Turning Up to the Page

A table containing a pile of poetry books and an open notebook with a pen.

I'm running a small group, Saturday afternoon, in-person workshop at The Make Space in Bradford-on-Avon for anyone who would like to read, talk about, learn from and write more poetry. In a group of no more than eight people, you will have the opportunity to explore different techniques and poetry forms used by a selection… Continue reading Turning Up to the Page

Writing the Earth

overgrown greenery on a pathway

I'm running an in-person, small group workshop on 14 November at The Make Space in Bradford-on-Avon. This workshop is for anyone interested in finding out more about and reading nature and eco poetry, and a chance to write and share your own poems that engage with the natural world. In a group of no more… Continue reading Writing the Earth

A Guide To Getting Published in UK Poetry Magazines

I'd like to recommend this TERRIFIC booklet, A Guide to Getting Published in UK Poetry Magazines written and published by Robin Houghton at Telltale Press.  Robin kindly sent me a copy as generous thanks for a tiny contribution I made to the booklet, updated and re-issued for 2020.  Priced at only £6 (including P&P) for… Continue reading A Guide To Getting Published in UK Poetry Magazines

Notes from a Cluttered Desk

Like Julie Mellor and many others in the Poetry Blogging Network, I try to put something up on this blog each week.  Like Julie, I don't always manage it but, also like Julie, I thought I'd try again this week.  I don't always have something to say so I wonder if it's worth blogging.  At… Continue reading Notes from a Cluttered Desk

Mid-September Notes

I'm just back from a few days in Spain with my family.  I felt bad about flying, even though I haven't flown since I went to Portugal in 2015.  I will try not to fly again for at least a year, maybe longer.  I haven't signed up for the #flightfree2020 pledge but I am thinking… Continue reading Mid-September Notes

End of the month blog

Rattling off a post before March ends.  I've worked hard on my poetry manuscript since I last mentioned it on this blog.  Now for the final stages of editing, tweaking, rearranging lines, titles, and order with my editor, Jane Commane at Nine Arches Press.  What have I learned from writing a full collection of poetry?  Mostly,… Continue reading End of the month blog

Writing poetry with secondary school students: using cut ups #writerinschool

As I mentioned before, I liked the collage feel of both Anthony Wilson's notebook posts and Julie Mellor's post about Cubomania, in which Julie cut up blocks of text and placed them together in a random way to create new poems.  With this in mind, I started a new term at St Gregory's Catholic College, Bath,… Continue reading Writing poetry with secondary school students: using cut ups #writerinschool

‘Ten Poems from Ireland’ (Candlestick Press)

Town Hall Poets are a Poetry Society Stanza group who meet regularly at Trowbridge Town Hall, and other places, to read and talk about poetry, workshop each other's poems and arrange open-mic nights.  We're also lucky enough to be the Trowbridge Chapter of the Candlestick Press Collective, which means that we receive complimentary copies of… Continue reading ‘Ten Poems from Ireland’ (Candlestick Press)

Poetry from Art workshop at Drawing Projects UK

Poetry from Art workshop with Josephine Corcoran.  Write new poems in response to an exhibition of Anita Taylor's drawings.  Saturday 21 January 2017. 10am - 1pm. Drawing Projects UK, Bridge House, Trowbridge. £15. Limited places. Please book your place  - you can book online or in person at Drawing Projects UK. This is an exciting opportunity… Continue reading Poetry from Art workshop at Drawing Projects UK

Poet in Residence at Trowbridge Town Hall

I'm coming near to the end of my residency at Trowbridge Town Hall so I thought I'd say a few words about it.  I had hoped to accomplish a lot more (and I haven't finished yet!) although there was never a formal agreement about what my role would entail.  I approached Tracy Sullivan, Director of Town Hall Arts… Continue reading Poet in Residence at Trowbridge Town Hall