A day he won’t have

I had bumped into a friend at the cash machine. We greeted each other, as we always do, with a … More

Breathing Space July, by Tomas Tranströmer

Breathing Space July The man who lies on his back under huge trees is also up in them. He … More

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

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

‘So you’re not going to write about it?’ ‘I’ve been writing about it for years. Two whole books of it! … More

I had bumped into a friend at the cash machine. We greeted each other, as we always do, with a … More

It’s hard to describe. One day your are fine, not quite the same (age will do this to you), then … More

Medicine The black hair of my Chinese doctor gleams like combed ink as he leans over his desk, with quick … More

A year ago I had a relapse of my cancer. Except I didn’t. For a week or so I knew … More

Earlier this year I ran a Poetry School course about poetry and health called Written on the Body. It was … More