under another sun

Up late, after sitting in bed with Lorraine and working on a letter she needs to send out to parents. Then up and my lovely wife cooked a sunday roast chicken for lunch. Then I was collected by Robin and we drove up to the South Bank this afternoon to attend the TS Eliot awards shortlist reading at the South Bank - which is the biggest poetry reading on the year's calendar and features readings from the cream of the crop of last year's poetry publications. Robin's car on its last legs, and about to be replaced by one big enough to take Nick's keyboard, a heavy organ. The motorway blocked by an accident so it took us quite a while to get there. But we'd set out early, so there was plenty of time. A brilliant way to get a snapshot of what's happening in poetry. Most interesting of the eight finalists to me were Claudia Rankine and Sarah Howe. Claudia read a long poem about identity, saying something like we should consider ourselves architects of the personal ...

Off to London this afternoon to meet Amanda in the Salisbury, almost at the end of her six week trip to the UK, Poland and Germany. The good ol' gin palace looking a treat, and lovely to catch up with Mandy in meatspace. Heard about her trip to Germany for a vast games fair where she shared a stand and sold some of her games. Sounds like a different world. Stupidly I forgot to take a photo for this blog. Boo. Amanda off to see Bob Dylan, and I slipped off to Cork Street where Tamar Yoseloff was having the launch for her New and Selected poetry collection called A Formula for Night in the Redfern Gallery. She gave a short and excellent reading to a packed room and signed my copy. Nice to say howdy to a few poets and chat to Nancy Mattson about the Canadian election, and meet an interesting woman called called Nancy Campbell, who has been spending lots of time in Greenland and writing poems about it. Home on the train reading poems from Tammy's book and really liking them wh...

Off then at the crack of dawn, feeling sweaty and wretched up to Red Lion Square where the annual poetry book fair was being held. I stupidly left my phone in my study so missed calls and so on. Wheeling a case heavy with cards and stuff to give away on the Telltale stand. Not feeling well, but I  managed to enjoy the day. Said hello to a few people I know, and have nice chats with Sarah Barnsley and Siegfried Baber and Robin -- made it so much better being in a gang. Said hello to some old acquaintances such as Tamar Yoseloff, and Nancy Mattson, even Dinah Livingstone, who did not remember me but (naturally) remembered  my old palTim Gallagher, and lots of people I vaguely recognised. Also chats with people on their stands, one told me I looked like a radio personality. Later he came up to Siegfried and I grabbing a sandwich in the park, and told us he had a head injury. Nice friendly guy. But the world of English poetry in London is a strange aquarium. It made me think o...

Managed to sleep for six hours so consequently felt far more alive. Taking care of business this morning and met Robin and Catherine Smith on the train to Victoria late this afternoon as we travelled up to the Poetry Cafe. I'm learning a lot from Catherine and Robin and how they go about being poets, Catherine's ability to critique is impressive. A bite to eat in the cafe, till Siegfried Baber arrived having travelled from Bath. I felt quite twitchy wondering if anyone was going to turn up on a working Wednesday in January, but we actually had a full house. Really good to see Rhona, who I'd not seen in person for many years, nor hear her read. She read from her latest book Ex-ville . Because Rhona was there, Nancy Mattson and Tammy Yoseloff, both old friends not seen for around 20 years came too, and it was great to see them, and made me feel as if I hadn't been entirely forgotten. My reading was good, and went well. I mixed some new work in with the old. I was foll...