UPDATE...

Things have been a bit weird... Haven't updated here for a while and I might not be blogging regularly over the next few weeks until I resume my normal routine in September. But here's the basics:

Poetry

Up until the last week or so, I've been writing fairly consistently. I've submitted a few poems to competitions and I plan to redraft some of the poems I've posted on here.  I'm also rediscovering what it is to enjoy reading poetry, as well as listening to it.

It was also touching to be a part of the memorial to Fran Landesman last Friday. I've quoted her on here before - she was a witty lyricist who was also a regular at a poetry night I've been involved with several times. Her song, "Scars", in particular will stay with me - and the following lines:

Don't be ashamed
If your covered with scars
On this planet of ours
That's the way we keep scores
   
Prose

In the past couple of weeks I've learnt that deleting words is harder and more time-consuming than writing them in the first place. I've been working on a couple of short stories but the novel is an "no-go" topic at the moment. The stories, on the other hand, are coming together nicely!

General

As I write, there's a lot of unrest over the Capital and, apparently, it's hit Camden High Street tonight. Being near a police station, I'm used to hearing sirens all the time and it doesn't sound much different to me. But I'm at home, mum, so don't worry! Some of it, I feel, is inevitable. [Sighs] And I think the repercussions will be painful. But I don't feel it's my place to comment too much right now, even though it seems that's all everyone else is doing.

Despite recently posting to say the same thing, I had almost forgotten how much weight is given to speculation and hearsay on the news these days. Although, I'm still waiting to hear the following: "The reason why these riots are happening is because our youths can no longer take out books from their local libraries. And sports shops were targeted because they need trainers so they can walk the extra couple of miles to their nearest libraries". If that were the case, I would applaud it, but the atmosphere of opportunism and anger is far more difficult to pin down to a political point. So instead, like everything else, I fear this episode will be used as just yet another rag doll for people to use to their own ends whilst the actual underlying problems will remain.

Gigs

Looking forward to Wiersze W Metrze on Saturday, showcasing some of the best of Polish (and UK) poetry! I'll post full details on if I can in the morning.

Have a few things planned for the Autumn, but that's it for August...