Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Postcard from Greenwich Park


When I was at school in Greenwich, we spent an occasional cold, damp, muddy sports lesson cross-country running in Greenwich Park. I was usually the one walking at the back. Hideous though that experience was, it was a chance to admire the Park and I often return now (without the trainers!).

The residents of Greenwich are lucky to have this beautiful, varied, historic open space on their doorstep and the huge numbers of tourists who join them to walk, run, play and picnic there just back up the value of the Park for the local area. Can it really be a sensible location to consider for the 2012 Olympic Equestrian events?

The Park would be closed to the public for months in the lead up to and during the games. There is the potential that the historical and ecological character of the Park could be damaged by the construction of the facilities required. I think Greenwich Park is too important to take the risk. This photo is taken from a point just to the side of the Prime Meridian line that dissects the world through the highest point of Greenwich Park. It's a view tourists cross the world to visit.

As Kerry, the main character in my novel 'Map Reading' (see 'Postcard from the internet' below) puts it: ' It's the start of time, that's all. East and West, it all starts here.'

A couple of weeks of Olympics events and it might never be the same again. For more information see http://www.nogoe2012.com/

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Postcard from National Poetry Day


The theme of this year's National Poetry Day was 'Work'. At Cannon Hill Writers Group we devoted the weekly meeting to poetry and arranged a display of work poems in the poetry section of Hall Green Library. That's my extremely short effort you can see in the picture.
We then spent the evening sharing a variety of poems - joined by the brand new Birmingham Poet Laureate, Chris Morgan, and afterwards retired to the pub.
Great fun, this poetry lark.

What's that? You can't read it? OK then, here it is.

Public Sector Reorganisation

You want me to apply
For the job which I
already do?
The pay will be less,
the responsibility more.

It certainly seems
just perfect for me.
A familiar
situation
I'd be keen to explore.

Again.