sri lanka here we come

The Sri Lanka trip with Ocean Stars charity, I am almost in the zone and it's seven hours before leaving: ostsrilanka2013.blogspot.com

the me of now

Sitting late, eating dinner in one hand and typing up the words of Derrida on spatial arts with the other. Ah Derrida. How I love Derrida. He makes so much sense: so eloquent, so true, so tight, so wise, so exhilarating - I wish I had been older, I had been the me of now, when I heard him lecture in the 80s, it all slipping far far far far over my head

Romania

Invited as a guest poet to the Brasov celebration of European women poets in Transylvania, I am the only native English speaker in a town so beautiful and brightly coloured with autumn reds and yellows that I am continually marvelling - a real feast for eyes and ears (Romanian being a mix of Slavic/Latin and its own very unique sounds). The beginnings of some good poetic friendships are also forged, in the shadow of not-the-vampire castle and the stunning peaks that surround the town.

wedding poem in my head

This is a draft, right? Came as I was sitting, aimed at me at all angles, rhyme to the fore. I couldn't have ducked if I'd tried. But once I started to type it up the flow slowed, halted, muddled, muddied and my memory of the lines was less clear as well, so has really made me think again about returning to composing in my head, away from screens, boards, papers, wax tablets....... memory-weakeners:

Malc & Sue's wedding sonnet (draft 2)

Shall I describe you as some other couple

who've come to plight their troth this sunny day

or are you something else, are you both double

that - mature and wise and brave enough to say

yes this is person that I choose

to spend my life with: even though they see

my imperfections well, they don't refuse

but welcome them with love as part of me

yes - both say this so happily, turning to look

straight in each other's eyes, with love, delight

reading their partner like a favourite book

with which, though earthbound, they can now take flight

to explore life's offers openly, together

and share with us in rain and sunny weather.