I first met Maurice in the sitting room of a mutual friend, a lifelong Labour supporter, the night after the … More
Tag: Presence
KBO
‘80% of success is showing up.’ -Woody Allen I was chatting with a student the other day when I said … More
What I learned this week
That CK Williams has died. More than two weeks ago! One of my heroes. This is the first thing I … More
Why social media doesn’t create intelligence
Those kind and wonderful people at Change This have just released a new batch of free, downloadable manifestos. These articles … More
Goodbye Facebook, it’s been real (?)
Now for the other life. The one without mistakes. –Lou Lipsitz A year ago I found myself not looking at … More
Am I a poet?
A friend recently asked me if I was writing. I replied, as I always do, saying that it was going … More
Lifesaving Poems: Fleur Adcock’s ‘The Soho Hospital for Women (IV)’
The Soho Hospital for Woman (IV) I am out in the supermarket choosing – this very afternoon, this day … More
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
Pure distraction
In the rift between what is going to happen and whatever we would wish to happen, poetry holds attention for … More
Nothing doing
Sporting occasions are bad. Or the Corbyn result, that was hard. I seem to remember (no one else does) a … More
Lifesaving Poems: Myra Schneider’s ‘Goulash’
Goulash A crucial ingredient is the right frame of mind so abandon all ideas of getting on. Stop pedalling, dismount, … More
A few days
The afternoon was drawing to a close when I knew I had hit the wall. On its own terms there … More
This may not work
Since I decided to leave Twitter and abscond from Facebook I have been reminded of some of the guiding principles … More
Lifesaving Poems: Charles Wright’s ‘After Reading Tu Fu, I Go Outside to the Dwarf Orchard’
After Reading Tu Fu, I Go Outside to the Dwarf Orchard East of me, west of me, full summer. … More
Let’s love today
Let’s love today, the what we have now, this day, not today or tomorrow or yesterday, but this passing moment, … More
Mostly when I’m tired
This is my hard time -Theodore Roethke The mornings I can cope with. Just. Not grabbing my phone before … More
Still in recovery
I knew I was in trouble sometime in July. I just didn’t admit it. I was with friends, one of … More
Noticing again
Day four of the Twitter-fast. By the time you read this, day seven. The first thing I notice is the … More