February Update

Pieces of magazine paper variously tied in loose knots and pasted onto plain paper as if clothing. A simple face hand drawn on the page and a pair of legs beneath.

I ran another visual poetry workshop for Trowbridge Museum in February, I wrote something about the first one here, and there is one more scheduled for Saturday, 18th March, 10.30am - 12.30pm. The starting point of each workshop has been the work of poet George Crabbe, particularly his herbarium of dried plants and flowers, and… Continue reading February Update

Flowers, visual poetry and George Crabbe’s herbarium in a workshop at Trowbridge Museum

A dried flower on a white page under clear cellophane.

I received an email from Hannah at Trowbridge Museum about some of my visual poems that she'd seen on social media, particularly the ones I'd made using wildflowers and plants (which I've mentioned before on this blog). Hannah asked if I could design and lead some flower-based visual poetry workshops for young people (aged 7+)… Continue reading Flowers, visual poetry and George Crabbe’s herbarium in a workshop at Trowbridge Museum

Visual Poetry Workshops at Trowbridge Museum

A cluttered table on which can be seen a book of poems by George Crabbe, a cup of tea and various dried flowers arranged on paper.

I was delighted to be asked by Trowbridge Museum to create and facilitate some visual poetry workshops for young people (aged 7+) working with the museum's extensive herbarium collected by poet, botanist and clergyman George Crabbe, who lived and is buried in Trowbridge. These free workshops form part of a programme of events Trowbridge Museum… Continue reading Visual Poetry Workshops at Trowbridge Museum

A few new pieces of writing

As this strange year draws to an end (although, the end still feels like a long way off to me), I'm pleased to tell you that I have a few pieces of new writing in circulation. I've been writing poems for about ten years now, after a period of not writing at all while my… Continue reading A few new pieces of writing

Pop Art – online course with the Centre Pompidou and FutureLearn

Recently I've been dipping into FutureLearn, the online learning platform. I like the interface of FutureLearn, I find it easy to use. Most recently, a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) offered by the Centre Pompidou in Paris caught my eye, so I signed up. The MOOC is called Pop Art. It's not so much a… Continue reading Pop Art – online course with the Centre Pompidou and FutureLearn

A bee brings summer

  poem for Earth Day   *     With a reckless swoop             you patter at my window frantic as a delivery boy             who's slept through months of orders. You're a fizzing blur of antenna, legs and wings;             a pantomine of lanes and hilly streets; lines of washing you've bashed against             to arrive here steeped… Continue reading A bee brings summer

Corona Diary: Lockdown Continues

Last week started off gloomily with instructions from my local police force - and other police forces - that the UK lockdown meant people weren't allowed to drive even a short distance to find open space to exercise.  The thought that I'd be breaking the law if I drove  somewhere nearby to stomp through woods… Continue reading Corona Diary: Lockdown Continues

Corona Diary: Possibly Week 3 – but are you counting?

I'm not sure if this strange time had a proper beginning and I certainly can't see its end.  This week I haven't wanted to be online much even though there has been an explosion of people offering online workshops, readings and classes.  I've been slightly ill and still feel under the weather but I'm  sure… Continue reading Corona Diary: Possibly Week 3 – but are you counting?

Corona Diary: One Week In

Things I've done this week for the first time in my life: attended a webinar about what older women want to read (unfortunately I kept losing my internet connection). went to my writing fiction class via Zoom (never heard of it before).  Overheard comments: "I should've worn make-up!" "I'm not switching my camera on because… Continue reading Corona Diary: One Week In

Corona Diary – Day One

Hello out there, dear readers.  I thought I'd share with you how I'm getting used to living in the new normal of a global pandemic.  As yet, our household of four adults isn't showing any signs of having the virus - no continuous coughing or high temperatures.  Our daughter is a student at Oxford University… Continue reading Corona Diary – Day One