Yesterday, I took part in a local literary festival. Originally, I had been invited to read a short set of poetry during one of the sessions; then one of the speakers was ill so she dropped out, and, at the last minute, I was asked to step in and give a talk. And I do mean the last minute. I got a text message on Friday afternoon to give me advance warning that my help might be needed: maybe I could give a short talk on poetry or translation? I duly rustled up some old notes on the latter and thought about changes I’d need to make so it would suit the audience.
Continue reading “like a rock”
Tag: original poem
what does the fox say?
Since I first heard the phrase “snapper-up of unconsidered trifles” I’ve thought the description suited me, as I pride myself on my curiosity and am always interested in learning new ideas and irrelevant facts.
But the trifles that interest me aren’t always intangible: I also tend to pick up things when I’m out walking and often have to unload the feathers, pebbles and other bits and bobs that accumulate in jacket pockets or at the bottom of my handbag.
Continue reading “what does the fox say?”
of mice and birds
It’s been a long time since I posted an update here. In fact the last post was last autumn, and now we’re clearly well beyond the Spring equinox and heading on towards summer, I suppose.
The lack of updates is partly because I simply haven’t had any new ideas and partly because my mind has been in a different space, with work and family issues that really don’t need to be aired in public. After all, that was never my intention when I started this blog: it was intended to be disconnected from my own life and activities, an anonymous space where I could post opinions and poetry and where the “I” of the narrator didn’t automatically get superimposed on the “I” of the writer or vice versa. Continue reading “of mice and birds”
slowly towards winter
Whether you judge by astronomical or meteorological criteria, for a few more days at least, it is still autumn. For me, this autumn seems to have been going on for a long time.
I remember snapping this picture, and thinking how well it summed up the ideas of slowing down and taking things gently that are associated with the season.
Continue reading “slowly towards winter”
bars, boards & blocks
It sees to be a long time since I wrote something new. In early 2020, when the pandemic first started, I wrote a number of new poems, inspired by new lockdown habits and experiences. Then my friend Lucía asked for my assistance with prayer writing and the Modern Pagan Prayers project was started.
There are three books in the series, now – a total of nearly 100 prayers, most of them completely new, with just a handful repurposed from poems I had written previously. There were also a handful of pieces that were rejected as they were too much like poetry and too little like prayer. An average of around two new pieces a week is definitely not something to be ashamed of.
Continue reading “bars, boards & blocks”
don't confuse the narrator 