wanting the rain

I find myself wanting the rain; I want the hush that comes with it.

~

I have been travelling to York all week to write poetry for a commission I have undertaken, spent all yesterday in the Minster, which is a curious place to be, all day. I did my usual trick of finding a spot and becoming invisible.

~

Having brown skin and a beard assures one that I will always have the seat next to me free on a train unless it is really busy, to be honest it makes me laugh at the patheticness of it, so I’ll just stretch out and put me bag here....

~

Starting to get excited about all my upcoming readings next week, and most excited about reading in Vienna the following week, have never been before.

Anyone got any tips on head switching between novelist and poet mode, would love your insights, I've been finding it hard this week. Not much novel action with the commission going on.

Hope yr thriving

Love

John

prize birthday

A year ago today, i got the first copy of my book 'the prize' from my publisher. it has been quite a year, thank you anyone who has bought the book or enjoyed a poem from it.

lovely to meet so many great people at the Lit Up festival in Kendal this week, great too to see and hear so much good new work. Four Fathers are delighted with the response you gave us.

my ticket to see the wonderful Sharon Olds reading in manchester next month came today, I cannot wait.

very tired after the gigs,a nd a bout of flu this week, so off to the great Omar Khan's in Bradford for a plate of deliciousness.

love

John

ps well done Sophie, Xanthe and Martin for your shows, you guys rock

This weeks' readings

i just wanted to say thank you to everyone who came to my events this week in Blackburn, Ross on Wye, and Matlock, you have been so kind to me this week. It means a great deal to get such direct feedback as meeting an audience. Seriously I am blown away.

lots of love

John

can't write to Beethoven

Beethoven, Modified
Originally uploaded by TaranRampersad.

quartet 13 is on the stereo, and it's driving me nuts. One to listen to on its own, can't work to it, so I'm retreating into the space of bach, Goldbergs I think, there is space in there which brings the writing out of me. I know I'm being utilitarian, but I live on a street where some of the neighbours live as if they're on big brother, and talk about every detail of their lives publicly and loudly and I don't want to know. I use music as a refuge in these times.

Heptonstall Church

Heptonstall Church
Originally uploaded by John Siddique.

took this yesterday, it was raining, but I needed a break from writing so I went up the hill to Heptonstall in my waterproofs, and took photos to get my eye looking for things and making combinations. Turned out to be a very creative day inbetween showers, i fiddled in the garden planing aliums for next year, a load of little alpines, a lavender, and snowdrops.

Have been loosing myself in the stunning 'He Loved Him Madly' by Miles Davis from the 'get up with it' lp, 32 minute of music like I have never heard before, so deep, the man was something else. Up to early this morning, some little tweeks for chapter 1 nagging me, so up at 5.30, found a few photos from almost 35 years ago, which are relevent to the novel, so have been scanning those. Now I'm tired dizzy, and very hungry, Victoria's Requiem sung by the Tallis schollars is on the old iTunes.

~

thanks for the lovely message fom someone yesterday about my love of music, I hope you can make it to my arvon course in november.

all the best

John

abstract........"rainbow reflections"..........

abstract........"rainbow reflections"..........
Originally uploaded by hb19.

found this on flickr, just marvelling in the beauty of it

Desk landscape 2

Desk landscape 2
Originally uploaded by John Siddique.

no promises, but i think I've got through the first draft of chaper one, and no promises on when this book will reach an end too soon for all that, what's crazy is i have a different second novel knocking at the door of my brain, so I'm going to have to take a bit of time to do an outline for it so i can get on cleanly with this one, a few poems happening too which is great.

~

super tired, all this story stuff takes it out of one. listening to 'spem in alium' by Thomas Tallis today.

Got a wonderful cd in the post from Kurdish harpist Tara Jaff, well recommended if beauty is your thing.

love and peace
John

Quote

"We write to understand. Thus we should write. But we can never fully understand. The world is shifting, and we are shifting under it. Thus we should keep writing."
- Andy Couturier

Prospect Cottage

Derek Jarman's Garden - 18.jpg
Originally uploaded by John Siddique.

Finally I make it to see Derek Jarman's Garden at Dungeness