I have loved poetry all my life, and have been writing it more or less since I learnt to read. This page gives an overview of some of my publications of or relating to poetry, and
re-prints a few of my poems that have appeared in magazines and anthologies recently.
Books
Two collections of my poetry have been published; and I also edited the popular New Christian Poetry, published by Collins.
Touching earth
This book is in five sections: Energy, Other lives, On being a woman, Open air and the Christmas story.
Little
did I think when I was approached by Oversteps to produce a collection, that I would within a year be invited to take the press over as Managing Editor.
This collection included the longest poem I have written so far: Epiphany. It is a poem in 14 parts, weaving
together the journey of the magi, my own walk along the Pilgrims’ Way from Guildford to Canterbury, and the painful process of moving through a spiritual crisis in early adulthood. It is
still one of my favourite poems, but as Beautiful Man is now out of print, it is not available for sale. If anyone would like to read it, or to re-publish it in another
collection, please contact me
Outposts Publications, 1977
New Christian Poetry
This anthology was for a while Collins’ best selling book, and I still get requests for copies. Unfortunately I
have none left, and the opportunity for a re-print was lost in the course of the series of publishing take-overs in the 1990s. Copies are now like gold-dust, so if you have one that you
don’t want, please let me know, so that I can pass it on to someone who does.
As magazines and journals have a short shelf-life, it is worth reproducing some of the poems in
full.
The clue lies in the lady's toe was published in The Interpreter's House, February 2012
Cherry Orchard was published on the Guardian Poetry Workshop website, September 2011
When my eyes shrank the fat
man in Orbis, May 2011 La Matelote
Artemis, 2011 Losing it
The Interpreter's House, 2011 Overheard, Acumen, May
2010 La Matelote, French
Literary Review, 2010 Fairshare, The Starry
Bough, 2009 The Vine, Poetry on the
Lake Journal 2, 2009 Those who go down to the
sea, Big Issue North, 2009 Tsunamiand
Skinwere both in SOUTH 33, April 2006. Skin was subsequently chosen by the artist, Franki Austin, to be on one of the photographs in an exhibition of her work; so it is this illustrated version that is reproduced
here. Lighter was in the lovely Irish journal, The SHOp, Summer 2007. This is one of the poems based on energy and the environment that was included in ‘Touching Earth’. It was
written following one of the lectures on my MSc course, when the lecturer illustrated our lack of respect for the oil that has taken millennia to form, by blowing out the flame on a cigarette lighter. Menses appeared in Acumen, September 2007. It is one of the poems I have written specifically
about the experience of being a woman.
Prizes and awards
The clue lies in the lady's toe won
second prize in the Bedford Open Poetry Competition, 2011 Castle-spotting was shortlisted / commended in the 'I cento castelli' poetry competition in northern Italy, 2011
O was awarded a distinction in the Mere Poetry Competition, 2011 When my eyes shrank the fat man came third in the Readers Award in Orbis, 2011 fairshare won second
prize in the Farmers' Weekly poetry competition,
2011 Ubuntu Love Song was
Highly Recommended in the Mirehouse Poetry
Competition, 2011 The Vine was commended
in the Silver Wyvern competition, 2009 Bonhoeffer’s Last Goodnight won
second prize in the international Colloquy competition, 2006. Highly commended in the BBC
Wildlife Poet of the Year, 2006
Anthologies
My
poetry has been included in many
anthologies, including: embedded shapes, in the Wenlock Festival Anthology, 2012 Tsunami and The Price of Nuclear Energy in 'Sunrise from Blue Thunder', Pirene's Fountain, 2011
In aid of relief work in Japan following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in 2011
September Butterfly in
'Shropshire Butterflies': A poetic and artistic
guide to the butterflies of Shropshire. Edited by
Nadia Kingsley, Fair Acre Press 2011
Walking together
in Visible Breath, Indigo Dreams 2010
In Casa Tallone in
'Reflections on Lake Orta', Wyvern Works 2010
Puffin in 'No Space But
Their Own', Grey Hen Press 2010
tree x, Orta Christmas
Anthology, 2009
Skin and by heart,
Cracking On, Grey Hen Press 2009
Ski scenein ‘For the kids’. Challenges
Anthology. Biscuit
Publishing, 2005
Acrostic for Valentine’s Day in Requiem for Love. Forward Press, 2005
txtur of luvin Text Poems. Forward Press, 2004 or 2005. ISBN 1 84460 8670
March morning mist in National Poetry anthology 2005. United Press
Doxology in A
Lifetime of Blessing, compiled by Geoffrey Duncan. Canterbury Press, 2004
I wrote this because I love singing Tallis’s
Canon, but find the traditional words a little outdated and exclusive.
