Poetry unlocks the minds of prisoners

On both occasions, the format was similar: some opening remarks by the organisers (prison staff and festival co-ordinators), a sequence of readings by prisoners (poetry and prose on a host of subjects), and then sandwiches and conversation before the venue had to revert to its normal function - the visiting room of the prison.

For a brief moment, I suspect the prisoners felt they were somewhere else, as they rubbed shoulders with invited guests and some literary celebrities as well as their custodians and tutors. Each had been involved in writing and poetry classes, often reflecting painfully on their past and their offending behaviour, poignantly addressing issues such as family separation and the breakdown of relationships with loved ones. The nervousness of those about to speak was palpable: one remarked to me that the last time he was this nervous was when he robbed a bank.