Buggeration. Missed Bridport deadline.

I am sitting here head hung, hands writhing over each other behind my back, well..no I'm not, because I need to type but rest assured my inner critic has tutted. Loudly. He's good at that, he has a clipboard that he taps I'm sure. Paramount Comedy Pearl? Clicketly clickety..

I missed the deadline for The Bridport Prize! I didn't want to send in any old thing, I didn't prioritise quite right..and a few awkward shifts fell on my lap at work and that was that. I blame work for missing out on many things, like beer gardens and cream teas-I'd like to up my quota of those, but I actually enjoy it. Still. I'm excited for those who have submitted to the Bridport, and will eagerly await tracking down winners so I can sniff out their offerings.

Mslexia's Poetry Competition closes on the 26th July. I have a few poems I'm working on for entry. The 'voice' is there, and the plot, but things aren't sounding right, and I don't want to over-tweak so I'm looking at new styles. Watch this space as I run short of time in a week :)

This year's judge is Vicki Feaver; She's a genius of Juxtaposition, who tackles 'meaty' themes, and humanises legends and perpherial things. A particular favourite of mine is Glow-worm; and this subtextual verse-
('We still haven't touched,
only lain side by side
the half stories of our half lives.')
Look her up. This is from The Book of Blood, but theres a lot on the old interwebz too, as I'm sure you've figured by now.. Poems. 26th July. Take your places, when the whistles sounds. Go.