Mouth and Music review

'Worcester has an unusually strong cohort of talented female poets and two were on form tonight.

Jenny Hope is a hugely talented poet. Not only is her poetry elegant, lyrical and precise, but she also revels in a dry wit, and a knowing glance. From Petrolhead her 2010 collection, she read from The Man who Married His Car, with the memorable opening : “ He was underneath her most weekends.” Jenny matches ear-catching phrases with a beguiling delivery, Woman included the line: “I seek out the roots of sleeping trees” – and we were hooked.

A reluctant Ruth Stacey was dragooned onto stage, fortunately she just happened to have the wonderful Go Round committed to memory, picking up the arboreal theme with :“The deciduous trees are gilded with decay.” Missing from the audience was fellow Worcester Poet Suz Winspear whose signature piece is Evil Trees. I have made a mental note to decline any offer of a walk in the woods with those three.'

Gary Longden

Gary's blog, which has great reviews, poetry and listings for the West Midlands.

1900 Inuit mother with children







Taste

The church was decidedly less impressive- I was late
and stood by the gate, you were hunched and shorter too.
Slipping your arm through mine you stumbled so I had
to steady you and yet still insisting I take a pocket toffee;
extra chewy, just the same- rush of child sweet happiness.

The most beautiful thing?

Today, you lucky people out there can download the author Fiona Robyn's new book, entitled 'The Most Beautiful Thing.' What a generous gift to give, the tenderness and hope of a long crafted and nurtured piece of writing. I am going to download and read it as a reward when I have finished my writing for today.

Reviews of the book, print editions and free kindle edition today can be found here















So all this talk of beauty made me ponder what my 'most beautiful' thing was.

Eyes.

Yep, people's eyes are my most beautiful thing in the world.

Specifically my babies eyes.

The spark of light in them, the glow, the deep and sincere affection buried inside them.

they died too young- it's so, so sad