Everyone who matters

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

Truly, Madly, Deeply

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

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

‘What drives you?’ says the book. ‘Haven’t we been here before?’ ‘What drives you?’ ‘Are you serious?’ ‘Never more,’ says … More

Being together so much and talking so much and writing poems and showing them to each other so much … More

This blog would be nothing without its readers. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, made a comment or a … More

Here is a quotation from Seth Godin’s The Icarus Deception that I have been meditating on for a while now. I have … More

Below is the text of a PowerPoint presentation that I am giving today at the Directors of Studies Conference 2015, at Port … More

What I want is to – to be present. That’s what I’ve learned. I want to strive for presence, now, … More

I have been wondering recently if the world of the poem (the one that is currently not-here, just out of … More

I have just come back from a thing. I am tired. A good afternoon of good conversation about large, important … More

The poem that came into my mind on waking up this morning and hearing the General Election result is Mark … More

For those of you who have been enjoying my series of adventures with ‘the book’, here is a free eBook … More

‘You’re late,’ the new book says. It is seated at my desk, sleeves rolled up, a mug of steaming coffee … More

It is drizzling. The house is empty, the road outside quiet. It’s just as the book said it would be, … More

‘Was it good?’ the book says. ‘Was what good?’ ‘What you’ve been up to,’ the book says. ‘When?’ ‘You know … More

The terrible poem starts with an idea. The terrible poem knows it is the best thing that has been written. … More

Ordinary morning sounds from outside drift into the room where I am working. Birdsong. A car being parked. The noise … More

‘You looked, didn’t you?’ the book says. ‘What?’ I say. ‘Before you started this.’ ‘What?’ ‘At your stats. You couldn’t … More

‘What are you waiting for?’ the book says. ‘I’m not ready,’ I say. ‘What do you mean?’ ‘I’m not ready. … More