I said I’m not writing poetry next month, and I’m really looking forward to sticking to that. There is still one more day in June however. There’s also poem that was prompted by
to finish about how I perceive grief. Then, we have this surprise bonus poem below that I’ve slowly been writing over the last 22 days using the title of each daily Substack as a line.It’s good to set yourself challenges: things that can be inserted into the normality of daily existence and that result in something unexpected. This exercise went so well I’ll probably do it again, and hopefully you’ll all forget about this poem so it is a surprise the next time another one appears. It’s also a really easy way to ensure there is content when a head is full of particularly nasty hay fever.
152 to 179
subtle changes in position move back to improve focus a cookie hidden amongst protein bars it's not addiction this is a crutch lest you forget who you really are the poverty you came from the reasons to escape every effort remains as progress every issue that this moment will retake I wrote this love song made of titles a conscious effort to be sane so in moments when there's chaos it's encouragement to start again I didn't mean to end up as a story none of this was ever built as praise but suddenly we seem to have a chorus maybe it's the moment to be brave why is it you never can behave subtle measured shifts in recognition an improvement in cognitive function's range each revelation subsequently unearthed it's not a lifestyle it's your stage now to consider how this story ends the determination that will never age the acceptance it’ll work out for the best my body must remain in motion time to write my mind on that same page remember to provision time at rest
I got an email from Verve Poetry Press yesterday cheerfully informing me I’d shortlisted for their Collection Submission but won’t be published. That’s on the edit list for August. I’m also enjoying playing with Instagram right now for my own enjoyment and not really giving a fuck about who is watching, so you can expect a bit more experimental faffing soon. Oh yeah, and there will be video in July.
Have a reflective and stress-free Sunday because next week, trust me on this, is going to be unlike a week any of us have experienced for a VERY long time.