Launch of The Empty Horizon, 12th September 2017. Nichole Bird reading from the book. Paul is the one dressed as one of the Bugsy Malone cast. Between, Live Canon boss Helen Eastman keeps an eye on proceedings.
20th April 2021: It’s happening! My new pamphlet, Into the Earth, will be published by Live Canon. The launch will be on Zoom. All are welcome! And attendance is free! To attend, please register via Eventbrite here
20th October 2020: I was delighted to learn at the end of July 2020 that my poem, ‘Wind-up Eyeballs’ had made the longlist for the Live Canon International Poetry Competition, and to be informed a few weeks later that it had progressed to the shortlist. The 50 longlisted poems are published in the Live Canon 2020 Anthology, with the launch and prizegiving event taking place on Tuesday, 20th October.
The anthology launch, at which the shortlisted poems are read by members of the Live Canon ensemble and the competition winner is announced, is always one of the highlights of the Live Canon calendar, and is usually hosted by the Greenwich Theatre. In these strange times of COVID-19 restrictions, however, it was necessary for this event, like so much else in our lives at present, to take place on Zoom. That didn’t stop it from being a great evening, with some of the shortlisted poems being read by the poets themselves and others by members of the ensemble. Mine was read by the brilliant Rebecca Hare.
The winning poem was selected by the Guest Judge, the wonderful Mona Arshi, and I was astonished, delighted, flabbergasted and (as those who were online that evening can testify) quite literally speechless to learn that… it was mine.
I am hugely honoured, and so very grateful. And it is an honour to be published in this amazing anthology alongside forty-nine really brilliant poets. Thank you so much.
Mona was kind enough to give permission for the video of her announcement to be put up on social media, and you can see it here.
The Anthology is available now to order from Live Canon here. Purchase as many copies as you want (Christmas is coming, after all), and there’s also a marvellous scheme in place whereby you can pay for a copy to be donated to a secondary school.
2nd June 2018: I’ll be reading with fellow Live Canon First Collection Winner, N.J. Hynes, at a special event organized by Live Canon at the Poetry Café, 22 Betterton Street, London WC2H 9BX, 7.30 – 9.00 pm.
Details here.
I’ve also recently been featured at, and also been a regular open mic-er at Talking Rhythm, a monthly poetry and music event created and hosted by brilliant poet and singer Bernadette Reed, at the Prince of Greenwich, and at Bards and Beats, run by the mighty Hylda Sims, of the City Ramblers Revival (and indeed of the original City Ramblers) at the Ivy House, Nunhead.
4th MAY 2018: I shall be one of four members of the Beyond Words Group, reading as guests of Camden and Lumen Poetry, at 1 Buck Street, Camden, NW1 8NJ. Admission £5 (£4 concessions). As with all Camden and Lumen Poetry’s events, all money raised will be donated to cold weather shelters for the homeless.
1st MAY 2018: I will be one of two featured poets at Beyond Words. at the Gipsy Hill Tavern, on Tuesday, 1st May 2018 (begins about 7.30pm). Beyond Words, created and run by two wonderful poets, Angela Brodie and Caroline Vero, is a monthly event, in which one or two guest poets are featured or showcased, with the rest of the evening given over to an excellent open mic. Really lovely evenings.