What Mary Oliver said about distractions
One of the first books I bought and consumed (once I started thinking it possible I could write the odd semi-decent poem) was […]
Category: Blog
City walk, a workshop, Van Halen & Jo Bell’s ‘Kith’
This is the first year in a while that I haven’t been driving up to the Southbank for the T S Eliot Prize […]
2018 poetry submissions stats
Dear oh dear. Well, I promise to deliver the ‘ups and downs’ of poetry submissions, and 2018 was slim pickings for sure. Number […]
New Year, new intentions
I’m a big fan of yoga teacher Adriene Mischler, whose ‘home practice’ videos I’ve been following for about six months. I’ve just started […]
The view, looking back
I’m just taking a moment to post what will probably be my last of 2018, and I have to be careful not to […]
Alice Oswald at the BBC
Something different. I answered the Poetry Society’s call for audience members at a recording of BBC Radio 4’s ‘Book Club’. The guest […]
Poetry & alcohol, contentious essays and more
Ah, December. The month when I may be found stressing over the kerning and leading of some choir’s concert programme, editing singers’ lengthy […]
Updated – poetry magazine submissions windows
It’s December which means I’m updating the list of magazine submissions windows. If you ordered A Guide to Getting Published in UK Poetry Magazines […]
Kay Syrad, Josephine Corcoran – short reviews
A couple of brief reviews of collections I’ve been reading: Inland – Kay Syrad (Cinnamon, 2018) (£8.99) There’s nothing predictable or familiar in […]
Small milestones
At the end of October it was my birthday, and over a boozy supper my dear husband suggested we do a ‘dry November’. […]