All Blogposts

  • Ouch!

    Ouch!

    Can’t do a long post this week as I’ve sliced open the base of my thumb on a glass which spontaneously exploded as I was emptying the dishwasher early on Wednesday morning.  I had no idea how vital thumbs were until now.  Although I’m right-handed, it’s been easier to use my thumb-equipped left hand for most… Read more

  • No-one had heard of Helen Mort at the library

    No-one had heard of Helen Mort at the library

    Which surprised me because I thought she was famous. Of course, I’ve heard lots of people say “nobody reads poetry” and “poetry doesn’t sell” but among my friends, certainly those on Twitter and Facebook, nearly EVERYONE reads and buys poetry so my perception of reality is somewhat skewed.  But even though Helen Mort was five… Read more

  • The joy of reading, libraries and driving

    The joy of reading, libraries and driving

    New Year is starting to feel much older now and a weekly routine is emerging.  Two things I’m doing more of, so far, in 2014 are driving my car and spending time in public libraries.  There are about 140 miles between my house and the four Wiltshire libraries where I facilitate weekly shared reading groups for… Read more

  • A poetry blog, zine or journal: why you should

    A poetry blog, zine or journal: why you should

    A poetry blog, to many people, is a site for their own poems but my poetry blog, And Other Poems, is different because I post other people’s work and invite submissions.  I suppose And Other Poems could more accurately be described as a zine or a journal but it’s blog technology I’m using and, anyway,… Read more

  • Starting and ending meetings with a poem

    Starting and ending meetings with a poem

    I’ve realised that deciding to publish a blogpost every week is much easier than actually doing it.  There have been several false starts.  I was going to write about waiting, since that is what I’m doing a lot of this week – this month, in fact.  I’m waiting to hear about poems I’ve submitted to… Read more

  • Unknown trees, Ted Hughes, a poem and rabbits!

    Unknown trees, Ted Hughes, a poem and rabbits!

    Happy New Year to everyone.  My aim this year is to post more regularly here, once a week if I can, and I’m thinking that Sunday might be the day for it.  Let’s see. Christmas has been and gone.  This year the cost-effectiveness and renewability of an artificial tree appealed, so we set out on… Read more