Recently I've been working on a collaboration, indoors looking out, with the artist Stephen Graham, and I'm delighted that some of our work has been selected for the online exhibition Covent-19 - Voicing Responses Under Lockdown. You'll be able to view the exhibition on Instagram from 8th May to 5th June. The collaboration began on the eve …
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.
Lady Marmalade
A hopefully diverting account of my first - and possibly last - attempt at making marmalade. The weekend before last, and the COVID-19 news was getting on top of me. I thought a spot of home cooking might help me calm down and focus on something practical. We had loads of oranges from Waste Not …
on World Poetry Day
Thought I would share the poem I wrote on Sunday and took to my Stanza group on Monday - now looking like this will be our last gathering for some time. Hope you are managing to stay grounded and safe. staying grounded small piece of glass pyramidal soothing to roll between fingers parakeet feather plucked …
starting the day with a poem
For some time now, Nick and I have taken it in turns to read a poem aloud before we get up. I'm not quite sure when this habit started, and we don't stick to it every day, but more often than not now we start the day with a poem. Sometimes I've read from The …
End of November round-up
Wowee. I've been busy. I sat down yesterday morning and began a list of things I've been up to since I last blogged: Words for the Wild - I've had two poems published on this beautiful site, as part of their autumn 'Fruit' themed issue. I love the mix of poetry and fiction, and the …
tenth time lucky
I'm feeling very lucky, and rather giddy, and very grateful. My poem A Cure for Rosesickness is one of three highly commended in this year's Live Canon International Poetry Prize, judged by Zaffar Kunial. It's also published in the competition anthology, which features all 50 longlisted poems. The giddiness may be due in part to a …
National Poetry Day Vibes
I woke up yesterday morning thinking about National Poetry Day, which is next Thursday 3rd October. I'm going to a reading the night before, but had nothing planned for the day itself, and wasn't aware of anything happening locally. And then I thought why don't I do something myself? Something that wouldn't take too much …
doing nothing
I find this very difficult. To do nothing. Switch off. Be in the moment. I'd like to get better at it. It's been a busy year, and mostly for wonderful reasons - visiting my family in Melbourne at the start of the year, then the excitement of launching and promoting London Undercurrents, the poetry collection …
An extraordinary house, and promming at Battersea Arts Centre
On Tuesday I was privileged to go on a free tour of the National Trust property 575 Wandsworth Road. This was part of an event for the National Park City Festival, a week of events to celebrate London being declared the first National Park City in the world, and encouraging Londoners to get out and …
Continue reading An extraordinary house, and promming at Battersea Arts Centre
Three readings, a workshop, a virus and a Fun Day
That was my May, and I'm still recovering. I eased into the month with a double reading at Loose Muse on 8th May. In the first half, Joolz Sparkes and I read from our joint collection London Undercurrents, recently published by Holland Park Press. Over the five or so years that we've been working on …
Continue reading Three readings, a workshop, a virus and a Fun Day
Hilaire 