I think the below shows how the internet can help make things messy. I had been musing on why my previous blog has suddenly got lots of hits on Sunday, why two critical comments were made and why Stamford Arts Centre suddenly reTweeted my critical blog on Monday. I pondered the words of one of… [Read more…]
January 12, 2012
Hi Anna, I thought I should contact you as my blog about the line up of the “Verse” festival has a had a good response from readers and been ReTweeted and shared via Facebook quite alot. I haven’t previously felt moved to comment on a venue or festival’s poetry line up because usually I think All… [Read more…]
January 6, 2012
http://www.stamfordartscentre.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1139:dead-poets-and-poet-laureate-final&catid=8&Itemid=33 I lived in Stamford for a few months when I was a journalist at Rutland Radio. Burghley horse trials, the setting for telly’s “Middlemarch”, a swimming pool murder, a Tory MP and a total eclipse of the sun are what I remember. A place with a captive audience for poetry. Captive future poets ready… [Read more…]
January 3, 2012
“At least the end of the world meant I finally stopped dreaming about the end of the world” The opening sentence of a novel I didn’t write last year. A year in whioh I devoured much Apocalyptica on paper and on screen, and pretty much got it out of my system. I now realise it was… [Read more…]
December 21, 2011
I started this year by devouring apocalypse books and watching apocalypse films and telly. From Stephen King’s “The Stand” to American post nuclear TV town “Jericho”, from the classics of End of Days literature like “The Canticles of Leibowitz” to Will Smith smoothly dispatching Vampire-Zombies in “I Am Legend”. It was odd because I usually have… [Read more…]
October 5, 2011
I might sometimes review Live Literature, particularly poetry. I was trying to think of a way to summarise what my critical values are. Realised that watching Leonard Cohen live most epitomises them. That gig at the O2 two years ago. He combined thought, feeling, sensuousness, truth, beauty, connection with the audience and integration with himself. I cried… [Read more…]
September 19, 2011
Great North During The Run Poem* I see a man carrying a fridge, humpbacked as the Tyne Bridge. Like water, emergency loo roll, bananas, it represents the inner burdens that we bear and wondering could just one more run have helped us properly prepare? We’re off with a slap of Mo Farah’s hand, laces untied… [Read more…]
August 25, 2011
Whistle Written and performed by Martin Figura, Produced by Sarah Ellis, Directed by James Grieve. 1.45pm. Zoo Venue, 140 Pleasance, until August 29th. (Book, “Whistle” published by Arrowhead Press, £10) I was so relieved when I heard Tim Crouch, an actor and director, say that he doesn’t like seeing actors acting. If you want… [Read more…]
August 13, 2011
Take my word, they took us for a ride, now you’ve got to take a side. They took their leave, now their leave’s been taken, They’re taking control, over, charge. Take note of the decisions they’re taking. Take your chances or have your chances taken. Take off, take up, take out, try not to be… [Read more…]
January 17, 2012
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