'Inking Bitterns' on Radio Bristol

Dru Marland, John Terry and I talk about 'Inking Bitterns', local wildlife, rummaging through skips and poetry on the Steve Yabsley Show.  Listenable to for the next seven days, we are on from 36:00 (33:10 if you want to listen to the Beatles 'Twist and Shout' as well and why wouldn't you?) to 57:07.  

Here are pictures from some of the poems we read:

'Inking Bitterns' - a book of poems and pictures for wild places - is published in association with Poetry Can and available from Gert Macky books and good independent bookshops - in Bristol, this means Durdham Down Bookshop, Standfords, and Foyles, price £5. 

December on the Downs

No apologies for loving my home city today. 

Something happening on the Leigh Woods side of the Gorge

Looking down to Sea Walls

An abundance of Old Man's Beard this winter.  

It's easy to take a place for granted when you've lived there all your life, but Bristol did look rather spectacular today. This the Suspension Bridge from Sea Walls.   

A crow floats on the wind ...

... then surveys the gorge from a sunny ledge.

Back on the grass a war had broken out between crows and gulls over some scattered bread, which occasioned much flapping about, principally by the gulls ... 

 ... while the crows for the most part stayed put and scoffed. Clever corbies.

Christmas Lights in Bristol

 Early morning in Clifton

 Lunchtime on Wine Street

Three in the afternoon on Narrow Quay

Bristol, there've been times I've tried to leave you ...

... but somehow I forget to unhook the elastic strap from the back of my belt ...

... and I'm left doing a sort of horizontal bungee jump over and over again. 

I'm getting tired now ...

... and it's no real hardship to abandon resistance ...

... not on days like these.

Cranes on Princes Wharf

The Wills Memorial Building and Cathedral from M Shed

Looking south to Totterdown

Arnolfini on Narrow Quay

St Augustine's Reach

Over to Cabot Tower on Brandon Hill

Cathedral Steps

The Triangle

Bitter Drinking Poets

Ooh look, bitter drinking poets - I mean Inking Bittern poets - at Halo Cafe Bar Monday last, courtesy Acoustic Night Bristol.  

John Terry

                                           Alana Farrell

Alan Summers

                                           Cathy Wilson

Colin Brown

                                                                me

and Dru Marland, who made it all happen












Come along to Can Openers at Foyles later today (Friday, 12pm) for a reprise!


'Inking Bitterns' - a book of poems and pictures for wild places, illustrated by Dru Marland - is published in association with Poetry Can and available from Gert Macky books and good independent bookshops - in Bristol, this means Durdham Down Bookshop, Standfords, and Foyles, price £5.