Let’s Celebrate the momentswhere nothing happens.The momentsthat fill our lives.Not the field bright with poppies, butthe times you walked, seeingno … More
Tag: Poetry
Lifesaving Poems: Moniza Alvi’s ‘I Would Like to be a Dot in a Painting by Miro’
I Would Like to be a Dot in a Painting by Miro I would like to be a dot in … More
Poetry and 9/11
I am a little late in writing these reflections prompted by the tenth anniversary of 9/11. What I want to … More
Lifesaving Poems: Mark Halliday’s ‘The Missing Poem’
The Missing PoemIt would have been dark but not lugubrious. It would have beenfairly short but not slight. It … More
Lifesaving Poems: Peter Sansom’s K563
K563As on most fine summer Sundayswe are breakfasting outside with our books.This morning it is one of the Divertimentikeeps the … More
Lifesaving Poems: Jaan Kaplinski’s ‘This morning was cold’
This morning was cold, but it warmed about mid-day.Blue clouds piled up in the north.I came from a meeting – … More
Lifesaving Poems: ‘Prayer’ by Marie Howe
PrayerEvery day I want to speak with you. And every day something more importantcalls for my attention – the drugstore, … More
Lifesaving Poems: Tomas Tranströmer’s ‘Alone’
Alone I One evening in February I came near to dying here. The car skidded sideways on the ice, out … More
Poetry Exhaustion
If you write poetry (and I assume that if you do, you are also actively engaged in reading it), sooner … More
Lifesaving Poems: William Blake’s ‘The Divine Image’ (via Lies Damned Lies)
The Divine ImageTo Mercy, Pity, Peace, and LoveAll pray in their distress;And to these virtues of delightReturn their thankfulness.For Mercy, … More
Lifesaving Poems
I was struck by a remark of Seamus Heaney in an interview he gave some years ago now. He was … More
On Martin Stannard and Paul Scholes
‘If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more.’ -Xavi Hernandez (Spain and Barcelona) … More
Love Listen -A new poem by Ann Gray
Love Listen Let’s love, listen, take timewhen time is all we have. Let’s be unafraid to be kind,learn to disregard … More
Why Andrew Motion is my hero
Andrew Motion is my hero because he set up the Poetry Archive with Richard Carrington. He has nothing left to prove. As … More
Book Review: Of Mutability by Jo Shapcott
Of Mutability, Jo Shapcott (Faber) Really good books about cancer are rare. Really great books about cancer, the ones that … More
On Cliff Yates’ Poetry Workshop
‘Whenever I work with people – no matter what their age – I try to run a checklist through my mind: are … More
My poetry books of the year, 2010
I hate end-of-year roundups. But I was so impressed by five books of poetry this year that I felt I … More
