Aeolus

I've been wanting to write a poem about Aeolus, Keeper of the Winds, for a long time. Last night it wouldn't get out of my head and kept me awake for hours. Today there was no option but to get the ideas onto paper and now the poem is written and re-written. I'll put it aside for a few days and see how it looks later. What a relief, now I can concentrate on something else.

Poetry Competitions

I've been looking at poetry competitions and have submitted to a couple...but I feel that they influence the way I write and inhibit creativity. To have a chance in winning I think you need to know the magazine and their ethos, be familiar with the work of the judge, keep to the given theme, etc...
I'm going to try a few more and then put them aside and get on with writing without constraints...or that is the main idea anyway...maybe I would change my mind if I became a winner!

Poetry Workshops

Today I delivered my first fliers for the Stanza Portugal workshops that I am leading, starting in October. I hope I can find enough poets who are secretly scribbling away in their closets. I think we need at least 10 committed writers to make an interesting and active group. I already have about 6 people showing interest from my other Creative Writing groups, but poets writing in English are not so easy to track down near where I live.

Pencil and Paper

Today I want to edit a poem I wrote a few months ago. The poem itself works, for me anyway, but it looks very weak on the page. The last stanza (5th) tapers off into shorter lines, when really the poem is getting stronger. I hope I can improve the look on the page, without messing up the poem. I'm going to bring out pencil and paper to start with, as I like the tactile contact, the feel of the pencil, the movement on the paper...

Another belated first today...I joined Facebook, and am now busy trying to make sure nobody can find me...neurotic or what?

That Title Again.

That elusive title has been captured at last; Refraction...I was just about to stick a pin into my dictionary but help came, as usual, in the middle of the night.
I've read that there can be problems with posting poems online that you might want to submit to magazines...another area I need to explore.

Poem Titles

I've one poem, written about nine months ago, which I can't find a title for...nothing seems right. Titles are vital for reader expectations and often for reader comprehension.  They have to be enticing and sharp. Surely a title like Aconite has got to be more exciting than The Day I Murdered my Husband with a Poisonous Herb. I know which one I would read first in an anthology.

Chancellor's Gold

This morning a beautiful gold coin was delivered to me. I won the first round of a treasure hunt app called The Chancellor's Gold by Interactive Places Ltd. It's not too late to take part in September's hunt. I did the whole thing online, although if you are in London, you can walk it. You need a logical mind and a lot of perseverance!

The Poetry School

I've just seen the new Autumn programme for The Poetry School. It's full of inspiring courses as usual. I'm thinking about a couple of the online ones. I did two last year and they were brilliant. I learnt a lot from the tutor and also from the other members of the course. It was a great supportive environment.

Copyright.

I suddenly had thoughts about copyright for bloggers and as a result I've been doing some research. It looks like a bit of a grey area but if everything is mine I should be okay....I hadn't given it a thought, but woke up in the middle of the night with some niggling doubts. Phew! There is so much to think about with this blogging adventure.

Winter Aconite

Since thinking up the name for my blog yesterday, I now have the urge to write a poem about Winter Aconite. My poems have a dark side which I think is reflected in this plant. Its enticing yellow flowers pop up in surprising places, trying to seduce us... but it is poisonous throughout.

Belated Blogger!

I've been meaning to set up a blog for a very long time...I just didn't take up the challenge. So today's the day and now I'm fumbling around trying to sort the whole thing out.
Why a blog? To talk to myself about my poetry, workshops, road rage, Pilates, and the other things that are just how it is. 
How often will I post? I've no idea, but at least I've got it going, and will try to post regularly.
Living in Portugal, I'm having trouble changing the language to English...some parts have changed, some haven't but that's just how it is, until I learn otherwise.