In these days when UK politics and world events are enough to make you despair, it’s difficult to know whether blogging about poetry and other stuff has any relevance. There are many much more important voices which need to be heard than mine. So, I post on here now more out of occasional habit and,… Continue reading On HappenStance Press, the reader and the poet
On ruined abbeys
Even in the summer, a visit to the ruins of any abbey in England is likely to prompt recollection of Shakespeare’s sonnet no. 73:That time of year thou mayst in me beholdWhen yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hangUpon those boughs which shake against the cold,Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.In… Continue reading On ruined abbeys
OPOI review of Matthew Hollis
My latest OPOI (‘one point of interest’) review, of a pamphlet by Matthew Hollis, is on the Sphinx website here. As ever, there are lots of other, fine reviews to read.
Live Canon reading tomorrow, 28th May
Tomorrow, at 1pm BST, I’ll be reading alongside Antony Dunn and Becky Edwards in the latest instalment of Live Canon’s Friday Lunchtime Readings series. The link to register is here.
On Rebecca and J.A. Baker
Among the many pleasures of watching Hitchcock’s 1940 rather-less-than-faithful but compelling adaptation of Rebecca is the array of acting talent; the Oscar-nominated trio of Olivier, Joan Fontaine and the unforgettable Judith Anderson as Mrs Danvers, with her amazing range of faraway, disturbing looks; and also the supporting cast of British talent: brilliantly caustic George Sanders;… Continue reading On Rebecca and J.A. Baker
On Detectorists and Dad’s Army
Praise has rightly been heaped on Detectorists since its first appearance on BBC4 in 2014; indeed, it was hailed as an instant classic. Like all the best sitcoms, it transcends the genre and often appears to be a serious and emotionally affective drama which also happens to be very funny. A short collection of essays,… Continue reading On Detectorists and Dad’s Army
Australia Haiku Society’s John Bird Dreaming Award
Much to my amazement, one of a few haiku I sent for the Australian Haiku Society’s inaugural John Bird Dreaming Award for Haiku has been placed second. My thanks to the judges, Vanessa Proctor and Michael Dylan Welch, and to Ron Moss for his haiga.
On Martin Lucas again
Seven years ago today, at about this time of day, I received a phone call confirming the passing of Martin Lucas, haiku and tanka poet and editor.Here are a few of Martin’s haiku, selected from the first and final (#12) issues of Snapshots haiku magazine, edited, respectively, by John Barlow in 1998 and John and… Continue reading On Martin Lucas again
On moving to Rotherham
It’s nearly three weeks now since Lyn and I moved from Thames Ditton to Rotherham. Since then, it’s been jolly cold, as it seems to have been everywhere in the UK, and full Lockdown in England has been in place until today, when anyone who’s hard(y) and/or desperate enough can go and drink outside (but… Continue reading On moving to Rotherham
Nine Arches reading
Readings really are like buses - none come along for ages and then, well, you know the rest. So, I was delighted when Katie Griffiths invited me to be part of the launch event for her wonderful forthcoming Nine Arches Press collection, The Attitudes. It’s on Thursday 22 April, at 7.30pm (British Summer Time). Tickets… Continue reading Nine Arches reading
