“There are some moments in life that are like pivots around which your existence turns – small intuitive flashes, when you know you have done something right for a change..” Robyn Davidson, Tracks I have had a couple of these pivotal moments in the last year including making the decision to leave the day…
A day of reading –reading does make you happier
When was the last time you spent all of most of your day immersed in a book? Last week, last month or back when you were a teenager? I expect that for many of us (apart from critics and perhaps book bloggers) reading is something to be fitted in around the other things which make…
Pigeon Ravine on the Somme
As I have been writing this blog post I came across my hand-written notes from October 2013 when Jeremy Banning first took me and other writers to Pigeon Ravine and I found Louis Doffman amongst the graves. I can’t remember now whether it was Jeremy who pointed out his headstone (as is his habit of…
More reviews please – OPOI
OPOI are a brilliant idea, designed by address the lack of reviews of poetry books and pamphlets and dreamed up by Helena Nelson. They are a short reponse and the idea is that they present one point of view. So you can do as Josephine Corcoran does in her review of The Great Vowel Shift…
Three most popular posts
Now that I am writing blog posts more regularly I have been taking an interest in the statistics for the blog. I’ve been pleased to discover that the most popular posts have focussed on the work of two poets; The first is John Pudney whose work I was reading back in 2012. The second…
National Poetry Month Readalong Loop of Jade – First Week
It has been such a great pleasure this week allowing myself the time to read the first seven poems in the book and I hope that other people have also been able to make a start on Loop of Jade. I should put in a disclaimer at this point and explain that I am a…
Ways into Poetry – Write a poem a day (PAD)
During April there are various places and groups around the internet that you can join to write a poem a day during the month. It is not too late to join in.Foremost of these is the challenge set by Robert Lee Brewer, Poet and Senior Content Editor at the Writer’s Digest community and today the…
National Poetry Month 2016 Giveaway of Loop of Jade Readalong
When I set up this April’s Readalong of Loop of Jade I did promise to offer Sarah Howe’s book as a giveaway. To be in with chance of wnning the copy all you have to do is to follow the blog during April and to post a comment on each of the Readalong posts. I…
The Menin Gate Memorial and Robert Victor Davies
The Menin Gate Memorial is where my great uncle Victor’s name is inscribed as one of the 54,389 men who are commemorated here. When I use the words ‘great uncle’ about someone who died nearly a hundred years ago your mind will probably conjure up an image of an elderly gentleman with Edwardian sideburns. Victor…
20 Poets for you to read to celebrate National Poetry Month
Inspired by Bethany Price’s article on Chicago Now I thought I’d join the party by suggesting 20 UK (or UK based) poets for you to read during April to celebrate National Poetry Month being 20 years old this year. The list below is based on my personal favourites rather than being comprehensive listing of the…