This version, which is also used in the meditational material in the liturgy book for Holy Trinity Church Guildford,
was sung at
the Festival Service for the Guildford Book Festival in 2006. The tune for which is was written is called ‘Tallis’s Canon’.
Charting the Thames in The River Thames in Verse, edited by Val Mason. The River Thames Society, 2004
Puddles in Sensational! edited by Roger McGough. Macmillan, 2004
Readings
I enjoy sharing my poetry with other people by performing to live audiences, and I have recently given the following readings.
Wenlock Poetry Festival, April 2012
Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust, February 2012
Walpole Old Chapel, Suffolk, June 2011
The Dower House, Morville, June 2011 The Space, Dartington, April 2011, in
collaboration with Ballet Rambert dancers and choreographers
Cheltenham Poetry Festival, April 2011 RSPB
Leighton Moss, March 2011 Falmouth Poets March 2011 York Festival, Oxfam Shop March 2011 Epicentre, Paignton, March 2011 Mirehouse
prize-winners reading, March 2011 Acumen Poetry Day, Paignton: workshop and
reading, 2011 Queen's Park
Bookshop, Kilburn, 2010
Reading at
Sting in the Tail Festival, Guildford,
2010
Poetry on the Lake, Orta, Italy, 2010 Reading at Wisewords Bookfest, East London, as
part of Women's History Month, 2010
Reading at Lumen, Camden Town, 2010
Poetry reading at Partner Cities Fair,
Freiburg-im-Bresgau, Germany, 2009
Poetry reading at Free Fringe Festival,
Edinburgh, 2009
Guest poet at Uncut Poetry, Phoenix
Theatre, Exeter, 2009
Various readings at Poetry on the Lake
Festival, Orta, Italy, 2009
Reading at launch of Cracking On
anthology, Leeds, 2009
Guest poet at Excite, Exeter, 2009 Ways with Words, Dartington: ‘A Trio of Poets’ with Penelope Shuttle and Ann Kelley Ways with Words, Dartington,
Readings with Oversteps poets
Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World,
Exeter. Poetry reading of environmental poems
Lewis Elton Gallery,University of
Surrey Totnes Festival,
Devon Guildford Book Festival, Surrey Torbay Poetry Festival, Devon Poetry at the Palace, Exeter, Devon, where Christopher Southgate andRichard Skinner were kind
enough to invite me to be the guest poet Millbrook Inn, Devon Tradewinds, Scorriton, Dartmoor Poetry at the Deli Farncombe The Guildhall, Guildford Guildford Cathedral Little Gidding
Waterstones Torquay Brixham
Poetry Day, Devon
Dignified Independence, a review of 'Weeds
and Wildflowers' by Alice
Oswald, Autumn 2009
Judging poetry competitions
I have been a judge for the following poetry competitions:
London Festival Fringe Awards, 2011
Barnett Open Poetry Competition (three years running)
Jack Clemo Poetry Competition (run by the
Arts Centre Group)
Guildford Cathedral Poetry Competition
As Editor of Christian journal (1991 – 1998) I was fortunate to be in a position to raise the profile of contemporary poetry by giving space and prominence to a wide selection of good modern poets.
Sermons about my poems at Salisbury Cathedral (Link here)
Future bookings
I am always pleased to consider invitations to read at festivals and workshops or to undertake poetry residencies. Please
contact me here.
Computer poetry and jazz
The group,
Sunflowers, was active in the 1970s creating computer-generated poetry using Bard 0 and Bard 1D computer programs. The poetry was performed to jazz
accompaniment, also composed by the group. The jazz quartet gave performances at a number of venues, including the Edinburgh Festival, and was featured on BBC radio.
