Two poems for you written and read by my talented 'cousin' John Duffy (am allowed to call him that as we called his mum 'Aunt Peggy'), published in Pennine Platform website. Tap on the links to enjoy: https://pennineplatform.com/2020/01/27/john-duffy-reads-one-of-many-circles/ https://pennineplatform.com/2020/01/27/john-duffy-reads-when-we-wis-fab/ The illustration accompanying this blog is designed by Jo Haslam and is the cover image of John's… Continue reading A wee bit poetry
This morning, this oh so sunny morning, as I was running along the exercise track doing my daily constitutional, I met a friend. As we ran and chatted, (2 metres apart, tut not), we talked (well, kind of yelled), about the people who have rediscovered their bike. 'They are positively gleeful', my friend shouted. And… Continue reading On yer bike
Writers who are interested in adding to our joy quota are often viewed as naive, passé or just plain uninformed. Interestingly, such writing is now in demand to balance what isn't going right in our world. By my bedside sits a compendium of the inestimable P G Wodehouse (if you are unfamiliar then, gawd's sake,… Continue reading The power of joy
During these days of our 'new normal' when we are tempted to believe that so much has stopped or has been put on hold, it's perhaps useful to think of how this pause can offer new vision. Am thinking of the viewpoint of writers / thinkers such as man-of-letters, Georges Perec, who coined the phrase the infraordinary --… Continue reading The quotidian
Me: Advertising my own website makes me sound like a bit of a blaw. Colum: Writers are a bit of a blaw. Me: [stunned and shock-filled ellipsis in square brackets] Mmmm, we are aren't we? Oh well.
Time. Something that seems to come up in many conversations in these strange days -- a sharing of what we are doing individually or collectively with our reshaped hours. My hope is that while we wait for whatever was our previous normal to re-offer itself, we give our deepest being a chance to speak, to… Continue reading Time
Thanks for checking out my new site. It's rather cute I think and just great to have as it brings together all the strands of my literary life. It also provides another canvas for me to share thoughts which I hope to do through a regular blog. Huge thanks must go to my IT guru… Continue reading Welcome to my new website
