For this week's earthweal challenge, Sherry has given us the following call to action: In the midst of everything going topsy-turvy, in a dark-hearted world, let’s pick up our pens and direct our faltering hope, our vision – OUR LIGHT – in what may very well be our last gasp at the brink of the... Continue Reading →
I often think of Walla Crag as a non-identical twin to Catbells. As a peak, it is nowhere near as distinctive, though it is similar in height, at 379 m (1,243 ft). It stands above Derwentwater's eastern shore, while Catbells rises proudly opposite to the west. The ascent is easier, but affords similarly stunning views. It also... Continue Reading →
Today's reading is a wonderful chant-poem from the poet RedCat, one of a series of chants and incantations which lead into the finale of The Anthropocene Hymnal: 'Mother of Creation' read by RedCat RedCatRedCat's love for music and dance sings clearly in The Poet's Symphony (Raw Earth Ink, 2020). Passion for playing rhythms and rhymes,... Continue Reading →
My poem 'So long' is published at Spillwords Press today. I am most grateful to Dagmara and the team at Spillwords for their continued support of my work. Here's a taster of the poem, which is a bit of a tearjerker: I will not buy it on my flesh so hard,so long;no longer will I... Continue Reading →
It's three years, almost to the day, since I started work on my first novel, The Folks across the River. My eldest son had returned to school, and my youngest had just started nursery. For the first time in at least a year, I had some valuable 'me' time. And I wasn't about to spend... Continue Reading →
Today's reading comes courtesy of Lisa Fox, whose delightful poem of love for and affinity with nature is a welcome addition to The Anthropocene Hymnal. You can hear her reading below. Lisa Fox reads 'The Sycamores of Sweet Street.' The Featured Image is of a Sweet Street Sycamore, kindly provided by Lisa. Lisa FoxLisa Fox... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScjdHZ78YD8 The moon is hung midway in the sky;it lights on the waterwhere cradled am I;gondola-rocked in my lullaby:The Lullaby of Venice. The footsteps of tourists have fallen awayas they all tend to do at the end of the dayto their hostels and hotels they’ve wended their waywith nary a cry, onlyThe Lullaby of Venice... Continue Reading →
Those of you who have been following this site for a while may be aware I suffer from a chronic health condition known as PMDD. I haven't written a PMDD post in some time, because I realise it may not be relevant to most of my readers. Nevertheless, I believe it is important to raise... Continue Reading →
I don’t write poems slowly:I’ve only twenty minutes before the kids get upyou see, I’m raising two pueris aeternaand I guess, puella aeterna, you could have once called me...Not nowI’ve learned the value of the slow. I’ve been reading Dorothy Wordsworth’s journals, how her brotherspent weeks, months or even yearsdrafting a poem (what luxury!)and how... Continue Reading →
Today, I bring you another walk from Wordsworth's Grasmere, which is a good choice when the weather isn't excellent (as so often happens in the Lake District!): it doesn't visit the tops of any fells, but the scenery is interesting and varied even in wet and cloudy weather. Just bring the correct footwear, as the... Continue Reading →
