Hollie McNish

Hollie McNish is a poet and spoken word artist and was UK Slam poetry champion in 2009. She has released two spoken word albums and a poetry collection. Films of her poems have repeatedly gone viral, some receiving over one million YouTube views in just over a week.

Hollie McNish reads 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'
Hollie McNish reads ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’
Hollie McNish reads a response to 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'
Hollie McNish reads a response poem
Hollie McNish reads British National Breakfast
British National Breakfast
An interview with Hollie McNish
An interview with Hollie McNish
 

Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ was written in 1854 whilst Tennyson was Poet Laureate. The poem is about an incident during the Crimean War where a miscommunication led to a large number of British casualties. Hollie wrote her own response poem, challenging some of Tennyson’s militaristic attitudes.

Hollie McNish’s poem ‘British National Breakfast’ deals with anti-immigration feeling within Britain, set against the dependence on other nations for maintaining a ‘British’ lifestyle.

Writing resources – Hollie McNish and Alfred, Lord Tennyson