Lottery
As threatened, here’s my review of the Open University’s short course, A175 Start Writing Poetry.The course lasts for 12 weeks, has 5 blocks, 2 tutor marked assignments, and is an online course, which...
View ArticleH=S+C+V
This formula is, apparently, the secret of happiness, according to the theory discussed in this article in The New Yorker by John Lanchester, which makes for very interesting reading.Lanchester follows...
View ArticleTrite
I’ve had very little time on line for the last few weeks, and when I popped on to read the selections for this month’s Guardian Workshop (well done again Victoria – “bones of my news” will stay with me...
View ArticleReclining
Some people have very relaxing jobs – like the lovely Elle here. Sadly, I do not. I spent no more than one hour on line for my own amusement this week, and about the same last week. As for writing,...
View ArticleNearly
I wonder if it’s normal to feel pleased with a rejection? On the advice of (the very kind) Rob Mackenzie, I submitted a couple of poems to the magazine Anon and today, I heard they hadn’t made it...
View ArticleTortured
I am a tortured poet. But not in a good way.I’m tortured because I can't stop worrying about whether I might not be tortured enough to match up to some folks’ ideas of what a poet should be. I don’t...
View ArticleSeries
It’s some weeks since I mentioned that I’d been kicking around an idea for another poem in my ‘serial’ series but, finally, I’ve put fingers to keyboard and come up with a first draft.Writing a series...
View ArticleAmmons
Well, I’ve been working my way through my A.R. Ammons book (The Selected Poems) and what a surprise – I find that I enjoy his poems more when I read silently. I usually read all poems out loud, since...
View ArticleAmbition
I had my first ‘one to one’ meeting with my new (new since the end of last year, that is) boss this week and when he asked me what my goals were for 5-10 years time, I realised, with a considerable...
View ArticleStelmach
I’m currently working my way through an anthology of ghost poems Chance of a Ghost, to write a review for Gerald England and, whilst it is taking much longer than I’d like due to a continued shortage...
View ArticleButterfly
I really can’t decide what I want to write about today. I finished work for a little holiday on Wednesday and I haven’t done a stroke since – lovely. The only issue with that is that the lack of...
View ArticleRagù
Well, rather than making my usual pretend Ragù Bolognese for lasagne today, I decided to try and make a proper one. Of course, I didn’t venture into classic Italian cookery books (I only wish I could...
View ArticleChilled
Apart from the one day when I had to go into work to deal with everyone’s annual pay review, this week has been really good. I badly needed a rest and some time to myself as work has had me fairly...
View ArticleAlone?
Having completed the first proper draft of the third (though not chronologically speaking) in my series of serial killer poems, I am facing the questions I usually face – does it stand alone, does it...
View ArticleJumpin'
The Red Hot Chili Pepper’s new album is out – my copy is en route from Amazon – so what a great excuse to revisit their other albums.I was horribly disappointed with By The Way – there are probably...
View ArticleArrogance
I want to begin by thanking Eloise for starting me off on this thought yesterday when I read her blog entry, I just don’t know what to do with myself, and the attached comments. I continued to crunch...
View ArticleGarbo
Ever felt like you just wanted to be left alone? For once, I'm using one of my own pictures on the blog - this is one of my cats - Elijah. Now he's fully grown, he can't squeeze himself into the...
View ArticleHermit
Hmmm, I meant to have a little hiatus, I think I may have overdone it... 3 years and 4 months - oops. In all that time, apart from day to day functional stuff, I haven't written a thing, and haven't...
View ArticleCapote
I've been aware of Truman Capote as a 'famous' person for a long time, and have seen the movie, 'Capote' that documented him writing the nonfiction novel In Cold Blood but until recently, I had never...
View ArticleDining
Okay, so I’m a little bit drunk. It is him indoors’ birthday today and we’ve been to our local high quality eatery for a slap up and several vats of wine. Relatively speaking (as compared to the hours...
View ArticleQuiescent?
As well as returning to my blog, I also decided to go dip my toe back into reading and critiquing at the PFFA, but boy it’s quiet! Admittedly, I’ve only been visiting there again for half a week, but...
View ArticleSubmerged
I really didn’t think I’d want to so soon, but having submerged myself in poetry somewhat over the last few days, I have written a little myself today. Not sure yet what I think of it, will leave it...
View ArticleAmbivalence
So, I got started on the William Butler Yeats lectures today. As my Mother’s countrymen would say – Jaysus! I’m only 2/3rds through the lectures yet but, so far, I’m not a fan of Mr Yeats – which is...
View ArticleSnowglobes
Who hasn’t owned one at some point in their life? They’re fun, and frequently cheap and tacky, but have you ever thought of them as art? Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz have certainly had that thought...
View ArticleAmazon
I was proper naughty yesterday. I went on to Amazon to order Rob Mackenzie's collection and, surprise, surprise, I didn't feel entirely satisfied until some hours later, after buying lots of other...
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