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This week, I think I have moved a little closer to finding the art of my heart... at the very least what I appreciate the most in others. The trouble with this sort of realisation is that you think you've been working hard, but there's going to be lots to do yet.
On Wednesday I went to the big smoke in that there London to see my mate Ian Whates interview the marvellous Liz Williams. It was a fascinating night and some of the discussion was also pretty useful to me in gleaning the perspective of a modern practitioner of witchcraft (Liz)as I am writing the bulk of the 1612: the witch trials of Northampton exhibition. also nice to have a little drinkie with some of my pals from sf.
On Thursday I joined in with the Milton Keynes massive once again and headed to Bilston - my old town in the Black Country - to a packed out Bilston Voices in the Cafe Metro. This is the baby of Emmma Purshouse, who most ably MC'd the night, and a sweet gig it is too. It was lovely to be able to meet up with Jane Seabourne and Eileen Ward-Birch, also of the now sadly defunct Wimmin Wot Wroight. Unfortunately, my dad was waylaid by motorway traffic on the way home, so I didn't get to see him there.
The evening was kicked off by Al Barz reading some of Geoff Stevens' poems in tribute to him. With Geoff's passing, the poetry scene is missing one of its great and good.
Then we had readings from newcomer Alan Glover, who had poems about his depression to make you think... and smile. More smiles came from Lichfield poet Janet Jenkins. I liked her frog poem a lot.
Then I came on, and according to Gary Longden's review, I performed with brio and chutzpah... I like that... makes it sound like a crime-fighting duo. Or maybe a music hall act in the Edwardian style - Brio and Chutzpah! I was presumably their Betty: Brio, Chutzpah and Betty.
Penultimate act was the very brilliant new bard of Stony Stratford, Danni Antagonist, whose poems are extremely well-crafted, the narratives touching light as a butterfly wing, leaving hurricanes of thinking in their wake. I think Embrace is a new favourite of mine.
Mark Niel is newly a full-time professional poet and actor and he writes and performs with extreme skill. His poems' themes are light-hearted and universal, and very entertaining and though I might not be prepared to take off my shirt in the middle of a poem like he does (sorry, I know some of you are disappointed by this), I look to him and Danni for inspiration and guidance down this road of performance poetry. I'm so very glad they took me along with them.
It was a fun night... also I sold some magazines (which paid for my share of the petrol,yay!) and I inroduced Mark and Danni to the delights of the Black Country orange chip! Nom, nom, nom.
On Friday N and I went back to Milton Keynes to see the amazing Jordan Reyne play The Stables Studio and we made a little 'sf' table with our friends Jessica and Cris. Jordan is also someone we know from the world of sf, and though I have been in love with her sound for a while, N hadn't really heard any... so I had that lovely moment you get when you introduce your partner to new music and you see the look on their face that says this is the best thing, ever! To be honest, the lot of us were astounded at just how brilliant and accomplished she is live. If you have not heard her, check out www.jordanreyne.com and then make sure you get to one of her future gigs. Her music is a mix of Trent Reznor and traditional folk, flavours you think will never work on paper... but they so do! She has the kudos of awards and a cult following, but she deserves to be immensely famous.
Then of course, the weekend went too quickly... full of meetings and work and housework. But you know what? I am feeling super organised. I know what I need to do and I think I'm going down the right road now. Wish me luck!
On Wednesday I went to the big smoke in that there London to see my mate Ian Whates interview the marvellous Liz Williams. It was a fascinating night and some of the discussion was also pretty useful to me in gleaning the perspective of a modern practitioner of witchcraft (Liz)as I am writing the bulk of the 1612: the witch trials of Northampton exhibition. also nice to have a little drinkie with some of my pals from sf.
On Thursday I joined in with the Milton Keynes massive once again and headed to Bilston - my old town in the Black Country - to a packed out Bilston Voices in the Cafe Metro. This is the baby of Emmma Purshouse, who most ably MC'd the night, and a sweet gig it is too. It was lovely to be able to meet up with Jane Seabourne and Eileen Ward-Birch, also of the now sadly defunct Wimmin Wot Wroight. Unfortunately, my dad was waylaid by motorway traffic on the way home, so I didn't get to see him there.
The evening was kicked off by Al Barz reading some of Geoff Stevens' poems in tribute to him. With Geoff's passing, the poetry scene is missing one of its great and good.
Then we had readings from newcomer Alan Glover, who had poems about his depression to make you think... and smile. More smiles came from Lichfield poet Janet Jenkins. I liked her frog poem a lot.
Then I came on, and according to Gary Longden's review, I performed with brio and chutzpah... I like that... makes it sound like a crime-fighting duo. Or maybe a music hall act in the Edwardian style - Brio and Chutzpah! I was presumably their Betty: Brio, Chutzpah and Betty.
Penultimate act was the very brilliant new bard of Stony Stratford, Danni Antagonist, whose poems are extremely well-crafted, the narratives touching light as a butterfly wing, leaving hurricanes of thinking in their wake. I think Embrace is a new favourite of mine.
Mark Niel is newly a full-time professional poet and actor and he writes and performs with extreme skill. His poems' themes are light-hearted and universal, and very entertaining and though I might not be prepared to take off my shirt in the middle of a poem like he does (sorry, I know some of you are disappointed by this), I look to him and Danni for inspiration and guidance down this road of performance poetry. I'm so very glad they took me along with them.
It was a fun night... also I sold some magazines (which paid for my share of the petrol,yay!) and I inroduced Mark and Danni to the delights of the Black Country orange chip! Nom, nom, nom.
On Friday N and I went back to Milton Keynes to see the amazing Jordan Reyne play The Stables Studio and we made a little 'sf' table with our friends Jessica and Cris. Jordan is also someone we know from the world of sf, and though I have been in love with her sound for a while, N hadn't really heard any... so I had that lovely moment you get when you introduce your partner to new music and you see the look on their face that says this is the best thing, ever! To be honest, the lot of us were astounded at just how brilliant and accomplished she is live. If you have not heard her, check out www.jordanreyne.com and then make sure you get to one of her future gigs. Her music is a mix of Trent Reznor and traditional folk, flavours you think will never work on paper... but they so do! She has the kudos of awards and a cult following, but she deserves to be immensely famous.
Then of course, the weekend went too quickly... full of meetings and work and housework. But you know what? I am feeling super organised. I know what I need to do and I think I'm going down the right road now. Wish me luck!
