A bit of judicious pruning ...

In no way could I claim to be a keen gardener, but I spent a useful hour or so this afternoon beginning the autumn clear up in the back garden. As I was hacking back over-enthusiastic clematis and jasmine, it occurred to me that perhaps this was a bit like editing poems - a necessary activity to get the best out of something. Looking around afterwards, that little bit of care and attention had revealed the real shape of the plants and showed them to much better advantage. It's taken me a while to learn that poems often need a bit of cutting back too, but I'm certainly getting better now at putting a poem aside for a while, then coming back to it with the proverbial "red pen" to tighten things up - and it invariably reads all the better for it!

Friends old and new

It's been a stressful week with some major family traumas. I'm so aware that at times of crisis - and of loss especially - I turn more and more these days to poetry books and my "old friends" in them. "The Book Of Love And Loss" edited by Rosie Bailey and June Hall (Belgrave Press) is a great bedside companion in those circumstances; I've given a copy to friends in similar situations and know how much they've valued it too.

I've had a birthday during this last week as well though, and a lovely present from my daughter - "Whatever The Sea, Scottish Poems for Growing Older" edited by Lizzie MacGregor (The Scottish Poetry Library and Polygon 2016). About ageing they may be, but these poems are not all full of gloom and doom! Far from it - they certainly recognize the challenges of ageing but celebrate the positives too - many are witty and very life-affirming. Do have a look at a copy if you can - and I promise you won't have to be "ageing" to enjoy it!

The GWN at the Lit Fest

It was a lovely evening on Sunday at the Gloucestershire Writers Network event at the Cheltenham Literature Festival - as always, superbly organised by Rona Laycock. We had a very appreciative audience for our readings and the pleasure of hearing judge Phil Kirby's poetry afterwards. And I'm delighted to say that, as the winner of the poetry section, I'm once more the keeper of the Dursley Hare for twelve months! His origin seems to have disappeared in the mists of time but he's a delightful little statue and comes along with the monetary reward (which, I'm glad to report, does not have to be passed on to the next winner!). Last time I had the hare sitting on my desk he proved a very lucky writing mascot, so I'm hoping for a repeat performance this year.

This morning I was invited to read my winning poem and to talk about my writing on Corinium Radio, along with Judith van Dijkhuizen and Derek Healy, both runners up in the poetry section, and Graham Bruce Fletcher, a runner-up in the prose competition. The theme this year had been "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" and it was fascinating to see the different angles from which people had approached it, with poems on such varied topics as a disabled father giving away his daughter at her wedding to non-native giant conifers, and short stories told in such diverse voices as those of a weary Russian emigree and an unmanned drone!

National Poetry Day

Perhaps you heard Prince Charles on Radio 4 this morning reading Seamus Heaney's "The Shipping Forecast"? Or maybe you're in Glasgow and you've heard Big Issue vendors reading poetry? Look out for letters postmarked by the Royal Mail today. What's it all about? Well, today is National Poetry Day, with its theme this year of "Messages". Before each programme on Channel 4 today refugees and migrants will be reading their poetry, and there are bound to be some heartfelt messages there. Do look out for them. 

And if you're interested to learn more about and enjoy the work of one poet in particular, do think about joining us in Cheltenham in  a couple of weeks time. We're hosting "I Walk On Fire", a weekend festival of all things Dylan Thomas. You can get all the information about the workshops, readings and open mics on line and it promises to be a great few days. Do hope to see you there.

Festival Fever

There are so many literary festivals these days that it would be all too easy to fall into the role of professional festival attendee! And for some reason some of our local ones clash (the Swindon Poetry Festival and the Cheltenham Literature Festival for example), which is infuriating when there are competing events to which it would be good to go. I have no desire to hear the "big names" who are simply out to market their latest publications, but I do enjoy listening to poets and authors whose work has inspired me and who have interesting things to say about the creative process.

A poet who has certainly inspired me is Maggie Harris and last Friday I was lucky enough to attend one of the sessions she was running in Swindon. I had met her a couple of years ago at a Warwick writing weekend and determined then to get to any other workshops she offered. Along with Maggie, during the afternoon session the northern poet Jacci Bulman gave a reading from her collection "A Whole Day Through From Waking" (Cinnamon). Many of the poems were based on her personal experience of illness and were not only moving but very thought-provoking. An interesting day!

Maggie Harris