The Year of Living Deeply 7: Another chance meeting with Ashbery

I was in a waiting room, having cycled, a bit out of breath, a book on my knee, trying to … More

Reasons why I am happy to be in the city at the end of December

(After Andy Brown) Because my children are briefly sleeping under the same roof Becuase Col and Lucy and M and … More

‘Good Christmas?’ I say. ’Fairytale,’ the book says. ‘Grimm.’ ’Are you here all week?’ ’Unlike some of us.’ ’It was … More

‘So I was thinking,’ the book says. ‘Going anywhere nice for Christmas?’ ’Do you want a lift somewhere?’ I say. … More

Here are my most frequently-read blog posts of 2018, according to my WordPress stats. First, from the Lifesaving Poems … More

I am delighted to be publishing Deck Shoes, a book of enthusiasms, influences and memoir, with Impress Books, next year. … More

After what feels like a very long wait since the publication of Riddance in 2012, I am delighted to be publishing … More

Next year is going to be a big year for me. I am going to have two new books out … More

‘Do you mind if I ask you a question?’ the book says. ‘Why are you wearing my slippers?’ I say. … More

‘What do you want?’ says the book. ‘Who’s asking?’ I say. ‘Me,’ says the book. ‘I am asking.’ ‘What do … More

I am lying on the bed staring at the ceiling, detoxing from the day, as I do. ‘You all right?’ … More

The book is looking at me from across the room. It is dressed smartly, but not to impress. It looks … More

In The Year of Living Deeply I am trying to attend to the things which feed me very much (family; … More

Below Zero We are at a party that doesn’t love us. At last the party lets its mask drop and … More

S … More

As promised last week, here is my presentation of the paper I co-wrote with Sue Dymoke in which we argue on … More

Listening to the wonderful array of speakers at the Foyle Young Poets symposium on Monday, I tried to think back … More

‘Even the poetic world is social’ (Bakhtin, 1981, 300). This time next week, Saturday 23 June, I will be presenting … More