I come from a sunburnt country.I come from Scottish and Welsh,and Protestant guilt.I come from stolen land.I come from privilegefrom classical musicand cryptic crosswordsand private education.I come from discontentfrom chucking in schoolfrom teenage rebellion. I came in desperation,I came a strangerin a strange state of mind.I came to Thatcher’s disunited kingdomto Red Ken’s London. I found …
Author: Hilaire
I am a writer of poetry and prose. I was born and brought up in Melbourne but have lived in London most of my adult life.
Magnolia Appreciation Society (Battersea Branch)
Spring seems to have been a long time coming this year, but it's definitely arrived, and one of the early spring sights that always lifts my spirits is the flowering of magnolia trees on the side streets and in Battersea Park. There are dozens of varieties, some frilly, others star-shaped, many slowly open into a …
Continue reading Magnolia Appreciation Society (Battersea Branch)
Bon anniversaire Maurice Ravel
The French composer Maurice Ravel was born 150 years ago today. He's one of mine and Nick's favourite composers. Back in March 2014, BBC Radio 3 dedicated a whole day to Ravel's music, which really opened our ears to the wonder and variety of his music - there's so much more than his most famous …
What’s for pudding?
A familiar refrain from my childhood, and one I often ask Nick as we finish our dinner - something sweet to round off the evening meal. I was lucky to grow up in a family where putting food on the table - in terms of affording it - was never an issue. With hindsight, I …
Twixtmas comes but once a year
Twixtmas. That quiet period betwixt Christmas and New Year. It's one of my favourite times of year, when London slows down a bit. The streets are quieter. People seem less harried, more relaxed. It's a good time to explore and maybe walk off a bit of the festive excess. In this spirit, I'm reprising my …
strolling, chatting and scribbling
I've just compiled the feedback from the two Stroll, Chat, Scribble events I ran for this year's Brighter Living Fair in Wandsworth, and I'm feeling a rather chuffed. It's very gratifying to realise that what I set out to deliver pretty much hit the mark. Each session began with a stroll around nearby streets for …
ageing well in Wandsworth
Wandsworth Council’s Brighter Living Fair takes place throughout October, and aims to encourage older people to stay active and try new activities with a series of free events. As part of this month-long celebration of ageing well, I’m pleased to have received a micro grant to lead two walks and poetry workshops. Starting at …
latest poetry crush
Earlier this year I received my contributor copy of a new anthology from Grey Hen Press, Two Ravens - Explorations of mind and memory. It's a substantial and impressive collection exploring its important themes from many different angles, through poems written by older women poets. I'm honoured that my poem The Sheffield Man is included …
Engelchen – my mid-year highlight
Joolz Sparkes and I were thrilled to be part of Alison Cotton's Engelchen event at this year's Wandsworth Arts Fringe - a real highlight of my year so far. https://londonundercurrents.wordpress.com/2024/06/29/refugee-angels-celebrated-in-music-poetry-and-letters-home/?page_id=2781
Charlotte Despard gets a plaque
There was a fantastic turnout for the unveiling of a plaque honouring Charlotte Despard on Wednesday, in the heart of Embassy Gardens, Nine Elms. Despard, known as 'the Mother of Battersea', lived in a house on Currie Street from the early 1890s until she moved to Ireland in 1921. Her house was in the middle …
Hilaire 