under another sun

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...

A bit of an intense day. Feeling very tired, and working hard too with Fernanda the Brazilian art director. A sustaining lunch of baked potato, beans and cheese then, after work, walked off to The Poetry Cafe. On the way there I was crossing a road, and the lights changed. A psychopath in a Addison Lee cab almost killed me, driving right at me at high speed, and forcing me to leap out of the way.  I banged on his window and shared some of my opinions while the driver grinned at me infuriatingly. It rattled me.  Arrived at the poetry cafe early and met Robin and one of her old school friends. Our two other poets for the night arrived.  Rishi very much flavour of the month poetry wise, who happens to work at my old agency in Hammersmith, and Anja arrived from Switzerland. Lorraine arrived early to help and be supportive.  In the audience Mum, Lakshmi and her pal Rachel, Craig and Mel and Karam arrived. Good to see Lakshmi, who I've not seen for some time, and C...