August, by Tove Jansson

Every year, the bright Scandinavian summer nights fade away without anyone noticing. One evening in August you have an errand … More

The Little Prince

‘I need to get away.’ ‘But there’s work to be done,’ says the book. ‘A holiday. That’s what I need.’ … More

A sense of wonder, by Arthur Frank

The only real difference between people is not health or illness but the way each holds onto a sense of … More

The preciousness of things

‘Do you miss it?’ the book says. ‘Miss what?’ I say. ‘Having cancer,’ the book says. ‘Is this a joke?’ … More

A book into which everything can go, by Thomas Merton

It is necessary to write a book in which there will be a little less of the first person singular, … More

Running a bath

‘What are you doing?’ the book says. ‘What’s it look like?’ I say. ‘Running a bath,’ the book says. ‘Genius,’ … More

Guarding the threshold

‘What will you miss most?’ the book says. ‘About what?’ I say. ‘Me,’ says the book. ‘I didn’t know you … More

What it’s like to be human, by Mark Strand

  If every head of state and every government official spent an hour a day reading poetry we’d live in … 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

Needing to be liked

‘You know what your main problem is,’ the book says. ‘Needing to be liked.’ ‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it?’ … More

What we talk about when we talk about writing

The more I talk about writing with students, teachers, colleagues and other writers, the less I am sure that we … More

Interview with the book

  ‘Aren’t you going get the phone?’ I say. ‘It won’t be for me.’ With a little groan the book … More

The vision thing

Here is how it happens. The vision is, sub specie aeternitatis, a set of mental relationships, a coherent series of … More

The risk of failure

‘What do you think?’ I say to the book. It has held on to my poem for a week, and … More

The safety net of approval

Even though it is sweltering, the book is wearing its dinner jacket. Its legs are stretched out, feet on my … More

The book is fifty blog posts old

The adventures of the book have now clocked up fifty blog posts. Here is a list of all of them, … More

But I’m a poet

The book is in its gardening clothes. ‘I’m going out,’ it says. ‘You’ve let the lawn go again.’ ‘You can’t … More

What a waste

‘I don’t know if I can do this any more.’ ‘Do what?’ the book says. ‘This.’ ‘Sit around waiting for … More