A Fergus

My first reader was a man called Fergus. A friend of a flatmate at university, I never got to … More

On a failure

Here is a story about a recent failure of mine. It all started with an idea, which I knew, just … More

‘What else are you guilty about?’ ‘Most things,’ I say. ‘It doesn’t stop with poetry, you know. Or those unread … More

’Anything else?’ the book says. ’What do you mean?’ ’That you want to tell me?’ There is a long silence, … More

‘What else are you not telling me?’ says the book. ‘Nothing,’ I say. The book rolls its eyes, gives a … More

‘What you reading?’ says the book. ‘Nothing.’ ‘No need to be shy,’ says the book. ‘Go on, what is it?’ … More

‘What’s wrong?’ says the book. ‘Nothing,’ I say. ‘Liar.’ ‘Am not.’ ‘Are.’ ‘Aren’t.’ ‘Pants on fire. You’re hopeless. You should … More

Towards the end of my treatment for cancer in 2006 I had one of the most profound conversations of … More

Diving into the Wreck First having read the book of myths, and loaded the camera, and checked the edge of … More

An Horatian Notion The thing gets made, gets built, and you’re the slave who rolls the log beneath the block, … More

from Cats and a Cock We walk the streets of the dark city, placards at back light in our heads, … More

Five Minutes Of Work 4.23.2009 Attending the PMDS workshop today a 46-page page performance document to be discussed in … More

Aesthetics of Creating Something This doesn’t just happen: It happens to you. Kenneth Koch, from One Train, p.64 ∞ ‘Even … More

‘The whole culture is telling you to hurry, while the art tells you to take your time. Always listen to … More

I was having a coffee with a new writer friend the other day. Not having known each other for … More

Blind panic when the anthology I am in arrives. The hunt, ever more despairing, for my poem, certain that they … More

[…] you write because you know them not because you understand them because you don’t you are … More

Barely any bird-life since the gales. A robin’s song this morning, from behind the curtains. And yesterday one tiny blue … More