On going back in

I’ve been thinking of Anne Lamott’s line in Bird by Bird recently, where she talks about the writing life not … More

Running a bath

‘What are you doing?’ the book says. ‘What’s it look like?’ I say. ‘Running a bath,’ the book says. ‘Genius,’ … More

Readers of this blog will know that I make a list at the end of each year showing the most … More

Reading Arthur W. Frank’s astonishing At the Will of the Body recently has given me pause to reflect on the relationship … More

Thanks to the vision and generosity of Jean Sprackland, between 1999-2001 I had the privilege of working with the great … More

I have not read a book in six months -Raymond Carver, ‘Drinking While Driving’ I can still remember the shock … More

I’m grateful to you, you see. I wanted to tell you. –Raymond Carver (‘For Tess’) A kind, wise man once … More

Ann Sansom is one of my all-time favourite people, poets or normal, ever. I count myself fortunate to have worked … More

I wrote here recently about losing my ambition as a writer. In case readers are in any doubt, the stuff … More

I have been thinking a lot recently about the career trajectory of poets, including my own, whose work briefly becomes visible … More