Anthology 2011

I recently joined a wonderful writing group Write Now! that meets up in Woolpit every other week, so I have been getting some much needed feedback for my writing. Sometimes we are given a theme to write about but we can also bring our own poems and stories that we are working on.
The Write Now! Anthology is to be launched from the Waterstones book store in Bury St Edmunds on 17th November 2011. It is a fab mix of short stories and poems, which are very varied in style and content. I have three poems inpsired by different parts of the UK.
I am very excited as I have not had a poem published since I was six - about the seaside!

Book on Greenwich

Wesley and I are thinking of producing a book on Greenwich - perhaps looking at the more hidden aspects of its history. We have thought of a title but as yet I am keeping it a secret! We would cover different aspects of the Borough, and these will be broken down into chapters - for example: Royal Greenwich, Maritime Greenwich, and Industrial Greenwich. There is scope for perhaps a Forgotten Greenwich chapter as well - maybe for those bits of the town that have now disappeared. For this we may need an archive of old photos and people's memories of what was originally here. The idea is hopefully to produce pictures of what Greenwich is in reality (no historical reconstructions from me - yet!), but also what it means to people, and how it may be changing, but it is still a very distinct part of London with its own stories, communities and landscape. The sadness lies in the fact that distinct areas of London (and many other towns) are fast becoming amalgamated into one, and we need to capture the uniqueness of Greenwich before it disappears forever.

New and exciting website of London - London View

Wesley and laura's new website:

We want to create a website where it is easy for people to buy our work - we may theme this website on London as most of our work seems to be based in and around the city. It would be good to have something with PayPal in order that people can easily transfer money at the click of a button. Also we would have prices of work, sizes, whether it has sold, mediums used etc.

London View is a possible title for the site...
(we wanted London Captured - but they already had that one!)
If you think of a better name, tell us!
email me your suggestions!

An online shop of images of London that can be purchased for a small fee!!!
etchings, paintings, sketches, etc. - my preferred theme is all things derelict and falling apart, but there may be pictures of more well known London landmarks as well.

Listening to Eric Clapton

Listening to Eric Clapton whilst sorting out all my artynesses - tomorrow I'm going to the east end to search out some bits of bridge - there's some by brick lane and kingsland road of an old disused line that ran from Broad Street. I need to make sure my project is wide-ranging - i.e. doesn't just look at Southwark. At the moment I am collating my work for my portfolio - there is an archaeological theme of course! I have a mix of artefact drawings, some more expressive pieces, reconstruction, section drawings and stuff from my book. Just finishing my Mississippi Delta Blues project as well - Bessie Smith and the singers of the Classic Blues period (1920s-ish)...

Poetry critique

I've sent some poems off to the Poetry Society to critique - it costs slightly less as I am a member. We shall see what they say! I also got sent a free book and CD of this really cool poet (Felix Dennis) called "Island Dreams". Check out:

www.felixdennis.com

woo!

Favourite Poem

My favourite poem on the other hand is by Robert Frost!

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

This poem is just really simple and beautiful - it makes me think of being all warm and snuggly inside with the snow outside, like the feeling at Christmas time! I love all Robert Frost stuff!!!

Horrible poem! But so horrible, it's quite good! Is this the worst poem in the world??

A Tragedy
Theophilus Marzials

Death! Plop.The barges down in the river flop.
Flop, plop.
Above, beneath.From the slimy branches the grey drips drop,As they scraggle black on the thin grey sky,Where the black cloud rack-hackles drizzle and flyTo the oozy waters, that lounge and flopOn the black scrag piles, where the loose cords plop,As the raw wind whines in the thin tree-top.
Plop, plop.
And scudding byThe boatmen call out hoy! and hey!All is running water and sky,
And my head shrieks -- "Stop,"
And my heart shrieks -- "Die."* * * * * My thought is running out of my head;My love is running out of my heart,My soul runs after, and leaves me as dead,For my life runs after to catch them -- and fledThey all are every one! -- and I stand, and start,At the water that oozes up, plop and plop,On the barges that flop And dizzy me dead. I might reel and drop. Plop. Dead.
And the shrill wind whines in the thin tree-top Flop, plop.* * * * *A curse on him. Ugh! yet I knew -- I knew --If a woman is false can a friend be true?It was only a lie from beginning to end --
My Devil -- My "Friend"I had trusted the whole of my living to!
Ugh; and I knew!
Ugh!
So what do I care,And my head is empty as air --
I can do,
I can dare,
(Plop, plop
The barges flop
Drip drop.)
I can dare! I can dare!And let myself all run away with my headAnd stop.
Drop.
Dead.
Plop, flop. Plop.

Just wow!