Matthew Smith of Black Bough Poetry has curated 2 volumes of wonderful poems inspired by Robert Macfarlanes’s ‘Underland: A Deep Time Journey’.
Delighted to see my deep time poem ‘Precious’ in volume 2, under the section ‘Liquid walls’. Both volumes, which include fabulous artwork by Rebecca Wainwright, are available from Amazon, details can be found here.
The lovely Kate has decided a bonus ‘Joy’ edition of the Failure Baler is required, and I couldn’t agree more. It will be out and about mid December, including my joyful poem ‘ Mid-engined 1990 Mazda Bongo’ (which is now in van heaven.) This edition can be received by request from: thefailurebaler@outlook.com.
I’ve always been interested in ekphrastic poetry, and was lucky enough to attend some of Rachel Carney’s inspiring sessions in Cardiff. My poem ‘Walking Home’ inspired by Moses Salihou‘s ‘Unbreakable’ artwork (below) has been accepted for publication in The Ekphrastic Review‘s 5 year anniversary anthology, which I’m very excited about. The free ebook can be downloaded here.
Absolutely delighted with a New Year’s Eve gift, of nomination for a Pushcart Prize, by the industrious Matthew Smith of Black Bough Poetry. A very lovely surprise indeed.
Words for the Wild latest theme was the extraordinary Gilbert White. My poem ‘We understand, Gilbert White and I, while in Selborne architecting’ now features on their website here. This is such a special poem to me as 20 years ago or so I used to work in Hampshire, very close to Selborne (Gilbert White’s village) and spent most of some very happy years exploring the manmade and natural environment there. I was privileged to work for the delightful Richard Ashby at his architectural practice, just outside the village.
The ever-inventive and original IceFloe Press headed by the multi-talented Robert Kenter is running a Pandemic Dispatches series on their website which now features my poem ‘Dwelling’, alongside one of Robert’s original paintings. I am so pleased to be part of this initiative.
Iamb – wave 8 launch
On the 15th December Wave 8 of Iambapoet will be live, and I am delighted to be included alongside 14 other poets. Mark Anthony Owens has created a gorgeous interface where you can view and listen to 3 poems by each poet.
12 days of Christmas poem
I’m delighted that my poem ‘Robin’ will be included in the Ink, Sweat & Tears Twelve Days of Christmas feature, on 29th December 2021. There is an online launch 12th December hosted by ‘Live from the Butchery’. More details soon.
Walk.Listen.Create has announced their 12 piece shortlist for their ‘Walking Home’ writing competition, which I’m very pleased my poem ‘Returning’ has made.
Shortlisted pieces will be showcased during Sound Walk September 2022, on 25th Sept. at a public online event in which the shortlisted authors and poets will be invited to read their work. The judges will be asked to choose their winner and runner up in both the poetry and prose categories, for which the winners will be invited to be a walk · listen · create on-line Poet- or Writer-in-residence for 2022/3.
I am the writer of the month, and have a feature page, as part of the wonderful Black Bough Poetry, Silver Branch series. I feel honoured to be part of this selection of poets, from this generous Welsh press, run by the multitalented Matthew MC Smith.