Last year I started reading my work at the monthly Uncut Online meetup, including “VJ Day 2025“, “Blackbury Camp without”, “Entwined” and “Lacuna“.
Yesterday I gave first reading at the monthly in-person event at the Phoenix, with featured poet(s) and an open mic for members. I went all-in: first-time attending and first-time reading, so why not choose politics as a theme?!
Following “Us English“, I read the other two poems in what I call the Boat People triptych – “Seeking asylum” and “Right justified?” – and finished off with “The long arc“.
It was great to hear featured poets Tom Weir and Vishvantara read their work, and all the other brave souls stepping up to the open mic.
“Us English”
Us English are a country
of boat people.
Waves washed in the craft of Neolithic, Beaker folk, Celts,
before ever the Romans
came and saw and conquered.
And which of us have not settled
in the settlements of Angles, Saxons,
Jutes, Frisians, Franks?
Or swayed on the tube and tram as
Danes and Vikings
on the aft decks of their dragonships?
Us Normans rub along with traders, troubadours,
seekers after life and the curiously off the map.
William of Orange is old news.