Welcome to 2014!

A quick post to recap on 2013, and announce my writing goals and news for 2014...

2013 was fairly slow on the poetry front. However, I did force myself to submit to more publishing opportunities and competitions, and, amongst the many expected rejections, I did receive one acceptance. One of one poems, 'Prophet' will appear in the Sentinel Literary Quarterly magazine in February 2014.

2013 also saw my work published in 'Message In A Bottle' on-line magazine, issue 19 (although the acceptance came in 2012!). Three poems - 'Flight', 'The End' and 'Time Travel' are showcased. I'm very happy to have found a home for them! You can find them on-line now at http://www.messageinabottlepoetrymagazine.com/issue-19.php

I have also been continuing to work on arts and book reviews, and my, slow-going, novel. We shall see what 2014 will bring on this score, as I have lots of ideas, both for my novel and for a number of short stories.

Most recently, I am working on poetic responses to photographs, and am involved in an up-coming exhibition at the Corn Hall in Diss, Norfolk, opening on 4th February 2014, entitled 'On the Eve of...' It is turning out to be an interesting and enjoyable challenge, and there are some wonderful photos to engage with, looking at how text and images can interact.

If you're in the area, I hope you can take a visit. Entry is free!

Book Launch (Unfortunately not mine!)

In November I had the privilege of attending the book launch of a dear friend, who was launching not one, but two poetry books at once!

Kim Lasky's two titles - 'Eclipse' and 'Petrol, Cyan, Electric' are both long over-due. They also both contain wonderful snapshots of scientific discoveries and exploration. 'Eclipse', published by Templar Books, is a sequence of personal discovery and encounter, of the Moon, of a relationship, of the very process of discovery. It is sweet, lyrical and vivid, full of imagery and imagination.

The companion to 'Eclipse', 'Petrol, Cyan, Electric', published by smith doorstop, is more focused on the history of scientific exploration, narratives of those people, often women, found hidden behind the limelight of great inventions and discoveries. These are the stories that aren't told, the details we can only guess at, woven into being by Kim's vivid details and descriptions.

As well as reading pieces from both volumes, Kim treated us to an audio-visual piece, combining a recorded reading and film, as was well rounded-off by some wonderful music by a local 'electric' blues band, complimenting nicely with the theme of electricity and power.

The mix of material made for an interesting and lively evening, as well as showing how book launches and readings can move away from the traditional reading from the book and use other ways of interacting with the audience to draw attention to the poetry.

A wonderful evening, and well-recommended books!

NaPoWriMo Day 10

And we're into double figures! Admittedly, I'm a little behind on finishing and posting responses to some previous days prompts - day 8, 9 and 3 to follow - but here we are. For today's prompt, a poem on the theme of 'unlove'. Not hate, but a dislike, or, for me, an ending of love. Here's my poem:

Unlove

A disappearance,

A lessening,

Slowly, gradually,

Distance growing.

Pauses in conversation

That used to last all night.

A lack of thought,

That used to be every waking moment.

Excuses found to spend time apart.

Hugs and kisses, no longer

The first thing in the morning,

Or the last at night.

They call it an unlove,

A separation of two

Former halves,

Back to their original, individual, selves.

NaPoWriMo Day 6

The prompt for day 6 is to write a cinquain, a poetic form where the number of stresses per line is 1-2-3-4-1, and the number of syllables is 2-4-6-8-2. Here is my attempt!

The ISS

At night

Like a beacon

It appears overhead

Tiny capsule traveling fast

To glory.

NaPoWriMo Day 7

The prompt on day 7 is to write a poem in which each line except the last takes the form of a single, declarative sentence. Then, the final line should take the form of a question. Here is my small attempt:

Brighton

Melting-pot city by the sea,

A favourite place of royalty past.

Artists and students share dreams here,

While tourists flock to see the sights.

At night the city glows,

Lights from the pier are seen for miles.

The Royal Pavilion is very grand,

And the Grand Hotel is very fine.

A pebbled beach surrounds the shining sea,

There’s fish and chips for all,

Ice-cream on the sea-front,

So who wants a jolly day out?

NaPoWriMo Day 6

Hi all, and welcome to day 6 of NaPoWriMo 2013. Today's prompt - a poem of farewell. This is a tribute to a wonderful cat named Oscar:

Farewell

A sad goodbye

To a furry friend.

For twenty-two years,

You shared our lives.

A stripy predator,

And a purring lap-cat.

From the day you arrived –

Tiny ball of fur,

So scared you hid,

Beneath the kitchen cupboard.

Until the day you died –

A little old man

Covered in fur,

Resting by the fire.

A rub of your head,

A scratch of an ear,

And you were happy,

An easy life you led,

Ruling with one tabby paw

And a soft meow.

NaPoWriMo Day 3, Er, 4

Unfortunately I've had to skip day 3 of NaPoWriMo, at least temporarily.I do plan  to go back to it, but day 4 is here now for your attention!

The prompt for day 4 is to use a name of a fiction spaceship created by author Iain M Banks as a title. The title I chose was 'Lightly Seared On The Reality Grill'.

Lightly Seared on the Reality Grill

When reality twists, and turns,

Inside out, upside down.

You wake up and think,

You’re in the middle of a dream.

When the mirror cracks,

And you see yourself

As if a stranger,

Wondering at every little thing you do.

Time stops, you hang, frozen,

In a random moment,

Asking what is real,

Living on automatic pilot.

Until…

A sharp shock brings you back,

A faint smell of burning flesh

As you’re toasted lightly,

Seared upon the reality grill.

A tiny scar the only souvenir,

Of a never-forgotten experience.