Pages: 25 Edge Hill Poets: Leigh Harlett

Pages: 25 Edge Hill Poets: Leigh Harlett: Partners in Crime POETICS Start with a single line / a phrase / a concept / a sequence. Ruminate on this beginning, on this ...

VANESSA GEBBIE'S BLOG: PROPRIOCEPTIVE WRITING

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Pages: 25 Edge Hill Poets: Steven Fletcher

Pages: 25 Edge Hill Poets: Steven Fletcher:   As a mature student, 47 years old at enrolment, I have found the BA Creative Writing course to be a life enriching experience. It giv...

This Isn't Very Interesting, But...

I've got a lot of things on my mind at the minute, a lot of things I want to do, and I just want to let you all know that I'm hoping to getting round to being more active soon.

It makes me smile that I managed to blog fairly effortlessly for twenty-three days straight back in January '13. It was a really 'meaty' time, in the sense there was plenty to chew over, lots of flavour and purpose, and I enjoyed it. I've recently started a new job, so have a new routine etc, but I think I'm getting back to a place where I can get cracking more readily with writing projects here and there. Yesterday after work, in fact, I had a nice wee sit outside in the sunshine, bourbon in hand, and wrote out a little scene. Would've got more done had my pen not been so temperamental, but that's neither here nor there...

One of the main things I'm missing is giving you updates on how certain things have been going. I don't mean in a general way, like I'm doing now - I mean with stuff like last year's diary project, this year's 'line a day', what blogs I've liked recently, reviews etc etc. I don't think there's anyone out there that's worrying whether I keep them in the loop or not, but hey, as I've always said, ruminating like this is at the very least useful for me. Above that I hope that it gives other folk [writers and 'civilians' alike] a sense of affirmation, or even inspiration. Maybe some amusement too.

So yeah, this isn't very interesting, but I'm still here [somewhere], I still want to do things [some the same as before, some different] and... well... I'm bimbling along. Maybe not bimbling 'nicely', but bimbling nevertheless.

P.S. I'm thinking about setting up a website for myself soon too. It's not as narcissistic as it sounds, and could actually be useful in looking for other work and whatnot. Got the idea from an old school mate, whose site you can check out here.

Peter Barlow's Cigarette #13

Wow and eek. Need I say more? I needn't, but will anyway... I'm set to read at the next Peter Barlow's Cigarette which is both a massive privilege [hence the 'wow'], but pretty scary too [hence the 'eek']. I'd like to thank Richard Barrett for both of these tri-lettered ejaculations, as he was instrumental in getting me on the list.

Yeah, the more I think about it, the more the 'eek' boils in my stomach... I've only read out in public once before at Storm and Golden Sky, and that was different in a number of ways. Temporally different: a time when I didn't have the work pressures I do now, restricting time to write [and drink]. Conceptually different: set up by, amongst others, a very supportive ex-tutor, which made me feel I was in a very safe environment. Geographically different: doesn't make a right lot of difference, but at least I knew where I was going last time.

The eek's shriek gets shriller when the 'wow' of the other poets is positioned next to it. It's nuts to be on the same bill as all these talents. I follow Allen, Ashcroft, Barrett, Taylor, Thurston, so they're the big stars for me, but I know of plenty of the others, and know that by virtue of their inclusion they're of a high standard. I'm not saying this as a 'pity me' thing, but I feel a fraud next to them.

Having said that, I'm going to give it as good a go as I can. I have something promising [in my own words...], some things haikuy, a more conceptual idea - which'll depend on if I get time to try it - and, of course, there's a deconstructivist piece I could dust off. And now the 'wow' feeling rises again!

Click on the links below to find out more about the event. Hope to see you there.

Peter Barlow's Cigarette #13 on Facebook
Peter Barlow's Cigarette on Twitter
Peter Barlow's Cigarette on Tumblr [with nice videos]

And if you want any more than that, then quite frankly you're greedy.

Pages: 25 Edge Hill Poets: Anthony Arnott

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Pages: 25 Edge Hill Poets: Jason Argleton: dip                                     mist we called it fog would have done as well a haze             in the dip of the roa...