Bugs

The site, Poets wear Prada, is inviting submissions (and will be, on 'through October') on the theme of bugs. You can also join the Poets wear Prada Facebook group.

Give it some welly!

Time for a nap

Farmers' Weekly is holding a poetry competition to celebrate National Welly Week, 11-18 October. The closing date for your 'Ode to a Welly' is 1 October 2008. I am advised that there is no fee to enter. The competition is run in conjunction with RABI (the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution).

Costa competitors

It seems that we live in a world in which characters like Noddy triumph over Othello and Hamlet. The poll at the Costa Book Awards has raised some eyebrows, but one is left wondering whether the results for the nation's favourite authors would have been totally different if a larger section of the population had been asked to cast a vote.

Blue is the colour

On our way back from a few days in Berea, Pembrokeshire, we decided to drive across the Preseli landscape to see the bluestones in their natural environment.

In the course of our meanderings in the hill country, we came across this plaque (left), nailed to a stone memorial in Mynachlogddu. The plaque was on the far side of the stone pillar in the lower photograph. Waldo Williams was a Welsh language Romantic poet.

We were particularly interested in the view from the memorial of Carn Menyn or 'The Cairn of Butter' (Carnmenyn on OS map) and Carn Meini (SA66 7RY).

This is real Stonehenge bluestone territory. Current Archaeology published what some may view as a controversial article, Message in the Stones, about the purpose of Stonehenge.





The air was very pure, and there were many interesting and unusual lichens on the stones. We watched a kestrel as we sat beside a stream (or series of mini-rapids, thanks to the exceptional August rainfall). It was a most evocative place.

Poetry: a panacea?

Some days ago I blogged about The Island by Victoria Hislop, and mentioned the fact that the story revolves around leprosy. I highlighted the plight of those affected by the disease, and mentioned the special shoes supplied by The Leprosy Mission (TLM) for those with ulcerated feet.

As someone who regularly requires the services of UK NHS hospital orthotists (and as someone who enjoys poetry), I was very moved by a report in the Worthing Herald about the father of a wounded son in Zimbabwe, an orthotist in the UK, and a poem that crossed continents by telephone.

Cacoethes scribendi

This seems a site to keep in mind. There is a forum and poetry competition. I have not been able to trace its (geographical) origin, but one of the links was to Carole Baldock's kudos site.

Creative Carers, our unsung heroes

Earlier today I came across a call for poems by carers about their role for an anthology. In a strange serendipitous way, I have just read this heart-warming story from Harrow.