Blog - Literature
Acorn; My Sound Pieces
December 11, 2019 - by Richard DownesYoko’s final sky piece in her book of Acorns makes me think of lines from Laurie Anderson’s Walking and Falling. Whilst Laurie falls, Yoko flies. Then sounds from what we used to call albums start to fill my head. I am transported back to the scouts and special school. Acorn; My ...
642; Roomie
December 9, 2019 - by Richard Downes642 things to write about instructs the writer to give testimony to a favourite room mate. I never had one. I considered giving the names and status of all those roomies who never became a favourite. DAO have recently discussed whether we are in a pre-disability arts era. I have ...
642; Magpies
December 3, 2019 - by Richard Downes‘642 Things To Write About’ instructs; ‘Write about something that was stolen from you’, not knowing about the history lesson that awaits. This is something of my time going back to special school. Tell me about your time? Say what was stolen? 642; Magpies Mopey Matilda moans and mithers about too much Post ...
We’ve Got Joy
December 3, 2019 - by Letty McHughI’m one of the many people attempting NaNoWriMo this month, which for the unfamiliar is when you try to write 50,000 words towards a long-form project in a month. The idea is basically that you write a very rough first draft of something without editing or deleting anything you’ve written ...
Liz Bentley’s thoughts about her time working in the NHS while waiting for the Tesco Delivery Man
November 27, 2019 - by Liz BentleyI worked for over 10 years as a psychotherapist in the NHS, managing a counselling service at a Bermondsey GP surgery. My job consisted of giving all patients who were referred for counselling as much support as they needed. We had good links with the Maudesly, the community mental health ...
Lines on a forthcoming election – My Next Community Exercise
November 21, 2019 - by Richard DownesWe are looking for 4 lines or more, preferably in rhyme, giving hopes, fears or couldn't care less comments on the forthcoming election. Your contributions will be read at our celebration of the International Day of Disabled People 2019 - 'Under The Poet Tree REaD Rhymes Live' at: The Foundry, 17 ...
Black Widow. 1
November 18, 2019 - by Richard DownesRandom thoughts collected during diagnosis, treatment and recovery from Prostrate Cancer. An incoherent, rambling mess of a story with nothing to say and nowhere to go. She lies coy between the sheets dreaming she could be everything Mr Zim wanted his Tarantula to be. Wakeful now she sings sullenly soft sweet ...
From Singapore to Swansea – this writing life
November 12, 2019 - by Kaite O'ReillyI’m back in the rather wild and windy west of Wales after a stupendously creative six weeks in Singapore, working on a production with Intercultural Theatre Institute, plus a lecture-performance and workshop with Access Path Productions for Singapore Writers Festival. I’ve been to the writer’s festival in the past, so it ...
Love a guide poem for a festival
November 2, 2019 - by Richard DownesI was due a return to the Arts Camp at Cambridge's Strawberry Fayre. The theme for the year was love. Love is not my most concentrated theme. I needed to start putting things together. I decided to write a guide poem as a means to building a set. Then I ...
Extended thoughts about the ‘Joker’ while waiting for the Tesco Delivery Man
October 31, 2019 - by Liz BentleyWe all have a ‘Joker’ within us, I know mine and it isn’t nearly as severe as the ‘Joker’s’ in the film, but it is plenty enough to gain understanding in my work as a psychotherapist. In Primary Care where I worked for 12 years, one of my old patients ...