I’m currently in the middle of what the meedja likes to tell us is one of life’s most stressful times – moving house. I’ve managed to weather the others (divorce, bereavement, being fired, Liverpool failing to win their 10th championship in 1978 etc) so it shouldn’t be that bad. Also, I am lucky enough to have a husband to share the experience with. The idea of relocating to another town, albeit in the same county, is exciting, and is making me think a lot about what ‘home’ means, and the process of finding and building a new home after being thirteen years in the same place (easily the longest I’ve lived anywhere).
One of the things I know I will miss is Lewes’s literary scene – I’ve been warned it isn’t quite the same where we’re going, but I guess the answer is to do something about that! Last night it was the quarterly Needlewriters meeting, with poets Jeremy Page and Judith Cair reading, and it reminded me what a privilege it is to live a couple of minutes away. A poet friend was telling about how much she enjoys workshops with Mimi Khalvati, who comes regularly to Lewes, and how wonderful it was to have a poet of her standing coming here, to us. Mark Hewitt’s Lewes Live Lit stages all kinds of workshops and events in the town. And then of course there’s Telltale Press, a Lewes-based project if ever there was one… I can’t take it with me!
It’s still early days and anything could happen, but we’ve found our ideal home and are hoping it will actually be our home within a few months.
And speaking of homes … (crass segue alert) … despite another rejection from Lighthouse this week (boo!), homes have been found for 2 new poems at Brittle Star who are taking one for issue 36 and another for issue 37. And co-editor Martin Parker has invited me to read at the launch of 36 in London in May. Big hurrahs all round!
I like what you say about “doing something about it” where you live. I’ve been thinking about this recently, as the poetry in Trowbridge is…… er, isn’t. There is a very good reading series in the next town – Bradford on Avon – where you’ll be appearing soon, I think, Robin! I’ll have more time to make plans next month. I don’t want to overstretch myself, though, but I am thinking of starting a reading series or getting a Poetry Society Stanza going. Anyway, I’ll enjoy reading about the next phase in your life. Thanks for keeping us posted, commiserations for the rejection but terrific news about the acceptances.:-)
Hi Josephine, yes it’s easy to overstretch … lots of changes in your life too – exciting! Thank you for the encouragement, it’s nice to get the odd bit of good news among the slightly miffing stuff, isn’t it? Take care, hope your cold goes soon 🙂
Congrats on the Brittle Star acceptances! Joolz Sparkes and I have two of our London Undercurrents poems accepted for issue 36 too, and will be reading at the launch, so will see you there!
Thanks Hilaire – great stuff, well done! Look forward to seeing you then and hearing your poems 🙂