A brief post to plug an event I am involved with tomorrow evening. The Front Room run spoken word & live music events in Portsmouth and the surrounding area. These are usually held in the (excellent) Hunter Gatherer in Southsea, but obviously at the moment are online. You can pick up the event via the Front Room’s Facebook page. I am contributing three poem films – it’s the first time I have done anything like…
Simon Armitage was on Desert Island Discs recently. If you haven’t heard the show then it’s definitely worth a listen – an excellent interview and some great music choices ( you can still catch it on the BBC website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000j120 ) One thing he spoke about was the first time he had a poem accepted for a magazine. It’s a huge moment for any writer, to find that someone who doesn’t know you appreciates what…
Today our house is bedecked with flags. A social distancing compliant street party in the afternoon. We have our finger buffet prepared. There will be a quiz. Good natured conversations over garden walls. Maybe some Vera Lynn or big band jazz. It should be fun – and the end of the war in Europe is something to celebrate and remember, despite the attempts at hijacking of anniversaries and national memory by certain individuals and groups…
Well at least I’ve managed to complete my business accounts whilst in furlough from the day job. It’s been a useful exercise. Something to focus on each day, with measurable daily achievements, of sorts. Something to take my mind off what is going on in the outside world. Something to help stop my mind from unravelling. 43 days. 43 days since March 23rd, and how many more until the lockdown ends? I’m in a pretty…
I’ve been working flat out on my annual accounts for the past week – if nothing else it keeps my mind off what else is going on in the world. Now that these have pretty much been finished – seven months earlier than normal, I can start getting back to writing, submitting poems, and getting more involved with various poetry initiatives locally and elsewhere – ditto with photography. I’ll still be working on my side…