The shortest of days and the darkest of nights, the darkest of days and the longest of nights…

A week or so ago I listened to a programme on Radio 4 about whether or not humans can hibernate. The scientific conclusion is that no we can’t, but some afternoons in the last month I have been tempted to take to the duvet for a month or two and wake up with the spring. November was wet and grey with an unexpected burst of cold weather and sunshine at the end; just a few days of winter as we imagine we remember it. This time of year is the hardest for me as I find the endless dark a real challenge. I have to keep busy to stave off a desire to hibernate.

However
My writing life continues. The last month saw two workshops to write for and a writing day spent with four women poets at my friend Carole’s house one Saturday. There can be few things more up-cheering than the company of poets on a winter’s day. Plenty of tea and biscuits and plenty of laughs as well as good poetry prompts to write to and poems to discuss. I am planning to hold one in February next year to keep up our spirits. Came way with lots of ideas to develop  into the next few poems.

There has also been the occasional Zoom workshop with the Ty Newydd group, but most of my time has been devoted to completing my pamphlet for a competition due for submission  this week. This Thursday is the December Stanza meeting, the last before Christmas. My intention for the next week or two before the festivities begin, is to work on the script and poems for the film, as I am meeting with the film maker soon.         

My reading life continues and I am still with the poets I was enjoying last month. I have completed the Katrina Naomi collection, Battery Rocks  and it has been both a pleasure and an inspiration. The poems are all about the sea on the surface but they have echoes and resonances for other areas of all our experiences. Thank you Katrina for a lovely collection. I read in your newsletter than it has already gone to reprint, well deserved. I have just embarked on a new nonfiction reading list of which more next time. I am eagerly waiting for my copy of Robin Wall Kemmerer’s The  Serviceberry on order from Waterstone’s.

Hare in the Headlights 

Not much to report this month as the pamphlet has meant that I have kept my head down and edited and edited etc. I am thinking about some magazine submissions for the new year.

Till then  have good festivities!