Robin launches 'The Mayday Diaries'

Friday and some time this morning to finalise what I was going to read tonight and collect together a few books and so on. Lorraine really busy, shopping with James for the shower tomorrow, doing the last stitches of the secret project, ferried Pat and Maureen from the pub with their new friend also called Maureen. After a wee snooze, I caught the half five train to Lewes, and sauntered over to the Elephant and Castle and sat quietly for a bit and drank a shandy. 

Today was the launch of Robin's The Mayday Diaries and she had been kind enough to ask me to read with her. She also asked Catherine Smith to join us. We discussed beforehand that we wanted to make it fairly informal, and a bit chatty like the podcast. When Nick and Robin arrived, we went upstairs and Robin and I arranged the chairs for the reading. Palo arrived early, with two prints which we put on chairs to be seen. I joked to Palo that she was my show and tell. Soon people were turning up. Many of the audience were mutual poet friends of Robin and I like  Charlotte, SJB, Stephen Bone, Jeremy Page, Antony Mair plus non poet pals like Mark and Carol, Tim and Guy, and Steve and Patrick arrived from Seaford too.

 We settled in bantered a bit with Catherine about Telltale, Planet Poetry and so on. Robin introduced me, and we also took the opportunity to thank everyone for the many supportive roles people in the audience had played. I read Root and Branch, because it was Liberation Day and it gave me a chance to brag that the Bishop of Southampton had once based his Liberation Day service on it, all of Snow, after introducing Palo and getting her to talk about the genesis of her pictures. I think she enjoyed this opportunity. Not wanting to go on too long I read Chrononaut and bowed out and handed over. Robin then read I think six poems from the book -- and I rounded it off by giving a big thank you to Robin. 

Robin read really well, and people were very enthusiastic talking to me about her poems. There was a really convivial party like atmosphere. Robin and Nick had arrived with some bubbly too. Robin sold out of books, and my bag was considerably lighter on the way home. We'd set out chairs for thirty but a few more were needed.

Lorraine drove Palo home, and I stayed at the end lurking with Robin and Nick, Catherine, SJB and Charlotte. Catherine had played a blinder for us, and was really good at asking people to buy books. I felt very lucky to be part of all this. 

I walked to the station with SJB and one of Robin's pals Lucy. Hopped on the train, which only went as far as Newhaven. Fortunately there was a bus and after talking to Lorraine on the phone, I went to The Cinque Ports to meet Steve and Patrick. Patrick particularly had been very kind after the reading, saying that he was moved by everything he's ever heard me read.

A lively scene in the Cinque Ports, with a very cheery barmaid who floated around the pub chatting to people, and when she poured your pints gave you an extra slurp for free. She was also wearing quite a bosomy dress, which made her the archetypical barmaid. She said her and her colleague dress like this on a Friday, and call it 'tits out Friday'. A slightly surreal end to the day.

Had a fried egg sandwich after midnight, and slipped into bed beside my lovely wife feeling good about how the event went. I also felt somehow, that being relaxed and inclusive and vulnerable is the way to go. I felt good about who I am, which is a rare but good feeling. 

Two rather stern looking photos Lorraine snapped from the front row. It was actually a very cheery  event. Catherine afterwards told people that she hadn't got the memo about clothes. I didn't even notice at the time that Robin and I were wearing similar things.