A little poetry update because I’ve not done one for a while.

Starting with Facebook – I’m posting bits and pieces up there. I’m adding as much as I can do without disqualifying poems from competitions. So if you’d like little snippets of my poems and influences then please do follow along here.

Very excitingly my poem was included in the Ink, Sweat & Tears Webzine which I have been reading for ages. My poem was called ‘The New World’ and was originally a part of the 3RW project. It was in fact one of the original four with the words given to me by my friend Gem. The poem’s all about the old trade routes and how interactions with other cultures influence us. If you don’t already read IS&T I would highly recommend it, lots of interesting voices in there and loads of updates to keep you going back.

Another poem of mine has been included in the Fox Spirit collection, ‘Tales of the Nun & Dragon’ which came out recently. My addition to the group was a poem called “The Hazel and the Hawthorn” which might hint at what it’s about! The title is a quotation from ‘Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight’ and the full quotation reads

The hazel and the hawthorn intermingled were all overgrown with moss, and upon their boughs sat many sad birds that piteously piped for pain of the cold. Gawayne besought the Lord and Mary to guide him to some habitation where he might hear mass.

My poem is all about Gawain and Guinevere and their actions leading up to the Battle of Camlann as well as their choices afterwards. Dragons always make me think of Merlin’s dream of red and white dragon fighting and Guinevere is a very suitable Nun there! I have also always liked the idea that Gawain, Arthur and Guinevere were buried together.

Unlike my IS&T poem, “The Hazel and the Hawthorn” was written especially for the collection. It was a really inspiring idea for me to work on. I always like being given specific topics to write about, and especially if they are an area I enjoy researching. This was perfect for me. And lots of other people too it turns out – I’ve not yet had time to read all of the collection but the stories that I have read are more than worthy of your attention!

I’ve been writing more poetry than usual as well with ideas for a new collection buzzing around my head and some fun submissions as well. I’m a little restricted by not yet having internet at my house but that will hopefully be sorted very soon!

Vick.