A Right Wreath of Laureates

Congratulations to Ann Atkinson who's been selected as the second Poet Laureate of the Peak. Read her first laureate poem 'He talks about fishing the Derwent' .

We're lucky to have two laureates in the region and spookily enough, we live in the same village! We're both members of the wonderful Grindleford Writers' Group and are planning some joint laureateering activities in the next year or two - watch this space.

Begin afresh ..

Thanks to Chesterfield Writers' Circle for hosting a fruitful and inspiring 'Poetry from Scratch' workshop last week. Several of us were quoting 'The Trees' by Philip Larkin, so here it is, read by the poet himself. There's an aura of light green around the silver birches outside my window. The moment before the moment described by Larkin, perhaps, but despite the snow last weekend (still visible on the Derbyshire hills) we're on the tipping point into spring.

Photo: Chesterfield's twisting spire

Leeds Writers

Thanks to Leeds Writers' Circle for inviting me to lead a workshop today on 'A Sense of Place'. A wonderful location in the Carriageworks with a bird's eye view, and great writing inspired by various perspectives and locations in the city centre.

What about poems and a sense of place? Here's a well-known one by W. B. Yeats.

Photo: one of the owls that adorn Leeds Civic Hall

Poems & Yoga

Tomorrow - Friday 14th March - I'll be reading at a benefit for Sheffield Iyengar Yoga Centre, 7pm for 7.15 start, 270 Burgoyne Rd, Walkley, S6 3QF. Tickets £5/£3 includes a glass of wine. There'll also be Bollywood Dancing and acapella from the Late Bloomers. See you there!

P.S. There's a write-up in the Sheffield Telegraph

Poets with a Kick, Doncaster March 8th

Yes, we're in Donny for International Women's Day, as part of HotHouse 2008 reading at the Mansion House . Our friend the artist Jan Flamank has been working with community groups to design and make a cloak of women's passions, aspirations and talents. The cloak will be unveiled and 'launched' at 1pm and we'll be reading 2-3pm.

New! Chesterfield Open Mic

Tony and Suzanne who came to the HMD workshop are setting up Chandler's Bards - a brand new - possibly the first? - open mic night for poets & writers in Chesterfield. Chandler's Bar, 8pm, 17th March. Be there - with a poem or a listening ear. More info from steel_phoenix@hotmail.com