Brother, genius

  One of the central influences on my life is not a poet in the usual sense of the word, … More

The Next Swim

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

Creativity: a provocation

You can download the PowerPoint of my talk at Mount Kelly College, on 18 April 2017, here: Creativity_a provocation_Mount Kelly College_April … 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 9 – From the archives: The blogs I read (1)

I was asked the other day which poetry blogs I read. Over the next few posts I will be sharing … 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

The empty house

True to its word, the book has disappeared. There isn’t a trace of it in the house, not even a … More

From the archives: The Art of Disappearing, by Naomi Shihab Nye

The Art of Disappearing When they say Don’t I know you?say no. When they invite you to the partyremember what … More

I can’t work with you any more

‘I think I’m going to be going away for a bit,’ the book says. ‘Give you some space. Let you … More