08/02/2011 by admin.

it-wont-always-be-like-this.doc

This poem came from going tothe match with my daughter. As well as it being a fantastic match - probably one of the best I’ve ever been to - when I started to write the poem, the idea that not every match will be like this was echoed by the fact that as she grows older she may not want to do these things quite as much and that you cherish the times while you can.

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08/02/2011 by admin.

walking-down-the-mall-with-someone-famous.doc

After the event last week At Clarence House, these two poems came about - hope you like them. And no - I am not going to be mentioning names!

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03/02/2011 by admin.

give-it-a-minute.doc

I’ve been doing this poem for a while now - with the uke - and it’s sort of taken shape. People keep asking for it - it’s about dads and how they spend lots of time reading when they are having a “long sit down” in the bathroom … one day i’ll do a recorded version …

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02/02/2011 by admin.

adisa-chika-and-ian-too.doc

 I was lucky enough to spend a few days at the International School in Brussels with a wonderful performace poet called Adisa. We were joined by novelist Chika Unigwe and poet Ian McMillan for an evening show together. The show was a great evening - and this set of poems came from it.

 PS Chika had amazing shoes … she called them her voodoo shoes

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02/02/2011 by admin.

if-this-poem-were-chocolate.doc

shes-the-girl-with-voodoo-shoes.doc

Having hooked up with Chika Unigwe on facebook after the Brussels gig we had references to chocolate and the voodoo shoes going back and forth. Strange how some things turn into poems …

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02/02/2011 by admin.

the-dinner-lady-hair.doc

Unfortunately - a true story! But it led to a poem I’m particularly pleased with …

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02/02/2011 by admin.

i-cannot-delete-dad.doc

I’ve always written about my dad - would have been 80 this week - made me think - and this poem appeared … probably still needs a little editing etc but hope you like it

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02/02/2011 by admin.

Poetry is a strange world … last week I was asked to step into Sir Andrew Motion’s shoes ( metaphorically - he hadn’t left them anywhere … ) and perform his four seasons poems with the European Union Chamber Orchestra at Warwick University as they performed Vivaldi. Nicola Benedetti performed on violin - and she was wonderful. very gracious too. Fantastic - except I performed the Summer poem while it was still Spring … Great experience and a lovely audience. I received a wonderful email that said that they had particularly enjoyed my reading as “they weren’t particulalry looking forward to Andrew Motion so it was an unexpected treat” !!

Tomorrow I’m going to Clarence House for lunch with Camilla - yes, that one! She is President of the National Literacy Trust and is hosting an event. Having gone on the website today I noticed that Tom Stoppard, Alan Bennet, Joanna Trollope, Charlie Higson are on the list … wonder if they’ll be familiar with my body of work in the poetry department …

Still, should be interesting. Note to self - don’t spill cream on the carpet like you did at 10 Downing Street …

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24/11/2010 by admin.

sharp-by-nature.doc

I’ve been invited to the Blue Kipper Icon Evening this week to celebrate Graeme Sharp - so I’ve written a couple of poems - hope you like them.

 Paul

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17/10/2010 by admin.

adisa-chika-and-ian-too.doc

Just got back from a fabulous week at the BSB - thanks to all who made it such a pleasure to be there - especially Mel, Jo, Karen and Amanda who did so much to organise us all.

 Also, my new best friends - Adisa, Alex Brychta, Antony Lishak and Chika Unigwe - very inspiring people to be around.

 On the Wed evening there was a performance featuring Adisa, myself, Chika and my good friend Ian McMillan - what a fantastic evening - the rhythms of Adisa, the drama of Chika and the incomparable Ian …

 On the way home - wrote these poems about them - tried to capture a bit about them - hope you like them.

Paul

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