diary, notebook, photos
I wanted to jot down some thoughts while they're still fresh in my head after hearing Claudia Rankine in conversation with David Olusoga in Bristol last Friday. The evening started with David Olusoga telling Claudia Rankine that Citizen, Rankine's book of lyrical essays, fragments, and images of artwork, is like no other poetry book he's… Continue reading Claudia Rankine in conversation in Bristol
This week, I've spent a lot of time working on one poem for a competition. I sent it off yesterday, Saturday, one day before the deadline. I don't know what's made me enter more competitions this year, it's not something I've ever done excessively, preferring instead to send my poems to magazines. I suppose I… Continue reading In which I send off a poem
There have been a lot of lovely things going on in the UK poetry world recently, including festivals in Birmingham and in Scotland, and a writing retreat in Cornwall, and they've all gone on without me, although I've enjoyed reading about them and seeing pictures on social media. I would have gone to all of… Continue reading Mostly waiting
...and other thoughts about being away from home. I'm just back from three nights away in Sheffield where I met up with all but one of my Aldeburgh Eight friends. We've been trying to meet up again for some time and we managed to arrange to converge in Sheffield for one of the famous Writing Days… Continue reading A visit to The Poetry Business in Sheffield
This week has mostly been about me being ill - not seriously ill, just an annoying cold with horrible flu-type symptoms; feverish, aching limbs, bad headache. Unfortunately I had to cancel our Poetry Society Stanza meeting at Trowbridge Town Hall and I was really sorry about that. I felt that I might be contagious so… Continue reading In which I entertain a charming visitor
