Catch Up!

Chapel of Virgins, São Roque Church, Lisbon

Having signed off in November saying I would be back in a week, I have to admit to failure. I got caught up in an event for Time & Tide (Arachne Press), and another event linking poems and photographs for an exhibition in Cascais. This was all at the time of our Stanza reading, followed by Christmas etc. I think my school report would read (and usually did), 'Could do Better'.

I've been having fun putting my pamphlet into order for publication in September by Maytree Press. I keep changing the order of the first two poems, but love the way the poems all seem to connect and chat to each other. I really enjoy the whole process.

I'm happy that I'll have a poem published in Magma's Resistencia issue in the Spring, a theme close to my heart. I've also had a poem accepted by Poetry Birmingham Literary Review, with some helpful editing suggestions by Suna. I'm always grateful to get editing advice and admire any editor who takes the time and trouble.

I feel the year has started well on the poetry front and I seem to be writing more than ever at the moment. The picture above is of the Chapel of Virgins in Lisbon.  Skulls swathed in fabric that looks like ruby dusters, are displayed on velvet cushions. It is decidedly spooky. São Roque is in one of Lisbon's most beautiful churches and I've been trying to write about these skulls and their bizarre altar.

Debut Pamphlet & Aldeburgh Poetry Festival

I'm excited that my debut pamphlet will be published by Maytree Press in the Autumn of 2020. I have a title but am hanging onto it for now! My brain has gone into overdrive with plans for poems, readings etc, but there is a long time to go!

I had a wonderful time at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. I went with my niece, another Olivia, who is now writing poetry. We became known as Olivia&Olivia, which I think would be a great name for a fashion label! For the last few years I've been going on my own, and this was much better. We had a great time.

Maria Isakova Bennett led a workshop on sewing and poetry. She makes the most beautiful hand sewn covers for her Coast to Coast to Coast poetry pamphlets which inspired me to have a go. I won't post the photo of my effort here, well not yet. I also read a poem in the Peter Pears Gallery for the launch of Maria's Aldeburgh edition, where I had a poem about the otters I had seen in the summer on the Isle of Skye. I was recorded reciting it on the beach, which was a new experience. I haven't heard it yet, but I know a dog barked in the middle of it.

I will write more about Aldeburgh next week, as today our Stanza group are giving a reading in São Pedro do Estoril and I need to get prepared. More of that later next week as well.

I bought a huge amount of books & pamphlets at the festival and will have a wonderful time reading them. There were so many wonderful readings that it was hard to resist the temptation. I think I need some new shelves ...

One Year Has Flown

What can I say? A year has passed since my last posting (hangs head in shame) - I've written lots of poems, published a few and have some good news in the offing... 

My Stanza group are busy writing poems for our poetry reading in Estoril in November. It seems to take a lot of organisation. Publicity, printing, organising a venue etc. It's good fun and everyone gets stuck in to help.

I'll be at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival again this year and have a poem in Maria Isakova Bennett's special Aldeburgh anthology of 'Coast to Coast to Coast', so I'll be reading in the Peter Pears Gallery. I'm also going to Maria's workshop that morning 'Poetry and Textiles'. I'm looking forward to it. I used to do a lot of sewing so the idea of sewing my poems really appeals to me, and Maria's work is beautiful.

I've read a lot of books ... oh yes a LOT! I have many favourites: Girl by Rebecca Goss, So Many Rooms by Laura Scott, Reckless Paper Birds by John McCullough, Rock, Paper, Scissors by Richard Osmond, and the amazing Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky. Living between two countries, my books go backwards and forwards and end up all over the place, so it's hard to keep track of them.

A short catch up after a year but I'll 'do better next time'

Happy Writing!

Totleigh Barton

Writing Pod at Totleigh Barton

I'm just back from an inspiring few days at Arvon's Totleigh Barton and feel so lucky to have been tutored by Liz Berry and Ian Duhig. It was a tutored poetry retreat which suited me beautifully as I'm not so good at workshops when you have to write really quickly. The time was my own, to work on my poems, except for one tutorial a day. My room was next to the  poetry library, so I had a wonderful time reading, as well as writing.

