Pathway

Featured Poem

This month’s featured poem, Pathway, is a narrative poem, written in open form. I am not sure where the idea came from, though perhaps I am . . .

I sat down to write with no idea of what to do. I worked through a ‘kick start’ exercise and found myself writing a poem about a man taking a long walk between a small village and a larger one (or small town). As I worked on it the idea of the coffin path crept in. I had recently read an inspiring book by Mike Parker; in it he describes walking along some of the UK Coffin paths. As soon as I read that section I knew I wanted to write something about it. So when I sat down to write, perhaps that idea was in my mind and just needed the be given the chance to pop out

The line-breaks and roll-overs are carefully chosen, though on the face of it they may appear arbitrary. I want to keep the lines short to reflect the long, plodding walk of the protagonist (Zac). The last word in each line is one I wish to bring particular attention to or keep a single idea together in the next line. You may think this results in a poor poem; I am more than happy to discuss the form; you may simply think it does not work.

However, it is my poem, and I have written it in the form I wish, so I must stand or fall by it. I am pleased with the air of mystery in this poem, I like the atmosphere, I enjoy the fact you must make your choice as to whether Zac is alive and walking, or whether he is a shade tied to the coffin path from many years ago. In my heart, though, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Reading

I have stopped writing the section every month. But am writing it today as I have been reading a couple of novels by Birmingham writer Jonathan Coe. (DJ check if he is still resident here. The two I have recently read ar The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Cym and The Rotters Club (DJ check spelling of both Sym and Rotters.) Coe has the magnificent ability to get to the core of humanity both through his creation of characters and a variety of narrative methods. Yet his command of style and technique sits behind writing that seems simple. There is a sadness within his characters, the sort of feeling most of us will recognise; yet Coe, however dark the writing becomes, seems always to be writing with a twinkle in his eye.

What I Am Up to

I have spent much time drawing threads of my Verse Drama piece General Guidance and the Music Play, Magpie, together after working on both with actors. Now I must move them on a stage. But I have also found time to write some new poems, some work stimulated by an excellent Arvon webinar led by Nick Laird. I have also had a naughty thought about a solo show (not for me!) but it is far too early on to speak about it. (see above.)