'On a Knife Edge' Review

 

 

Back in May I blogged about this book on my Poetry and Other Writing blog. In case you missed it, I shall re-post my words here. Juliet Wilson has written a review of On a Knife Edge, which you can read here on her Crafty Green Poet blog. Do take a look. And thank you, CGP, for mentioning my own recent collection of poems, Driftwood by Starlight (The Seventh Quarry Press, 2021).   

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On a Knife Edge was published by Suffolk Poetry Society as a response to the diminishing state of nature report. It forms part of a collaboration between the Society and The Lettering Arts Trust (Snape), where an exhibition of the same name opened in July. I am delighted to have two poems and a micro-poem about IUCN red-listed species included in the book. 

The topic resonates closely with Robert Macfarlane's work (supported by Jackie Morris and her artwork) in response to an increasing concern over the fact that 'nature words' (for the 'lost words', see here) were being removed from the 2007 edition of the Oxford Junior Dictionary. Apparently space was needed for words deemed more valuable in a digital and technical age. You can read my post here about a previous exhibition at The Lettering Arts Trust on this subject. 

On a Knife Edge was primarily created by Derek Adams, Lynne Nesbit, Beth Soule and Colin Whyles. It can be purchased here. 

'The Migrant Waders' - day of the launch

This is the day on which The Migrant Waders will be launched in Colchester.

This beautiful book is lavishly and exquisitely illustrated by designer Ella Johnston. You can see some of her drawings on the accompanying poster here in the Dunlin Press shop. The book, beautifully produced and edited by MW Bewick and Ella Johnston of Dunlin Press, is 'a collection of illustration, evocative prose, poetry and reportage that follows the migration routes of wading and shore birds from the high arctic to the tropics.'

One of the contributors, Samantha Franks, is a Research Ecologist with the BTO. Martin Harper is the Conservation Director of the RSPB.

My Bittern poem has been included; and in a serendipitous way, I see the RSPB have just posted a piece by Rachael Murray about this elusive bird, known more often by sound than sighting. The Bittern, as I recall, was one of the threatened species to feature in the RSPB 'Conservation' board game that we used to play in the mid 1970s. I saw my first Bittern some thirty years later at Minsmere, and have since seen - and heard - a few more on the reserve. 

Norfolk Festival of Nature - From Acorns to Fen Raft Spiders

I have just returned from two stimulating days at the Norfolk Festival of Nature.

We arrived at The Auden Theatre at Gresham's on Friday evening in time for an excellent talk on the rare (IUCN Red Listed) Fen Raft Spider, which is the subject of my ZSL poem.

Fen Raft Spider Trail sign at Redgrave and Lopham Fen

The speakers were Dr Helen Smith, a plant ecologist and spare-time conservationist, and Sheila Tilmouth, Artist in Residence to the Fen Raft Spider, a position that was initially funded by Arts Council England. Dr Helen Smith has headed Natural England’s conservation programme for the Fen Raft species and has carried out successful work by establishing new populations in Broadland. She is currently president of the British Arachnological Society. Helen and Sheila gave a first-rate presentation on this large spider's life cycle, sharing aspects of its struggle for survival on SWT Redgrave and Lopham Fen. You can read about their book, On the Margins: the Fen Raft Spiders of Redgrave and Lopham Fen, here and here. It comes highly recommended.   

SWT information board at Redgrave and Lopham Fen

Then on Saturday afternoon I attended a Writing Workshop in the Woods, led by Gresham's English Master, Dr Jonathan Ward. This proved a fascinating experience as we encountered rain, graffiti, smoke, an open-air theatre, strong gusts of wind and a press photographer from the local paper as we made our 'way through the woods'.

We were given stimulating writing assignments and I much look forward to honing my scribbles. What a privilege to read an early woodland poem by Auden in the grounds of his old school! The workshop reading list included Harriet Tarlo's challenging anthology of radical landscape poetry, The Ground Aslant, which accompanied me on our trip.

Capturing detail: a scrap of bark, subject of my draft poem

We attended the Festival Launch with Mark Cocker, whose work I have long admired. Mark's Crow Country has to be one of my top books on the natural world on account of his precise and compelling descriptions of corvids gathering in the Yare Valley, prior to their evening roost. I am currently reading Claxton: Field Notes from a Small Planet, which is an equally stimulating read, packed with exquisite observations about a part of the world (home of my teenage years) that is close to my heart.

There were rumours that Margaret Atwood and her partner, Graeme Gibson, were going to appear on the podium to address the audience, and these proved to be true. Margaret and the panel discussed the emotive subject of losing nature words from the Oxford Junior Dictionary. The thought that the word 'acorn' could be dropped from an English dictionary caused a particularly noticeable ripple. If you are on Twitter take a look at #naturewords.

The Norfolk Festival of Nature is rapidly gaining ground. There are vast hopes, dreams and plans afoot for residencies and the like in a bid to bring the wonders - and fragility - of the natural world before the county. Dr Al Cormack is Director of the Festival of Nature and Head of English at Gresham’s. He is the author of Yeats and Joyce and several articles on contemporary literature. Before coming to Gresham’s he taught the literary modules on the MA Creative Writing at UEA.

There was a brief discussion about ways of engaging the public, perhaps particularly with the future of the Festival and the younger generation in mind. I shall watch this space with great interest. Meanwhile, I would like to express sincere thanks to all who have helped to make this year's Festival activities so thought-provoking, enjoyable and worthwhile. 


Festival Themes

• The Festival Programme
• Festival Coverage by the Eastern Daily Press - including a small picture of me perching on the tree stump, during the woodland writing workshop
• 'Rewilding our Language of Landscape', Robert MacFarlane in The Guardian, 27 February 2015
• Not mentioned at the Festival, but you might also like to see 'A Lament for Lost Words' by Malcolm Guite

Fen Raft Spider

• The Fen Raft Spider Website
• Sheila Tilmouth: Fen Raft Spider Residency
• My ZSL winning poem, 'Raft Race' 
• SWT Redgrave and Lopham Fen
• The Fen Raft Spider on BBC Countryfile

Beautiful Birds: Avocet Chicks

Avocet chick - such a small frame, such large feet!

When I was a child of about thirteen, we lived in Norfolk and would occasionally play a board game backed by the RSPB, called 'Conservation'. I liked birds at the time, but knew little about them. As a result of playing the game, I learned about the UK conservation status of species like the Avocet, the symbol of the RSPB itself. I don't think I could have guessed then that by 2013 I would have seen my first Avocet chicks back in East Anglia!
   

However, this last Bank Holiday weekend saw us perched in a hide with binoculars and camera, watching three fluffy, feisty youngsters.   

The Avocet had nested on a small area of land surrounded by water, so her chicks could run about in relative safety. 

Do take a moment to read the story of the Avocet's demise and come-back here!

Going Green (2): Ecopoetry and Nature Poetry

(Re)connection

I don't often cross-post the same piece on two blogs, but it occurred to me that there might be some wildlife enthusiasts out there who are also poetry lovers or writers. If this is the case, you might care to hop across here to my Coastcard post on Nature Poetry and Ecopoetry. A number of fellow bloggers responded to my challenge to try to define the difference in a meagre 21 words. You will also find some suggestions for summer reading about the natural world.