Dreaming about X

I dreamt about my friend X last night. I don’t think I normally dream about him, and don’t recall having … More

What drives you?

‘What drives you?’ ‘I’ve only just woken up!’ I say to the book. ‘Don’t care. It’s morning. Work to be … More

The thing about having cancer was that it was pretty obvious what was going on. I had been feeling fairly … More

This blog would be nothing without its readers. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, made a comment or a … More

I had bumped into a friend at the cash machine. We greeted each other, as we always do, with a … More

Writing my way through bereavement I don’t approve of death. I’m with Edna St Vincent Millay: I am not … More

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

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

Medicine The black hair of my Chinese doctor gleams like combed ink as he leans over his desk, with quick … More

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

Then this. We are sitting with hospital mugs of tea, in the Quiet Room. We are all leaning forward, listening … More

These are the most read Lifesaving Poems posts of 2013. Mary Oliver, ‘The Journey’ I first read this on … More

Emily Riall will be a new name to many readers of this blog. She was a fine young poet … More

I came across Hubert Moore’s fantastic book of poems The Hearing Room (Shoetstring, 2006) via my friend and neighbour Lawrence Sail. In … More

Tomorrow the Church Times publishes a combined review of my memoir of cancer Love for Now and Riddance, my … More

The chances are, more of us are mortal than have multiple orgasms -Violet Weingarten, Intimations of Mortality When I was diagnosed … More

If you have a friend who is diagnosed with cancer, the best thing to do in terms of what to … More

I have just come back from a holiday in the Scottish Borders, the ‘debatable lands’ around Hawick, Kelso and Galashiels. … More

There was no mention of more sex or bungee jumps. A palliative nurse who has counselled the dying in their … More

Photo: Andy Oliver In May 2005, the chairman and chief executive of the accountancy giantKPMG was told he had about 100 … More