after Mark Halliday Because of the writing days. And because The discovery will not happen on its own, unprompted, … More
Tag: Ann Sansom
Open letter: in memory of Janet Fisher
And though I only met you once, your influence on me is massive, or should that be was I don’t … More
Dark horses: 21 Lifesaving Poems which should be better known
Readers of this blog will know that I make a list at the end of each year showing the most … More
On writing and illness
Reading Arthur W. Frank’s astonishing At the Will of the Body recently has given me pause to reflect on the relationship … More
To my cancer
I am taking a break from writing brand new blog posts over the summer. Instead of posting new work I … More
I have not read a book in six months
I have not read a book in six months -Raymond Carver, ‘Drinking While Driving’ I can still remember the shock … More
Gratitude
I’m grateful to you, you see. I wanted to tell you. –Raymond Carver (‘For Tess’) A kind, wise man once … More
Lifesaving Poems: Ann Sansom’s ‘Instructor’
Ann Sansom is one of my all-time favourite people, poets or normal, ever. I count myself fortunate to have worked … More
Chemo reading
I wrote here recently about losing my ambition as a writer. In case readers are in any doubt, the stuff … More
When poets don’t appear
I have been thinking a lot recently about the career trajectory of poets, including my own, whose work briefly becomes visible … More
Lifesaving Poems: James Tate’s ‘I am a Finn’
I Am a Finn I am standing in the post office, about to mail a package back to Minnesota, to … More
Lifesaving Poems
I was struck by a remark of Seamus Heaney in an interview he gave some years ago now. He was … More