Work and the poetry side hustle

It seems that I’ve always had a side hustle going on as well as my day job. Back in the day, it was singing and recording with a band. I’d clock off from my career in Advertising, sometimes gone 8pm at night, leave MediaLand (Soho) behind and after a hard day’s graft head to rehearsal rooms, recording studios or gigs to sing my heart out until gone midnight. Ah, youth! Now it’s the rock n roll lure of Poetry that keeps me up late working on stanzas, line breaks, intent and expression. I can say, hand on heart that I’m a Poet. And that poetry shares equal footing with any (better) paid work I do.

I’ve always kept my out-of-office passions quiet from colleagues and line managers – fearing I would be seen as not committed enough to my chosen profession. I’m a Copywriter and get paid to write words that sell. The wrong words can lead to companies losing money, ad agencies losing accounts. But as years have gone by, having a side hustle has become commonplace and seen as a good thing, an almost necessary thing. It’s been acknowledged that you can’t always get everything you need from one job or calling. That extra curricular activity makes you richer, bolsters creativity, feeds the soul. So it was with a mix of trepidation and bravado that I finally shared my poetry self recently with my lovely work colleagues at Oliver – the ad agency that has been keeping me employed and sane during this pandemic mess. They have been exceptionally kind, caring and engaged with their workforce and it’s been impressive to witness and be a part of.

Oliver’s Inside Ideas weekly newsletter, among many things, has been highlighting the interesting things people have been getting up to during lockdown, and my joint poetry project and book, London Undercurrents was given a call-out.

Busted: poetry side hustle revealed to all

As part of Wandsworth Town Library’s Poetry Week, curated by Kate Halabura, myself and fellow poet Hilaire – co-author of our joint poetry book, London Undercurrents, published by Holland Park Press – recorded ourselves reading poems from our book and did a Q&A session with Kate afterwards. It was great fun – setting up cameras in our respective homes, trying out ways of reading, switching back and forth between north and south London; physically and poetically as our poems give voice to London’s unsung heroines in Islington and Battersea. Watching the footage back, we realised how we’d managed to capture the laughter, friendship and respect for each other’s writing, that we share. Then watching the edited and finished presentation on Wandsworth Town Library’s Facebook page, I knew it was something to be proud of; something that needed sharing outside of my poetry bubble.

So now the jig is up – there’s no more hiding; my colleagues know I’m a Poet.

_{(Written and posted outside of core working hours)}

Live Canon anthology launch

I’m thrilled to have a poem longlisted for the Live Canon International Poetry Prize, Single Poem Category 2020. It’s a poem called The ringmaster’s sleepless nights, and it started life in a Malika’s Poetry Kitchen workshop. Two other members of MPK collective, Katie Griffiths and Arji Manuelpillai made the longlist too – proud MPK family moment.

Checking the proof of my poem before the anthology went to print, I got a sneak preview of some of the other poems that will be included in the book. Wowsers! Amazing stuff. Get your copy here

The launch takes place on October 20 7.30pm online and features readings by the shortlisted poets, and actors reading the winning poems. Live Canon events are special occasions because they feature brilliant actors performing the poems – and it’s sad that we can’t enjoy this experience in the flesh this year. But no doubt the launch will still be wondrous and unmissable, so book your free place here

Fiction prediction

Alexa, read me a short story

Time’s ticking – get your copy of Escape Wheel from Great Weather for MEDIA

I’m thrilled to have a short story published in the latest, stunning anthology from Great Weather for MEDIA. This New York based collective of writers put together an anthology each year, from works created by regular readers and attendees to their spoken word events at Park Lounge, Manhattan, and from international contributors. This is my second time around at being selected – last time was for a poem, but this time is for short story – the second short story I have ever had published. When the newly printed volume landed on my doormat with its amazing cover photography and thick spine, I was extra, extra, thrilled to be included in a work of such high quality with over 70 contributors creating a richly rewarding book that can be dived into again and again. Readings from Escape Wheel are taking place each month with a selection of contributors via Zoom. I will be reading in December – details here.

Two short stories, published many years apart.

My short story in Escape Wheel features a future not too far off, where voice activated technology has taken on new meaning. My first short story, published by Agnes Meadows in Loose Muse anthology, explores the hopes of an inhabitant of a seaside town cruising for rich men. What will the next short story be about? I’m not sure, but I have made a commitment to myself about writing more prose, and exploring paragraphs and character arcs, rather than line breaks and stanzas. Ah poetry! I must resist your temptations for a while… if I can.

Stateside readings – Chicago

Giving thanks in the windy city

In November, after dipping our toes into the international poetry water of New York, Jill Abram and I headed off to Chicago for another poetry feature slot, and also for the splendid weirdness of the Thanksgiving parade (watching it, not in it twirling a baton or dressed as a turkey).

Every Wednesday, at The Gallery Cafe in North Oakley, Chicago poet David Gecic hosts ‘a rather free-wheeling show’ where he likes to ‘do things a little different’.

Responding to one of Dave’s questions, Gallery Cafe, Chicago

One of these differences involves Dave sitting stage-side throughout, interjecting with questions and engaging with each reader. After being used to a sort of ‘fourth wall’ of quietness created at many poetry events, it was an unusual experience, and gave the evening a feeling of anything-could-happen chat show liveness.

Dave had heard good things about us, but hadn’t seen either myself or Jill read, so he took a bit of a risk inviting us to feature at his night. But then again, we also took a risk in turning up at a night we’d never been to, in a city we didn’t know. Life is full of leaps of faith, and this one paid off for all involved – it was a cracker of an eccentric, raucous, thought-provoking and rewarding night.

Kate Cullan did a comedy turn and Chicago poet Eric Richmond did a semi-feature.  In the second half, there was a memorial tribute reading in dead poets corner, which I found poignant and very moving, as the poet in question – Helen Degen Cohen – had only recently died.

My poems were well-received, and the stage backdrop rather helpfully was a painting of a river – I was reading a selection of water-based poems, including a couple from my joint project with Hilaire – London Undercurrents which are set north and south of the river Thames. Dave picked up on the north/south divide and asked about it, which led on to a discussion about accents in the UK and also whether I ‘d noticed a distinct Chicagoan accent (I hadn’t).

Jill Abram was up next and, despite the loudness of pre-thanksgiving holiday makers drinking at the bar, took command of the stage with a set of new poems that show a maturing of style and a clearness of direction.  A great end to an extraordinary night.

 

 

Jill Abram, the Poetry Foundation, Chicago

Another highlight of the Chicago trip, was a whirlwind visit to the Poetry Foundation. We got there a few minutes before it was due to close and only got the briefest glimpse inside , but it was enough to see how impressive this facility is. Definitely one to revisit another time and one to put on your must-do list if you’re visiting Chicago.

All-in-all our USA mini-tour was a great success, and now I’ve got a hankering for more international poetry forays. 2016 – bring it on.