During the first lockdown, in the spring, I went through a phase of posting a blog every day, using the hashtag Corona Diary (when I remembered). I think I started off with gusto and petered out a bit towards the end. We've just entered our third national lockdown in the UK and I don't intend… Continue reading Lockdown, Series Three
Tag: UK lockdown
Spring Rain
I've made a 30 second film poem for the MPT Haiku in translation workshop which I mentioned in my previous post. As my starting point, I've taken the haiku by Yosa Buson which Alan Cummings has 'literally' translated as follows: spring rain – beach’s small shells to moisten enough In my version of the poem,… Continue reading Spring Rain
Corona Diary: One month in
It's one month since we started lockdown in the UK and about six weeks since I wrote my first blog post about this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. People talk about not knowing what day it is, about time passing slowly, or quickly, or both; one day merging into the next, sleep patterns disrupted, routines… Continue reading Corona Diary: One month in
Lockdown Conversations
I'm thinking about new things happening during lockdown and one thing is unexpected subjects turning up in conversation now that we're spending more time at home and, for some of us, more time than usual with the same group of people. I'm here in Wiltshire with Andrew, my husband, and our two adult children who've… Continue reading Lockdown Conversations
Writing while cooking
Now that both of our university student children have come to live at home again during the Covid-19 crisis, I've given up my writing room (our middle reception room) to my daughter, currently revising for her final exams. I've decamped to the breakfast room, the room directly next to our kitchen, and I sometimes sit… Continue reading Writing while cooking
Poetry and Prose
I've started reading and writing prose again after ten years of mostly reading and writing poetry. One big thing I've noticed, from a writing perspective, is that when I share my work with other people, they assume that my poetry is personal, written from my own experience, but they assume my prose is fictional. It… Continue reading Poetry and Prose
Look Down
While I'm busy not going anywhere, below my feet, down on the ground, there there are insects journeying through the weedy jungle of our garden, in and among the weeds sprouting up on the patio. What I call 'weeds' are really wildflowers, pollen-givers, insect-enablers. Last year, we left our lawn unmowed until August and loved… Continue reading Look Down
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?