Mindforest

“Magical, thought-provoking, startling, uplifting and sometimes sad.”

– Don Pinnock, environmental journalist and poet

Mindforest was written in partial fulfilment of the requirements of a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Pretoria, this collection has since evolved from its original four sections. These reflected the argument of the thesis that where capitalist economics forms the basis of a language that exploits and damages the natural world, perhaps ecopoetry, whether rooted in South Africa or elsewhere, can offer a more enriching alternative tongue.

About the author:

Hailing from Liverpool, UK, Harry Owen made literary history as the inaugural Poet Laureate for Cheshire in 2003 during his residence in Congleton. In January 2008, he relocated to the Eastern Cape of South Africa, where he founded and hosted Reddits Poetry, a successful open-floor poetry event that thrived for over a decade.

Harry holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Pretoria. His work is widely recognized and published in an array of literary magazines, journals, and anthologies across South Africa, the UK, and the USA.

An ardent advocate for environmental issues, Harry is the author of ten poetry collections.

Author Awards & Honours:

Poet Laureate, Cheshire, UK, 2003

Founded Reddits Poetry 2008

Std Bank Ovation Award, National Arts Festival 2020

Shortlisted South African National Poetry Prize 2023

© 2026 Quilled Ink Press (Audiobook): 9798240120572

Release date

Audiobook: March 14, 2026