All Blogposts

  • Off to Devon and off-line

    Off to Devon and off-line

    I’m off to North Devon (in the South West of England) with limited internet access so I won’t be posting for a while. As I’ve mentioned before I’ve signed up for NaPoWriMo (as suggested by Carrie Etter) as have many others, including publisher and writer Colin Will and writer and poetry activitist Flo Reynolds, whose Read more

  • NaPoWriMo – I’m in!

    NaPoWriMo – I’m in!

    “Who’s up for NaPoWriMo?” asked Carrie Etter and I thought, “Why not?” For those who don’t know National Poetry Writing Month is a promise, a pledge, a dare, a boast to write a poem a day throughout April – 30 poems in 30 days.  Carrie has attempted to do this every April since 2008.  She’s Read more

  • WWI Centenary Projects

    WWI Centenary Projects

    What are your ideas for commemorating the centenary of the start of the First World War which will, of course, take place next year? I went to a meeting last night organised by heritage and arts organisations in Wiltshire and there were some interesting proposals emerging. As well as telling the stories of those who Read more

  • ‘Whistle’ by Martin Figura

    Just wanted to say what a deeply moving and uplifting experience it was to see Martin Figura‘s show, ‘Whistle‘, based on his award-winning 2010 poetry collection of the same name which tells the story of  the events leading up to and following the killing of Martin’s mother, June, at the hands of his father. I saw Read more

  • Read/Write South West and the joy of libraries

    Read/Write South West and the joy of libraries

    I said I’d post again before the daffodils came out in my garden, I looked away for one moment and there they were, and looking pretty weary after two days of brutal March winds. We are experiencing a cold snap in the UK, no snow where I live, in the south west of England, but Read more

  • Keeping a reading journal, owning a poem, crocuses

    Keeping a reading journal, owning a poem, crocuses

    I’ve got into the habit of keeping a pen and notebook handy when I’m reading a book or magazine.  Sometimes I simply copy lines of poetry I like into my journal, other times I might have a go at trying to put into words what it is about a phrase or word that has hi-jacked Read more