Friday Poetry Round Up

Scraps of poems welcome

Photo by Jazmin Quaynor on Unsplash

Hello again,

How the hell are you?

And how are you finding Poetry Pals so far, dare I ask? Has your poetry reading increased? Dare I mention writing? (I am asking this sheepishly because I’ve been going through a sticky patch. I’d written just a few scraps of poems this year so far, up until this week. I’m having fun though - so much the point!)

In fact, let me ask that properly…

Please don’t answer the last one. It will kill me, ha. Ooh actually it might give me some poetry material. No, it won’t. Don’t do it.

Anyways, totally off topic.

How did you find our writing prompt - eight ways of looking at something? I have to tell you, I ruddy loved it. I’ve not quite got a poem but I was away with some friends at the weekend and sat in semi-darkness at 6am (damn the old body-clock not recognising when a kid is, for once, not gonna wake me up), huddled over a notebook, wrapped in a blanket (this is sounding like some sort of Jane Austin novel), I wrote about ways to look at a beach. I believe

Zoe Gardiner

was with me (not actually with me, we just both happened to comment to say we were writing at the same time, which felt rather lovely).

I want to spend some more time editing it, then I’ll share the full thing. But look, poetry!!!

1.	Close up. Coat your seaweed scented shoes in shingle sprinkles. Speed-date shells until you find one to pocket and fondle later with a distracted finger. Work your toes until you loosen the grains. How many are there on a beach? 1,000,000,000,000? Marvel at the fact some things can never be certain. Subtract the 100,000 grains you leave with, unwittingly. 

Yes, I had to Google how to write that number. No, I’m still not sure I’ve got it right.

Ok my friends, oh, almost forgot. I re-discovered this small but mighty poem flicking through my phone this week. Do you know of Joy Sullivan? She is releasing her first poetry book in the Spring. I am very much hoping we can do it as a poetry book club choice because she writes THE most incredible poetry. Her Substack is well worth a read, if you don’t already. Anyways, here’s an example:

Joy Sullian, Why read poetry if it won’t make you rich

THIS is why we are here, no?

This is why I am hoping you are gonna drop me a quick comment and say hi and let me know how your week has been. Even if that’s to say I only got a scrap of a poem. Or a full marvel of a thing. Or I didn’t write any poetry but but I found a good one that I think you’ll like. Or I didn’t write any but I did notice that when a puppy’s paws are too big for it’s body it is possibly the cutest thing ever.

Over to you x