BLESSED BY MAGPIES

I received my copies of my new poetry book on Saturday Blessed by Magpies, it is now out there in the big world of books. If I am honest it feels like an anticlimax. The process began over a year ago and reached an ending when the postman handed me a box of books.  Please don’t think I’m complaining I am not. I know I live a privileged life and I give thanks every day.

In a way I know that it is just the beginning,  the ideas, images and metaphors have journeyed from my head, via scribbles in notebooks to end up contained in a book. Each smoke-ring idea fixed in words and fastened onto the page. This thought to object process reminds me of the old days when you would have a roll of film developed and you first look at the photographs to find split seconds of your life frozen, recorded, some in focus, some blurred and the occasional classic composition that makes the whole process worthwhile. The poems now begin their journey into other people's heads and lives.

So on to the important stuff, you can buy the book from me, £10-post free, just drop me an email. From the publisher (http://www.freewebs.com/lapwingpoetry/ ), if you have a kindle or similar device you can download it from Lapwing or at Google (https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=ZWp2WQkEDg4C).

Here is the poem which gave the book its title, actually it was the other way around. I had the title but could not fit it into a poem until in creative writing class one evening everything fell into place. The title of the poem is taken from a line in an Edward Thomas poem.

THE UNFATHOMABLE DEEP FOREST

Edward Thomas

Tree-veined thought, leaf wrought wonder,

Deep, cool roots, dream

The earth in slumber.

Gods conjure us in passing,

Shadow on their eyelids.

Brief as clouds in the skies.

I shall step soundless with respect,

Blessed by magpies.

There are worse ways of living your life. Continuing the magpie theme here’s another poem.

Magpie Maps

The magpies’ maps are not on paper,

They hang from certain synapses,

Motion/location tapestries.

They hold the history of her every heist:

These were the best times I stole

And the more secrt times

When she would simply look.

Every magpie has such treasure.

A gallery in each head,

Look closely, you may find your own.

Enjoy your week.