I'm putting a pamphlet together and was stuck on title and themes. This retreat sorted it all out. The success of these courses is also very dependent on the people involved. This was an amazing group of about 16 and we seemed to get on from the moment we arrived. The tutors were so generous with their time, joined in with everything, gave us so much invaluable help with our work, and we all had a lot of laughs together.

The weather was beautiful, autumn at its most stunning, and Totleigh Barton was magical.

I'm sad it's over but also have lots of ideas for my poems that I want to get started on.

The first weekend of November is the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival and I seem to have booked tickets to a huge amount of events. I love this poetry festival. Aldeburgh is a lovely seaside town, with a fascinating musical history, and I'm looking forward to it. But for now, I want to hang on to my memories of Totleigh Barton.

The Cinema Museum

Last week I was in London for the launch of Magma 71 at The Cinema Museum. It's an amazing place and was the workhouse where Charlie Chaplin went as a child. There was no time to explore the museum but I'll certainly go back there. The launch of Magma 71 was wonderful and included film poems, and 4 films responding to the same poem by Carrie Etter. I was lucky enough to have my poem 'Running from The Magnificent Seven with a Love Heart' in this issue so was able to read it, despite an argument with the microphone. I have no idea how to speak into a microphone and need to go and get some practise, as I found it fairly daunting. Luckily the atmosphere was brilliant and I loved the evening.

With England having a heatwave, I feel happy to be in Sintra where it is much cooler than usual. The mornings are misty and when the sun breaks through the temperature only reaches about 22 degrees.

The family start arriving this weekend and poetry, although it carries on in my head, gets put aside for a few weeks. I have so many wonderful books on my bedside table to dip into at night. I'm still returning to Sarah Corbett's 'A Perfect Mirror' and 'To Sweeten Bitter' by Raymond Antrobus. I've also gone back to Miriam Nash's wonderful collection 'All the Prayers in the House' as I've signed up for an Arvon tutored retreat in October where Miriam will be the guest tutor. I'm looking forward to going as I need the time and space to work on my pamphlet. 

Meanwhile there are two books winging their way to me in the post: Robert Peake's Cyclone and Richard McCaffery's Passport. Can't wait!

Just a little break ...

Too long a break! I was fed up with not being able to get into my blog, and then, having sorted it out, I kind of lost the impetus to carry on. Anyway, somehow today, the spirit moved me. 

I was very happy to have a poem published in The Paper Swans Press Pocket Poetry Book of Love & also one in PPB of Weddings (see photo). Another poem is coming out in Magma's next issue on cinema and I'm going to be in London next week for the launch so I'll be reading at The Cinema Museum.

I've been concentrating on my pamphlet and love working on it. The poems move around, some are taken out, new ones put in, so it is fairly organic, but I now feel it is as complete as it will ever be. I just need to find it a home.

I've read some wonderful poetry over the past few months. Sarah Corbett's The Perfect Mirror is a beautiful collection and I find myself reading it again and again. She was my tutor at Lancaster and I know how lucky I am to have been taught by her. Raymond Antrobus' To Sweeten Bitter is another book that has really impressed me and I keep going back to it. On days when I find it hard to write, I just have to dip into a poetry book and be inspired by what I find inside. 

Blogger problems

I've had problems getting back into this blog. Somehow I was locked out and I'm not sure if it's working properly yet. This is a trial to see what's going on. When I sign out I'm finding it hard to get back in, so maybe it's time to try a new blog site.

Tirimbina Suspension Bridge

Costa Rica was quite an adventure and has led to my writing a sequence of 5 poems helped by my online clinic with Bill Greenwell. The swing bridge in the photo is the longest in CR and terrified me. The poems are loosely based on 'fear' as I also had to cope with Howler Monkeys who roar like lions and swing through the canopy, trading insults with rival groups of howlers. We also arrived on the day of an earthquake and my bed shook all night!

I had a poem (Kissing Gate) published in Paper Swans Press 'Love' pamphlet in February, which was a very happy start to the year.  

I'm going to sign off now and see if I can get back in again. If not, I shall start a new blog elsewhere :-(