The small stuff – Zoom Workshop

The small stuff – finding beauty and inspiration in the everyday. Saturday 13th April, 2024 10.30am -1pm Zoom This workshop will look at finding inspiration in the things around us – e.g. objects, the domestic, work, our neighbourhood, people around us etc. We will look at some poems and use a variety of techniques to […]

The Poetry of Loss email course

I will be re-running my Poetry of Loss email course starting on 10th March 2023. This course will look at poetry about, and relating to, loss of all types – loss of home, partners, health, environment, belongings etc. And of course we will also look at death and bereavement, however there is always more than […]

Garden

Trying to make a gardenout of bird branches, nettles, dry grasses,a wooden shed with slatted sides,falling down and into itself. Trying to alive a gardenout of weeds and light through leaves,to grow a garden, to mound a gardenout of sycamore keys and thistle-prickle. Trying to Christmas a garden, to Easter a gardento flap a wing […]

Working From Home

They’re working on that spy plane again; first the scrapy sounds of sanding – on and on it goes, all morning, and now they’re rolling something that sounds like a skateboard along the dining room wall. The sporty one arrives home and starts to unload the camera equipment from the boot of his Fiat Punto […]

This

There is no proof that I exist beyond the mess I’ve made of the house and garden, and a few texts on my mobile phone. I will leave this world lightly – barely a fingerprint will remain. Even children move on – as if all those day in, day outs were only a blink – […]

Ten Excuses for Not Phoning

(after Warsan Shire) 1) Because the gaps are bigger than the words either side. 2) Because the surface is so slippery. 3) Because you once said the adverts were more interesting than the programmes. 4) Because I can never be sure you will answer. 5) Because there is always somebody at your door. 6) Because […]

Readings in June/July 2022

I have a couple of readings coming up in June and July: 9th June – Past, Present & Future: a poetry conversation 9featuring Julia Webb, Tom Sastry and Suzannah Evans. Tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/past-present-future-a-poetry-conversation-tickets-337323302077 13th June – Cafe Writers with Julia Webb and Sue Burge (and open mic) Ticket link here: https://www.cafewriters.co.uk/ 4th July – I […]

Selves (non existent)

Self as water boatman Self on top deck of open top bus, smiling Self in purple hot pants and Bay City Rollers socks Self with hockey stick in full school colours Self on bottom rung of ladder, carrying shears Self very thin in stripy bikini, arms round two other girls Self in waders, fishing Self […]