Yesterday was my 54th birthday. With Covid restrictions in place, it was inevitably a rather quiet one; not that I would have lasted till the 10 o’clock pub curfew anyway.
I was chuffed to receive a copy of the lovely-looking 14 Magazine, edited by Richard Skinner, in which I have a poem called ‘The Bidding’. It’s been a busy week for poetry journals arriving: The Rialto, PN Review, The Dark Horse and Poetry Review all came too, so I have lots to read, besides all the books on the go.
Meanwhile, I’ve written a couple of reviews in the last week – my latest OPOI review for Sphinx and two longer ones which will appear in another journal early next year – and, to my surprise, had some poems accepted which I had almost given up hope of ever getting published, which is jolly nice.
Here’s a photo of the Thames this morning when I was pootling along to work. All very mellow.
Matthew Paul 
Happy belated birthday Matthew. Glad you had sedate and poetic celebrations and that photo is lovely – undeniably showing that autumn is well on the way.
Thanks, Jem – I hope all’s well with you.
Tough year, many have it far worse though. Poems are few and far between – I have to trust they will return.
Tough indeed. I hope they return to you soon.