of my favourite journals and magazines are online ones: Cadaverine (of course) Pomegranate, PoetCasting and One Night Stanzas are examples. I think online publication is seen as easier or less selective but all of the aforementioned sites continue to publish higher quality work than some print magazines. The merit of the publication is more important than the medium in which the work is presented.

Who are the poets who have most influenced your work?

I think in the first place studying Keats at A-level is what made me want to write poetry. At that time I also read a lot of Ted Hughes and really admired the brutality of his work. T.S. Eliot's 'The Waste Land' also deserves a mention because it is incredible and I have read it so many times.

More recently I have been influenced by Roy Fisher's stunning city poetry, the precise language of William Carlos Williams and the honesty that Raymond Carver uses in his portrayal of human relations. I am currently reading a lot of Frances Leviston and Alice Oswald.

What have been the benefits of writing the Scribe's 'winning submission' in their last issue?

The Scribe is a great magazine and I feel as if I am in good company, there is a lot of good work the latest issue ('Change'). I have found their editors to be trustworthy critics. I was pleased to win, and think the greatest benefit was to my own motivation as a writer because it made me feel that there are readers who enjoy my work and understand what I am trying to say.

Suzie Evans, Adham Smart, Joanne Brandon, and Gav Husband will be reading at the launch of ‘Cadaverine Anthology’ Thursday 18th June, 6pm at Borders Leeds.

You can read Suzie Evans’ work by following this link or visit her website by clicking here.

Cadaverine Magazine 2009