As a poet friend once said to me, it’s always lovely when a poem finds a home. It’s true – it gives you permission to stop worrying about them, messing with them and trying to make them something they’re not. And if they really luck out then they land up somewhere de-LUXE. Like The Rialto.Read more ⟶
Month: August 2013
Setting words to music
What do you think about setting poetry to music? (As opposed to writing song lyrics, I suppose). Personally I rather baulk at the thought of something I’d written being given a tune. I worry that adding music doesn’t just create another layer to complement the words, but it has the capacity to alter themRead more ⟶
Just a quick ‘yay’ and ‘nay’
How exciting to have a copy of The Frogmore Papers hand-delivered through my door the other day – handy that the publisher lives in the same town as me! (There’s a little poem of mine in it, thank you Jeremy Page for taking it.) Very nice cover art by the way. On the (somewhat) negativeRead more ⟶
Another three great poetry blogs
Thought it was about time I shared a few more blogs, one I’ve been following for a while and two that have come to my attention just recently. I’ve particularly been enjoying Clare Pollard‘s ‘poetic journeys’ – most recently through Kent, from Broadstairs and Margate to Canterbury and one of my favourite places, Dungeness. TheRead more ⟶
A couple of rejections this week – oh well
Two rejections this week – firstly, a ruthlessly perky email from Mslexia regarding their poetry comp (subject line “Better luck next time!”) – I suppose it’s good to be told you haven’t won anything, rather than not hearing anything, which is the norm. Nevertheless it felt a bit like failing to hook a plastic duckRead more ⟶
Poetry & music at The Core
It was a great pleasure to read at the Swindon Shuffle event on Thursday. Our co-host was the lovely Hilda Sheehan of Blue Gate Poets. As well as being a fine poet and prolific writer, Hilda is clearly a major driving force for poetry good in Swindon, and I’m hoping to be able to reciprocateRead more ⟶
This Thursday: Swindon Shuffle / Blue Gate Poets
If you’re anywhere near Swindon do come along to what should be a great night of poetry and music – The Swindon Shuffle @ The Core in association with Blue Gate Poets. I’m going to be reading alongside Stephen Payne, Anna-May Laugher and Jadine Eagle. Many thanks to Hilda Sheehan for inviting me – reallyRead more ⟶
A bit of a rave about Sam Willetts
On the train to the Poetry Review launch the other week I looked through the magazine to remind myself of the poems which I’d enjoyed on first reading, or that I remembered (not always the same thing of course). Consequently I found myself re-reading Claire Crowther, Sam Willetts and Jean Sprackland, checking their biographies inRead more ⟶
Poetry Review launch and the Keats & Marx trail
Last week I met up with poet friend Lynne to go to the Poetry Review launch at Keats House museum in Hampstead. I admit I’d not visited Keats House before (although I’ve been to the one in Rome), and I don’t think I’ve ever been to that part of Hampstead either. I grew up inRead more ⟶
Train ticket booked
… for Criccieth. I’m all set for the residential course at Ty Newydd in October with Carol Ann Duffy and Gillian Clarke. So it now feels like I’m actually going. I’m reading CAD’s ‘Rapture’ and GC’s ‘Recipe for Water’ at the moment and feeling buoyed up at the statement on the Ty Newydd course descriptionRead more ⟶