The Black WetIt’s raining stair-rods and chairlegs,it’s raining candelabra and microwaves,it’s raining eyesockets.When the sun shines through the showerit’s raining … More
Category: Poems
My Hero: Michael Laskey
Some writers influence you through the pull of their imagination on your work, opening up new worlds as you read … More
In Memory of Emily Riall
Last week I posted a blog about entering remission after treatment for cancer. For me this moment will forever be … More
Lifesaving Poems: Cliff Yates’s ‘Boggle Hole’
Boggle Hole Two new mountain bikes chained to the fence,three horses lean over, bite at the tyres,get the chain between … More
Lifesaving Poems: Robert Rehder’s ‘Corminboeuf 157’
Corminboeuf 157 I am writing these poemsAs fast as I canSo that I don’t miss out on my late styleWhich … More
Lifesaving Poems: Jaan Kaplinski’s ‘This morning was cold’
This morning was cold, but it warmed about mid-day.Blue clouds piled up in the north.I came from a meeting – … More
Lifesaving Poems: Tomas Tranströmer’s ‘Alone’
Alone I One evening in February I came near to dying here. The car skidded sideways on the ice, out … More
Lifesaving Poems
I was struck by a remark of Seamus Heaney in an interview he gave some years ago now. He was … More
Love Listen -A new poem by Ann Gray
Love Listen Let’s love, listen, take timewhen time is all we have. Let’s be unafraid to be kind,learn to disregard … More
My poetry books of the year, 2010
I hate end-of-year roundups. But I was so impressed by five books of poetry this year that I felt I … More
Writing and Silence
I love the silence that descends on a classroom full of people who are all engaged in the act of … More
Lifesaving Poems 