Mowing the lawn with Maura Dooley

‘There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as … More

Let’s love today

Let’s love today, the what we have now, this day, not        today or tomorrow or yesterday, but this passing moment, … More

What I have learned about remission

I am taking a break from writing brand new blog posts over the summer. Instead of posting new work I … More

It’s not about you, it’s me: on saying goodbye to Twitter

What I want is to – to be present. That’s what I’ve learned. I want to strive for presence, now, … More

The woman at the workshop

I am taking a break from writing brand new blog posts over the summer. Instead of posting new work I … More

Guest Blog Post: Don’t Think About A White Horse, by Kate Bowles

Don’t Think About A White Horse   Coming closer, he turns out to be you – or nearly. Once you … More

A review of Lifesaving Poems

My deep thanks to Maria Taylor, who has written the most lovely appreciation of Lifesaving Poems. Thank you Maria for capturing its … More

Inside Lifesaving Poems 5

An artist needs not so much an audience, as to feel a need to answer, a promise to respond. Robert … More

Lifesaving Poems interview podcast

  This is the link to the podcast of the interview I gave yesterday on the Arena programme, RTE, about … More

Guest blog post: Hands like these, by Beverly Rycroft

This is the first in a series of guest blog posts by writers I admire. Having enjoyed speaking and reading … More

What is a lifesaving poem?

Tomorrow I will be taking part at the Wenlock Poetry Festival in an event with Roz Goddard. We will be … More

Why do it?

because of the words and because of the books because of the woman in the anorak at the swimming baths … More

Ghost chemo

It’s hard to describe. One day your are fine, not quite the same (age will do this to you), then … More

Nine years ago today

Nine years ago today I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells. Even though I have … More

Just another Wednesday

Days Each one is a gift, no doubt, mysteriously placed in your waking hand or set upon your forehead moments … More

On writing and illness

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

Open letter to Arthur Frank (on reading At the Will of the Body)

Dear Arthur Frank I’m writing to say thank you for your extraordinary book At the Will of the Body. It is … More

Poetry highlights of 2014

  I have so much to be grateful for in 2014. The year began in one of my temporary fits … More