Write yourself a life

Write yourself a life

Live at least some of your life. Start anywhere (even the future). Jump around the faded map of time. Find an object left over from a closed chapter… Colours? Shape? Texture? Smell? Scribble down whatever comes to mind. Knock that tumble of words into shape. Start writing an episode. Call yourself Freda or Fred. Tweak … Read more

Life ground down, reborn

Life ground down, reborn

The last breath escapes. Flesh goes up in smoke; bones are ground down. Scattered ash under yew tree is covered with fallen leaves. Bones deeper down, still whole, are entangled with roots. A headstone points to the sky. This grave acre where spire’s shadow falls is teeming with life. Worms work; birds perch to peck … Read more

a poem embodied?

a poem embodied?

all of a sudden brain ripples  °  words tumble onto the page and into the air  °  music of language, set free by the tongue and the lung, dances in other ears   °°°   time chisels the marks on the page into elegant shape  °  other brains ripple – other tongues sound out the music   °°°  … Read more

A web of green strands

A web of green strands

i trace my finger over the paper fragile map falling into square fragments green patches and lines Birmingham Greenways canal paths and streams woodland and grassland riverside willows walking and cycling criss-crossing railways roads in the background here urban wildlife comes into focus Birmingham’s secret how many glad hours i’ve spent on these routes pedals … Read more