Or: blowing flowers up with TNT.
Following in the footsteps of one of Swindon’s eminent writers and Victorian naturalist, Richard Jefferies; Milo, Sydney and I hunted for wildflowers and their stories, planted potatoes and peas and ate cream teas. Continue reading
Apparently there are plenty of morning people in Swindon. Or maybe, like me, they like the Dawn Chorus so much that they forgive the early rise. Or maybe, just once in a while, it’s great to make the effort and see the early May mist, hear the joy of the birds as they wake and see the day slowly easing in with a beautiful red, stretching across the line of artfully arranged clouds. And then think, wow, Swindon can be really quite picturesque. Continue reading
The Death Cafe. “Everyone welcome but not recommended for anyone recently bereaved.” I’m wondering if I should go to this on Monday 12 May as my cat died a few weeks ago.
She was twenty years old and this was, I’m told, a ‘good innings’. But she was part of our family for nearly half my life so our cat-lessness is making us sad.
But what’s this got to do with the launch of the twenty-first Swindon Festival of Literature, yesterday, noon, at Swindon Central Library?
Funny you should ponder. Sandwiched between Nathan Filer (The Shock of the Fall) and Kate Adie (Needs No Introduction), is the Death Cafe, a discussion about death and dying. You may partake of rich tea but perhaps not sympathy. Bring not your raw nerves; bring instead your pragmatism. Continue reading
Swindon Festival of Literature reached its climax at the Town Hall with the annual Poems and Pints event. Continue reading
Jo Bell Workshop
Workshops, full of anvils, lathes and maybe a vice or two, unless it’s the last day of the twentieth Swindon Festival of Literature when it’s something else entirely. Continue reading
Fiona Sampson
Internationally acclaimed poet Fiona Sampson showcased her book. ‘Coleshill’ at the Arts Centre Studio. Continue reading
Mabel’s House
Domestic Cherry’s Swindon Festival Of Literature residency continued at Artsite Post Modern as Mabel Watson threw one of her infamous house parties. Continue reading
Steve Jones
‘Just in case there are any people down from London for the day I’ll translate the Latin because I know that the highly educated people of Swindon won’t need me to’. Continue reading
Ben Okri
Writer Ben Okri talks in poetry,
especially when talking of poetry,
‘the very nature of it is wild,
all poetry is spiritual’.
But Okri also considers poetry so powerful
that we have to be careful with it.
Tyrants have been known to be poets
bad poets.
We are walking amongst monsters
these flowers
are protection against evil.
Follow the song.
Poetry wants nothing from you but
cascades of sound.
Make our hearts a festival.
Festival Chronicle 