I want to do more than I’m capable of it, perhaps always the way we feel after a period of illness. But I did get some writing done yesterday morning, and my novella – that’s what I’m calling it now (although I’m not particularly keen on putting it in a box) – continues to grow. And as it grows I begin to think that it’s very much about ‘home’ – being in exile, coming home, making a new home, as I did when I came north – and the way in which we define home for ourselves.
The person I’ve known longest since coming north all those years ago, and central to my concept of home and belonging is my dear friend, gardener and botanist, Marney Harris. So you can perhaps imagine how delighted I was to read the poem Golden Saxifrage by Durham poet Gillian Allnutt, which is dedicated to her .
The poem is part of the Write Where We Are Now initiative – ‘Carol Ann Duffy and the Manchester Writing School at MMU have brought together poets from around the world to write new poems about the recent days past and the weeks ahead. The poets were invited to write directly about the Coronavirus pandemic or about the personal situation they find themselves in right now.’
I know the Marney of this poem. In it Gillian shares with us the experience of being with Marney and of her kindness. It is a true gift. I’m sure Marney will treasure it. I will and I’m sure those who know her will too.
It strikes me here, as I read it again, that there is something so very alike in the botanist’s and poet’s attention to their craft.
If you’re tempted to write a poem you might write about a lockdown walk or here’s a suggestion I picked up from Apples and Snakes Instagram – look back through your old writing notebooks and make a collage poem from discarded lines and old free writes
Below – Golden Saxifrage – I hope I’ve got the right one, opposite not alternate – much as I love flowers and plants I’m no botanist…
