Photograph of the Month - July 2008

Poet. Born in Kent, Cope read History at St Hilda's College, Oxford. She began her career as a teacher in London primary schools (1967-81), a freelance writer and television columnist for The Spectator (1986-90). Cope's first volume of poetry, Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis was published in 1986 and her third volume If I Don't Know was shortlisted for the Whitbread Poetry Award in 2001. Cope's use of everyday observations coupled with humorous lyrics has led to public as well as critical appeal. Cope's most recent book Two Cures for Love: Selected Poems 1979-2006 was published in June 2008.

Photographed near Cope's home in Winchester where she lives with poet Lachlan Mackinnon.
Waller grew up in Australia and studied photography in London where she has been based as a freelance photographer since 1987. Funded by the Arts Council, Waller photographed over fifty poets and asked them to contribute a poem to the portfolio. The Gallery has recently acquired thirteen of these portraits including Michael Rosen and Lemn Sissay.

Previous Photographs of the Month