Persons From Porlock

The erudite literati out there will of course know the history of poor Coleridge's writing of Kubla Khan. The great poet was in full (opiate?) creative flow when a visitor from Porlock knocked on his door causing the most disastrous poeticus interruptus of all time. Even so, a wonderful poem was conceived and Porlock went on to host a famous literary festival. The only thing it had lacked in the past was the attendance of a full bodied Romantic Passionista such as modest little me.

Candy and Paul awaiting the person from Porlockl

Of course, I was supposed to go with Oscar - but he couldn't get the day off work. And guess who the folks actually wanted to see? It's not that I don't do poetry - I still do (ish) and did ( ooh - you could have taken your pick of my iambic at one time). No one did as it happens! That's why I'm not on BBC Radio Foreplay. 

Buy my books. OK BUY MY BOOKS!!!

Happily I met up with a couple of fantastic poets, Candy Bright and Paul Tobin who starred in the "Freeze Frame" anthology. I had read their stuff and done the sound editing on the audio track. These guys are the real deal. As a young young writer I went to poetry readings and longed to be that kind of writer. Poets push off from the shore, not knowing where they're off to; prepared over and over again to drown in waves and cross currents. Their work is their cry above the storm or the landscape of the calm horizon where only ideas or desires cast shadows. Poetry is the true form and I still love it. I guess they don't look at their Amazon ratings or admire their limousines too much either.

I also met a fellow novelist - Jackie Gingell, author of "Ee Aye Addyeo" (The Farmer Wants a Wife). We had a comradely chat which left me smiling.

With driving rain and wind, the village hall was no Xanadu, so many thanks to the man from Porlock and partners, who fought the elements and treated themselves to some poetry.

And finally just to note that this is my three hundredth blog. I know there are tattooed old sweats out there who have done several thousands. My feeling is that the blogger sands have shifted since I started. At the outset it was absolutely de rigueur for writers to have one. There were gurus writing blogs telling other gurus how to blog up their guru power. A quick google has just confirmed my suspicion that many pets now write blogs. A look at the stats reveals that at least one spaniel has twice my readership. I dare not check out the cats cos they can be far wittier than me. 

Hey ho - blog on. 

Emma Thinx: Big ideas stand tall. Their shadows are the light.