Nothing wrong with distractions, and goodness I’m certainly welcoming them with open arms. But scroll down if you’re only here for the poetry stuff. Distraction #1: Singing A couple of weeks ago I was at Westminster Abbey with members of the Lewes Singers, for the fifth time, where we sang two evensongs in a spookilyRead more ⟶
Tag: london
Fabulous reading arranged by super-supportive publisher Live Canon
Last weekend I had the great pleasure of a trip to London with my fellow Telltale poets, Peter Kenny & Sarah Barnsley. Live Canon, who published my pamphlet ‘Why?’ last year, had invited me to join the other three ‘pamphleteers’ Tania Hershman, Miranda Peake and Katie Griffiths, in a reading at the Boulevard Theatre inRead more ⟶
Free Verse at Conway Hall
Up to London yesterday for the The Poetry Book & Magazine Fair aka Free Verse, at a new time of year (February rather than September) and back at Conway Hall. Recently I’ve been plagued by headaches so after getting off the train I decided what I needed was a nice fresh(?) air walk across LondonRead more ⟶
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 readings this evening. I’ll look forward to reading all about it on various blogs. I’m having a catchup day between jaunts. Last week was the first session in Katy Evans-Bush‘s fortnightly small-groupRead more ⟶
‘Poems & Pictures’ blog at the Mary Evans Picture Library
We’re into our fourth week of dust, clutter and washing up in the bath. The joys of home improvements! We still don’t have a fully working kitchen, one cabinet is ten mils too big for the space, one lot of contractors isn’t returning our calls and may have gone out of business (or ‘done a Brexit’ inRead more ⟶
First experience of Coffee-House Poetry at the Troubadour
I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to get my lazy bod along to the Troubadour cafe for Anne-Marie-Fyfe’s Coffee House Poetry nights. I guess the journey was putting me off, but actually it was as sweet as a trip on Southern Rail could be. Trains on time. Changing at Clapham Junction. Two stopsRead more ⟶
Stanza Bonanza – Brighton & Palmers Green
It was a lovely evening at the Poetry Cafe last night – and a very high standard of readings I felt – there was music too: I don’t normally go for bits of singing inserted into poetry, but Tom Cunliffe gave a riveting performance including just that. It set the atmosphere alight. It was nice to encounterRead more ⟶
Faber Social: Sam Riviere, Joe Dunthorne, Luke Wright, Ruth Padel
It was a arts-studenty sort of scene last night at the Faber Social in London: a narrow basement room, concrete floor, a sweaty mix of music and conversation growing in volume, a parade of pretty, thin girls in dresses with cinched waists, ponytails and fifties make-up and fresh-looking lads with pale skins and serious glasses.Read more ⟶
First ‘Poetry Unplugged’ experience
So much for my resolve to get out and do more readings/open mics this year. I haven’t yet plucked up the courage to tackle the Troubadour, although to be honest it’s partly the thought of making my way there (actually it’s the getting back from west London – late at night – a mission withRead more ⟶
Brighton vs Forest: the result
It was hot stuff last night in the basement of the Poetry Cafe. I was just about ready to pass out in the second half and resorted to fanning myself with the folded remains of my poems. But quite apart from the heat (maybe it was only me suffering? must be age), a good nightRead more ⟶