It is September. I’m in that ‘doing too much, not doing enough’ frame of mind.

It’s been a lovely poetry year so far though. I went on a pretty fantastic poetry holiday to Allmersera Vella near Allicante, where I learned all sorts of amazing things from the great Mimi Khalvati. I can seriously say that I have never simultaneously both taken poetry as seriously and not seriously. I’m not even sure that last sentence makes sense – but I did laugh and cry.

http://www.oldolivepress.com

My pamphlet “The Swell” came to see me fully formed from the printers. It looks beautiful. The cover is just wonderful. The Telltale Press cover designer is Hannah Clare – she is super talented. The Pamphlet is edited by Robin Houghton and Sarah Barnsley from Telltale Press – big thanks to them. The Launch is going to be in Tunbridge Wells on October 5th. Let me know if you’d like to come.

I had poems published in High Window, Tears in the Fence and Obsessed with Pipework and one just accepted in the South. I’m really pleased that my poem about the Tudely Church near Five Oak Green (near Tonbridge) got accepted. It is one of my earlier poems and I liked it at the time then lost faith – thinking it too narrative and possibly  sentimental. It is about the young woman, Sarah, depicted in Chagall’s windows in All Saint’s Church. It is also about Sarah’s mother – and grief.

http://www.tudeley.org/chagallwindows.htm

I have also won my first poetry competition. The Paragrammer Paradox poetry prize! The judge was Claire Dyer – must have been a tough job, and I’m really pleased she picked my poem “Beast” from a strong field of poems.

Paragram Paradox Prize – The Winners

I’m also going to be at the Free Verse London Poetry Book Fair on the 17th September. I’m going with Seig Babar, Sarah Barnsley and Peter Kenny – The Telltale Poetry Book Cru. We are also going to be reading in the evening – so come watch us.

I’m also putting the final touches together to my first full collection – working title is “Darshan”. More of this – later!

Meanwhile… I’m hanging out with my poetry chums as well as progressing a very exciting Ekphrastic artist/photographer/poet collaboration with some rather groovy people. More of this – Later!

So now we are properly back to school!