My collection A Fold in the Map is published by Salt in the UK and Jacana in South Africa. You can read more about this and other publications here, along with poems, details of forthcoming readings and the odd snippet of news. My new collection The Tempest Prognosticator will be published in 2011.
Readings - details here.
Next events: 8 pm, Monday 18 October 2010: The Albion Beatnik Bookshop, Oxford; and 4 p.m. Sunday 24 October, Psycho Poetica at the South Bank, St Paul's Pavilion.
Video of Nelson Mandela Day at the British Museum, 18 July 2010.
Photos from Verbatim Book Store reading, Stellenbosch and news of a visit to Merchant Taylors' School.
Critical Perspective by Alex Pryce on British Council Contemporary Writers Site.
New work in Succour and Staple's film issue, and 'The Buried Butterfly' on Poetry Daily.
Reviews for A Fold in the Map:
The Mail & Guardian (SA)
The Times - one of Elaine Feinstein's books of the year
King Kong Déjà-vu
'And lo, the beast looked upon the face of beauty.
And it stayed its hand from killing.
And from that day, it was as one dead.’
Old Arabian Proverb, King Kong, 1933
This town sure is full of hicks, Barnum was right.
So in my silver backless halter-neck
I’m waiting for the moving picture ship to dock.
I’ve been through so much excitement
it’s in my blood like dope.
You should never trust a man who waves a map
that he won’t let you read –
that’s fourteen knots I’ve learned to tie.
and I’m still no closer to the truth.
And I don’t know where, but I’ve seen this view before:
twin pillars, and that moon,
the city’s midnight canyon
so much deeper now the lights are gone.
There was that roar from the sold-out theatre,
like a three-alarm fire –
some movie stunt about a monkey, someone said.
No, it wasn’t the aviators, in the end,
and a girl may steal an apple, love an ape…
But, on the other hand, all that doesn’t matter
now that Captain Engelhorn’s at the helm,
the Venture ready for my leaping on.
What a picture! What a chance!
Yes, sweeten it, sweeten it –
everybody likes romance,
so here’s to all those blackout babies,
all the future sons and daughters of King Kong.
In the new Film issue of Staple Magazine