June 2024 Diary 

June was a varied month filled with poetry, music and art. On the poetry reading front, I took part in Suffolk Poetry Society’s members event at Walpole Old Chapel, a wonderfully atmospheric building deep in Suffolk countryside which, surprisingly, has a ship’s mast at its centre. The theme of the readings was ‘non-conformism’ so I read three poems I have written about pioneering women: Christabel Pankhurst, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Dame Freya Stark (poems from my manuscript Changing Expectations for which I hope to find a publisher). In my reading for the Friends of Milton Library, Cambridge with fellow poet Sarah Mnatzaganian, later in the month, the themes were journeying and heritage. I mainly read from Sleeping Under Clouds focusing on journeying and Sarah read poems about her family heritage from her pamphlet Lemonade in the Armenian Quarter. I also read with three other alumni of the Creative Writing Programme in one of their events encouraging alumni to share their work. 

I have always loved Candlestick Press books (each poem featuring ten poems on a specific topic) and was delighted to have a poem about my father chosen for the open mic to launch Jeanette Burton’s book Ostriches– Ten poems about my Dad. This event was linked to Father’s Day. Here is my poem: 

Father 

You were a bit of a mystery, 
a private man who didn’t chat. 

Four children could be trying, 
but you were always patient, 

just wielding the threat 
of your disappointment, 

 a stern eye, a quiet word, 
we didn’t answer back. 

I had been waiting for PLR (Public Lending Rights, British Library) to open again for new registrations so I could register my books with them. Thankfully this has now happened. Also on the library front, I am delighted that Cornwall Poetry Library has accepted my two pamphlets into their collection. I hope to visit the library in Penryn before too long. My poem ‘Twine’, which was featured in Acumen 109, went up as a guest poem on their website for the week of 22nd June (and remains accessible online for six months), should you care to read it. 

I enjoyed Tessa Newcomb’s exhibition at The Maltings Gallery, Snape. I find her paintings really inspire me to write about the countryside and my childhood on a farm in Suffolk. I also visited the White House Farm which always has brilliant exhibitions in situ and online by resident poets and crafts people. They have hosted poetry events for Suffolk Poetry Society in the past. At the end of the month, Tamar Yoseloff gave a very interesting talk about ekphrasis at Halesworth Library. She drew on a range of poetic responses to art as well as her own poems responding to Rauschenberg’s paintings in her new poetry collection Belief Systems (Nine Arches Press). 

With my choir, I sang in two concerts as a soprano in Ipswich Choral Society, one to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Ipswich Arts Society and one to celebrate the 550th anniversary of the birth of Cardinal Wolsey (Ipswich born). The former took place in St Clement’s church on Ipswich waterfront (known as the sailors’ church). This venue now hosts art exhibitions and other events. The latter concert was held in the open air under the welcome shade of trees in Christchurch Park. Our final concert of the season is on 7th July as part of Music Day, the largest free open air music festival in the UK, held in the same park. 

The last bit of news is that the Palewell Press launch of my new pamphlet, Once There Was Colour, will take place in London on 27 September at the Marchmont Community Centre, near the Brunswick Centre (Russell Square) 6.30pm so do put that in the diary and let me know if you would like to come along. 

I hope all readers enjoy a good summer! 

If you would like to contact me to comment or follow up, please send me an email via the contact box on my website . You can also contact me to buy a signed copy my books 

Sleeping Under Clouds (Clayhanger Press) and A City Waking Up (Dempsey and Windle). My third pamphlet, Once There Was Colour comes out with Palewell Press 27 September 2024.