Brighton graduates reunite to launch debut poetry collection

The collection – titled Everything I Learned from Your Hands – explores fleeting memories, mental health, unspoken thoughts, family dynamics, and love in all its forms, alongside feelings of disconnection and nostalgia.

Anila’s journey into poetry began during her Creative Writing MA at Brighton, where reading contemporary poets such as Rupi Kaur and Ocean Vuong reshaped her understanding of what poetry could be.

She said: “I didn’t like poetry at first, but when I read my work aloud in an open mic session during my MA, it felt alive in a way prose never did. That moment changed everything for me. Poetry allows me to explore emotions and memories in fragments, in rhythm and in silence. It’s a space where what’s unspoken can carry as much weight as what’s said. Writing these poems has been a way of seeing the world more clearly, and of connecting to others in ways I hadn’t imagined.”

Anila’s debut collection marks a full-circle moment with Flight of the Dragonfly, a small press that began in Brighton’s MA Creative Writing Publishing module. 

Anila Arshad-Mehmood

What started as a student-organised spoken word event in 2019, evolved through a small collective, expanded into an e-journal and then a small press, and is now run independently by another Creative Writing graduate, Barbara Kirbyshaw. Anila first shared her work in these sessions, and her collection returns to the community that shaped her early poetic journey. 

Barbara said: “It’s not understating things to say that Flight of the Dragonfly has changed my life. I’ve met so many wonderful and very talented writers as a direct result. Staff from the Master's in Creative Writing at the University of Brighton have been fantastic cheer leaders at all stages. I met Anila when we were both studying the Poetry module of the masters back in 2019. She has such a strong poetic voice, on identity, family, and survival. I’m delighted to be publishing her first pamphlet.”

Flight of the Dragonfly has also published work by other University of Brighton graduates. At the end of 2024, the press released Greenfinch, a pamphlet by poet Pete Strong, another MA Creative Writing alumnus, further highlighting the press’s ongoing commitment to nurturing emerging voices from the Brighton creative community.

The press continues to maintain a strong connection with the university, working closely with students from the MA Creative Writing Process of Publishing module. This year, students will edit and produce a new anthology of poetry and flash fiction on behalf of the press. The project gives students hands-on publishing experience while allowing Flight of the Dragonfly to continue nurturing fresh voices from the Brighton creative community.

Barbara Kirbyshaw

Jess Moriarty, Course Leader for MA Creative Writing at the University of Brighton, said: “Flight of the Dragonfly is an incredible platform for new writers. It gives students and alumni alike the chance to see their work brought to life, while fostering a real sense of community. It's wonderful to see Anila’s debut published with them. Her success reflects the creativity, commitment, and talent of Brighton alumni, and we couldn’t be prouder of the work coming out of our university.”

Anila’s connection to Brighton spans three degrees: an undergraduate degree in Literature, an MA in Creative Writing, and an MBA completed in 2024. Today, she combines her love of words with a commitment to education and mentorship. As Head of Residential Programmes at Invest In, she oversees summer work experience programs for international students, and she has previously supported students of colour at Brighton as an alumni mentor, helping them navigate academic and personal challenges.

Everything I Learned from Your Hands is now available through Fight of the Dragonfly.