I’ve been away from here for a few weeks. It has been life stuff. Sorry to be so illusive but the “stuff” isn’t my personal “stuff” to share.

I went to poem and a pint in Ulverston a few weeks ago and saw Hollie McNish – one of my favourite poets ever. I always think her poems have such a well thought out opinion and strength to them. They made me rethink the commercialisation of motherhood, something I didn’t even think was a thing.

I also read some poetry during the open mic. It was very strange to be reading on the same stage as Hollie!

I’m launching a little poetry club at school tomorrow. We are going to be looking at two poems. The first “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins is one of my favourites. I love studying poetry, but I hate the overstudying of poetry for people just getting to know it. I personally feel that’s what put me off at GCSE. Now that I love poetry I can pull a poem to bits and restitch it again, in fact I love doing it – but at the start this is so hard!

The second poem was recommended by the Poetry Society on the theme of “messages”. It’s “This is just to say” by William Carlos Williams.
It’s going to be National poetry day on Thursday (6th October) – and guess where I’ll be? Stuck in a hospital clinic! Gutted!

In other Hannah related news I have started using coloured overlays while reading. I have something called asfedia (more commonly known as Irlen Syndrome) – where words jump out and lines wiggled on the page. I just assumed that it was happening because I was tired – something as simple as a purple sheet has revolutionised everything! I’ve definitely got a few books to chomp my way through now.

My favourite poem at the moment is The Fish by Elizabeth Bishop. I discovered it at Dove Cottage Young Poets and it has stuck in my brain – a rare thing these days. It is the imagery that does it for me. The feathered fish, the wallpaper skin with damp coming through. I love it! It reminds me of my grandad down at his pond and the endless photos of fish I’m supposed to know the breed of.

I’ve got a couple of things coming up over the next few weeks. See you soon!