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I don’t know quite how it happened, exactly how it is I fell through the cracks and found a way of life which allows me to put bread on the table while doing things I enjoy (rather than slaving at things which I don’t) but I’m immensely grateful things turned out the way they did.
Last month saw the publication of my latest book ‘a fine fine place’ (my thanks to everyone who’s bought it, by the way). Last week, I met up with Reuben from Trapeze Films to make a video of one of the poems in it. As always, I’m left with a sense of wonder when someone – with skills which I don’t have – takes the vague idea I have for how I think I might like the video to look, and turns it into something which actually works on the screen. And which looks good, too.
A bit of background to the video… the poem was inspired by a question posed by Walsall artist Carolyn Bayliss. She asked ‘What would you say at the funeral of England?’ As someone who’s always been fascinated by identity, I knew I’d have something to say. I just didn’t know what. I ended up writing England, my response to simplistic nationalism. I hope you enjoy it, find something in it which makes you smile, and something else which makes you think.
Oh, and feel free to share it as widely as you like.
