As it’s been an installation change-over period at Aspex (where I’m technician), I’ve had little time to write. I’ve spent three hours a day traveling by train and bus to work from Southampton and back. Early starts and late finishes mean I’ve been too shattered to hit my desk much. Usually, I write for at least an hour before setting out – and, I’m meant to have one day-off a week, plus the weekend, but! The boon of all this toing and froing is, concentration and condensation. I find I’m drafting and editing in my head, to maximize time when I’m dedicated to drafting and editing at my iMac. Note-making has become a succinct practice, rather than a generative process – thus, my poems are being composed of language stimulated in situ, in direct response to something (place, situ, thought, the idea forming the poem), less after-the-fact. Still, redrafting and editing needs time and space.

Sounds like the July issue of Poetry Wales is available – according to the Seren site. I’ll post the cover shot when I receive a copy. The site has an ad for the post of Poetry Wales editor. It’ll be sad to see Robert Minhinnick depart the post, he’s enlivened the magazine during his internship (and, published me a deal). Change is exciting though.