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I feel devastated that the Tories have won an overall majority in the UK General Election, meaning that we are in for five more years of their callous, uncaring policies, cuts to the social welfare system, to the Arts and to public services. Usually, when I'm feeling down, I try to pull myself together by telling… Continue reading Post #GE2015: Trying to find my way back to poetry
On the one hand the cliché of that title, on the other hand the article is off and running and you're reading it (thank you, by the way). On the one hand I will miss the friends I've made during the last 18 months when I've been reading aloud every week with people living with… Continue reading This Writer’s Life
This post has been prompted by a letter I received, out of the blue, from a Writing student who's composing a research essay about the connections between getting published and "self-promotion in contemporary poetry in the UK." The letter goes on to say that "self-promotion is a rather poor term...... and that online sharing of work......connecting with other… Continue reading Poetry and Self-Promotion
I've been ill with the first cold I've had in about two years, maybe longer. It was a stinker: constant sneezing, dripping nose, watering eyes. I was measuring out my life with soggy tissues. I've only just stopped feeling wretched. Somewhere in the foggy depths of my fuzziheadedness, I seem to recall receiving a very nice… Continue reading A quick update and a mention for Poetry Wales
I really enjoyed reading at Uncut Poets at the Phoenix Arts Centre in Exeter last week. Before the event, my lovely friend Emily treated me to a delicious Turkish meal at the Dinosaur Café. I ordered a mixed salad - one generous spoonful of every type of salad on the menu - with home-made hummus, warm haloumi… Continue reading Uncut Poets, Exeter
'Fresh' is this week's Photo Challenge at WordPress and here are a few daffodils (from our front garden) which always put me in mind of Spring, season of fresh, new beginnings. I'm not feeling all that 'new' myself, after a busy few weeks at home and work. However, things I am looking forward to include:… Continue reading Not feeling all that ‘fresh’.
It's the first of the month! First of March! Mornings are becoming lighter, nights are descending later, birdsong is sounding more exuberant. The crocuses are out! It's a good time for exclamation marks! The year is still young enough to make plans! Taking stock. On the first of every month, at least one person arrives at this… Continue reading Pinch, punch, the redux
:Useful information for arts organisations and charities. One element of my part-time job with The Reader Organisation has been to recruit volunteers to work as Facilitators in the weekly Read Aloud Groups I've established in five (soon six) Wiltshire Libraries. The groups are specifically for people with dementia, or other illnesses affecting memory, and their carers. Challenging… Continue reading How to recruit volunteers
As I've mentioned before I work part-time for The Reader Organisation and I read aloud every week with groups of people living with dementia and their carers. We read all sorts of poems and stories, talk about feelings and memories that these bring to mind, enjoy a hot drink and a few cakes and generally… Continue reading The Homecoming of Sir Thomas Wyatt
Not once have I mistakenly written "2014" - it's as if it's always been 2015 and always January, the month that every year, to me, seems the l-o--o--o-ongest. My write-for-an-hour-a-day-with-the-internet-turned-off pledge has mostly been observed, resulting in three new poems and an old one revised. Four poems are out for consideration. I've done two poetry readings,… Continue reading It’s still January?!
Josephine Corcoran 
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