Poem No. 2

one poem, one book

Jun 27, 2025

The Writing Workshop

There was more of us than I realised. All women, no surprise
but a homemade birthday cake - lights off, a day late - all the same.

Legs crossed, all the same way, ladylike
like ladies like to do even in the man-less room.

All but one wearing winter boots - you should always notice shoes
it’s how one chooses to feel the ground.

20 names between two roses.
Sara with an H and without,
educator, child raiser, climate changer rager
a full house of doubt, expert and witness
the only man struck down by illness.

Groups of women in big-ceilinged rooms make me think of war time and how they gathered openly for the first time to discuss and organise.
Devouring the leavened loaf of gossip, ideas and unity
while still licking the lips of housework and duty.

Now we go to the pub unaccompanied
and unsecretly meet to feed our human need for wild thoughts.
To think I nearly left after the first course.

I watch them all revelling in this private public space
tears encouraged, rage
unabridged and published.

I have often sutured my wounds with the words of women who bled before me.
I pour all of yours into my weak cup of tea
Uncross my legs
and drink them like whiskey.

This year I’m on a quest to try and support myself more through my music and writing in the hopes that I can dedicate more time to both. In light of this, I have switched on a paid subscription to this blog which you can sign up to below if you would like to, and are able to, support me on the slightly mad mission to being a full-time artist. Thank you for being here.

Meet you in the bookshop

Rachel Cusk - Outline

For fans of beautiful prose and meandering interest, this book (the first in a trilogy) is made up of ten conversations that a writer has whilst teaching a writing course in Athens. More of a prose patchwork than a novel, it’s a great companion in the stifling summer heat and aimless days.