Stealing inspiration (New Poem)

Sometimes I dream
Of the foghorn near the docks
Whistling like a forgotten friend
In your letterbox
Walking home from work
After I had left for the last time.

Remember the ringing of the last tram,
Which freezes in the air
Like a photograph
Before breathing too quickly
Ain’t you glad you walked away. 

Sometimes I dream of
The chime of the clock
Near the BBC
Weeping under spires
And underneath dock boats,

Dreaming of my heart
Tied up in chains
Before I unpicked the lock
And walked away without regret,

Stealing inspiration
from the sunset.

Latest update - 15th June 2012

Dear all;

Sorry for the quietness here recently, but time as usual has been taking running around with the usual madness.

Writing wise, I have one of my old poems ‘Percy’ published in a D-Day 68^th Anniversary poetry book which I have just ordered and am looking forward to getting a hard copy in my hands as Percy is one of my favourite all time pieces about my deceased Uncle. More details You can find here:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/walter-ruhlmann/d-day-68th-anniversary-anthology/paperback/product-20170154.html

The E Zine, My father lost me to the beast at cards has also published five of my poems (including two re-writes of the National Poetry Writing Month ) – Pack of Cards, Traitor, Eclipse, Last Sunset and The End of Summer IV.

More details can be seen here - http://myfatherlostmetothebeastatcards.wordpress.com/andy-n/

Although it does get depressing sometimes that rejections keep coming in, getting two as good as these above mean a lot to me as a writer as it keeps encouraging me to keep on cracking on with it.

Next up, is the Recusant for me’s launch in the North West of England in Ashton where their latest political book ‘Robin Hood’ will feature two of my poems ‘Edge of the Flames’ and ‘Edge of the Flames II’. I will be reading at the Manchester launch here on 29^th June 2012.

More details can be found here - http://www.therecusant.org.uk/#/the-robin-hood-book/4563100507

Otherwise, gigswise – things have been fairly quiet since A Means to an End did a headline slot at Openmind recently at Fuel Bar. We are discussing next what we are going to do next, but there is a few places we want to explore before the end of summer and am hopefully before then, we will be able to slip in a few gigs then and hopefully also write some new material, as me and Jeff slowly write A Means to an End book II (Jeff will be bringing out his own book before the end of summer solo too which I’ll reveal more details about in due course).

I have recently done a new track with my American friend, Amanda Silbernagel  called ‘Cables’ which can be listened to / downloaded here:

http://www.amandasilbernagel.com/mp3/Cables%20audio%20poesis%20-%20Copy%20(2).mp3

There is another track pending with Amanda for uploading and I did a second mix of Cables which I like as much as the first mix of Cables.

Solo wise, I did a headline slot at the first Guitar and Verse for Gullivers in Manchester which was a pleasure to do – 5 poems and a song with my band ‘Leaving Belfast’, an old favourite of ours which seemed to go down pretty well with the fairly full crowd.

Otherwise, aside from co-running part of the Cadence Festival with Jeff on Friday 15^th and Saturday, 16^th June 2012, I don’t really have tons planned for the rest of June. I was at Write Out Loud – Stockport which was fun but fairly quiet where I read out ‘Traitor’ as published above and the revised version of ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ which will be get read out on the 16^th June.

July, I will be assisting Jeff with Guitar and Verse on the 5^th July when Avital Racz will be head-ling for us again. I’ve known Avital for years and she’s a singer from Israel and always a pleasure to watch. (Can’t confirm yet who the poet is going to be but it’ll be a good un I can hint at). The night before on the 4^th July I will be doing a 10 – 15 minute set at Lead Poets in Chorlton Cum Hardy which will be a new venue for me and hopefully will have a few new faces also.

I am also down for doing a headline slot on 24^th July 2012 at Write Out Loud, Middleton where if all goes to plan I will be headlining a few select pieces from my upcoming book ‘The End of Summer’ which at one point I was hoping to have ready for the end of Summer which has now sadly been delayed until likely next year now.

Otherwise, I am sadly looking for a new day job as the job I am at is finishing off (contract up).  Does anybody have anything going for a young at heart admin officer? (Sigh)