On having allies

I once heard a senior British poet warming to a riff during a reading on the topic of the acknowledgements … More

The Wind and the Rain – due in June 2023

I’m delighted to announce that The Wind and the Rain, my sixth collection of poems, will be published with Blue … More

Not much

What’s been happening? Well, not much. Which is another, deflecting, way of saying quite a lot, actually. So much that … More

Head. Space.

As the book might say, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? As the book also might say, I have been … More

Late February notebook

Aesthetics of Creating Something This doesn’t just happen: It happens to you. Kenneth Koch, from One Train, p.64 ∞ ‘Even … More

The Next Swim

    For a number of reasons –too much grief in my life, too sedentary, too much television, too out … More

#NaBloPoMo 24 – See you later

Today is the last day of NaBloPoMo, that month in the year when someone decides it is a nice idea … More

#NaBloPoMo 23 – Prayer

Dear God   Do you think you could fix it so that I might have some of Martin’s playfulness, his … More

#NaBloPoMo 22 – When Josephine Corcoran interviewed me

As we draw to the end of NaBloPoMo, I have invited Josephine Corcoran to collaborate with me on a joint-interview. … More

#NaBloPoMo 20 – On ambition

It wasn’t much of a day. I was in noodle-mode, sticking things into my day book, quotes and articles and … More

#NaBloPoMo 17 – Coffee? (meditation on a blog post by Josephine Corcoran)

If you came round for coffee these days you’d be offered decaff. Doctor’s orders, I’d say. And against my better … More

#NaBloPoMo 13 – His notebook highlights strewn

Dean Paul Granny § ‘What students in classrooms say is an exceptionally precious learning resource. Every time a teacher receives … More

#NaBloPoMo 10 – I have no idea what I’m doing

A thought occurred to me as I found myself scribbling in a notebook earlier this morning: I have no idea … More

#NaBloPoMo 8 -Try to Praise the Mutilated World

Try to Praise the Mutilated World   Try to praise the mutilated world. Remember June’s long days, and wild strawberries, … More

#NaBloPoMo 6 – The Ottowa Poetry Newsletter

My friend Rupert Loydell has emailed me a list of blog posts curated by Rob Mclennan on writing at the … More

#NaBloPoMo 3 – Inimical to writing

My friend and I were almost at the end of our hour together.  Banana cake (me), almond croissant (him). China … More

#NaBloPoMo 2 – My tribe of one

There I was with my friend, on my second cup of tea. He had just asked me why I do … More

Guilty

I have begun to acclimatise myself to the fact that the Book is not coming back. To lure it back … More