Poetry readings

Do you remember poetry readings where people gathered in a room, before everything went Zoom?

I've always had mixed feelings about poetry readings, and I hate Zoom. Poetry readings can be great and they can be terrible. Some poets can read their poems well and some can't. Sometimes people want to talk before and after the readings and are friendly and welcoming. Sometimes they just go off into their own huddles and ignore you if you're not part of that group. Sometimes they throw up fascinating characters.

I've just found this, which I jotted down about one such character shortly after the reading:

 

It's been the best of times,

the worst of times,

and I've taken myself off

to recover,

to reflect,

to write stuff

which even I can't categorise,

which just seems to flow out of me

formlessly,

from page to page,

each one of which

I throw over my shoulder

as I finish performing them.

And she did!

Normality will return

I posted this lament on Twitter a while back, but I felt the need to post it again today in light of the news of the 1% NHS pay offer. If this is all we can do for NHS workers, I fear for social care and for all those who need support. Sometimes it's hard to be positive.

 

Normality will return

 

And those who were undervalued before

will be undervalued again.

And those who were vulnerable before

will be vulnerable again.

 

And the things we vowed to remember

we will forget.

And the things we vowed to change

will be unchanged.

 

Normality will return

with all its inadequacies.

And more people will lose the fight.