Another Place

My 93-year old uncle is a twin and the last of three brothers, one of whom was my dad. Determined to be as independent as possible, he is still in his own home with carers visiting twice a day.  Last week I paid him a visit.  Coaches are my least favourite travel method, but the easiest way to get to his house.

One of the 100 figures

We polished off our ready meals and had a good old chat before I headed off on the bus to Liverpool (England) city centre and the results evening for the Poised Pen poetry competition at The Fly in the Loaf bar. The theme of the competition was Another Place, a sculpture installation of 100 cast iron figures, celebrating its 10th anniversary, permanently on Crosby beach, just up the estuary from Liverpool.  My ambition is to make a return visit - we used to go to the beach along there when we were children.

With James Nash.  Photo: Andy Walker

After a very tasty fish and chips I enjoyed listening to a few other poems, which were excellent in my opinion, and was certain mine wouldn't get in the top three.

So I was completely overwhelmed to find that James Nash, the judge had chosen my poem Digging and Diving as the winner!

I was honoured for several reasons.  I was born and brought up in Liverpool until the age of 12; I like and admire James' poetry; I had worked on this poem for months (on and off).  It'll be coming out in the Poised Pen print anthology - watch this space.

 

Those longlisted were presented with a book of James' poetry, Some Things Matter - 63 sonnets, and Cinema Stories, themed poetry by James Nash and Matthew Hedley Stoppard about the old independent cinemas in Leeds, Yorkshire. Some great poems here!

Long gestation for a Dirty Rat

Now published online, this story was first written about 30 years ago but has been revised several times more recently, and tells of a young girl at a local festival, confused about why she has to wear a costume.  Read it here




 

Arrivals and Departures - out now!

Uprooted from home, a small boy finds himself on a poignant rail journey in Departing, my story, with twenty-seven others, in a month's worth of fiction, memoir and poetry that can be enjoyed during a 20-30 minute public transport commute.
Don't miss this second issue of commuterlit selections: buy it here
Only £9.13  £7.76