Winter Roses

Canal Wreath by Phil Speight

This year I was commissioned to write a winter poem for The Poetry Society. I decided to take as my theme the hard graft that goes into maintaining a narrowboat during the coldest part of the year, as well as a life aboard, in particular the restoration of the traditional 'roses and castles' decorations.

The poem appears on the reverse of cards (blank inside) with a gorgeous wreath by traditional canal painter Phil Speight; sets can be purchased via The Poetry Society shop or in the Poetry Society Cafe in London - where my Canal Laureate exhibition Outlook and Inrush is on show until 2 February 2019.

I'm sharing wreath and poem here to wish all my friends and followers a productive winter and a peaceful and happy new year.

Poetry on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal

With Canal & River Trust staff and volunteers in Wigan

In July I spent a week travelling along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal - the UK's longest - by kayak, meeting people who live and work on the canal and gathering material for poems for the Canal Laureate project. Huge thanks to The Poetry Society, the Canal & River Trust, and the many individuals I met on the towpath for helping to make this journey possible, and a special shout out to CRT Writer in Residence Jasper Winn and Desmond Family Canoe Trail paddler Greg Brookes who kept me company for a day of paddling, including the passage through the mile-long Foulridge Tunnel.

You can read more about the practical aspects of the journey over at the British Canoeing blog, and a full report is coming soon at Waterlines.

With SLYNCS volunteers outside Blackburn

Borrowed Bookshelves 20

My paddle along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal began with a meal aboard Morning Mist, moored in Rodley, before reading a few poems between the acts of Alarum Theatre's performance of Idle Women of the Wartime Waterways. Kate Saffin, one half of Alarum Theatre, kindly let me take a picture of her bookshelf -- full of books used while researching the Idle Women's story.

The Union Canal, Scotland

The Scottish waterways are not officially part of the Canal Laureate's ambit, but since I was in Edinburgh this week I decided to spend a morning exploring the Union Canal, starting at Meggetland Bridge and heading for the city.

  Rowers from St Andrews Boat Club were out early, as were the dog-walkers.

The canal opened in 1822 to carry coal from the west of Scotland to Edinburgh. 

(You can find more history on the Scottish Canals website). 

Beyond the new suburbs that grew up beside it, above, and barely visible through the winter trees 

is the former Craiglockhart Hospital where Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon were treated for shell shock during World War I. 

I spotted a lone cat.

Then the rowers returned...

...and the commuters started to race by.

Approaching Viewforth Bridge - ready for a coffee now.

Chilly.

Old and new Edinburgh: a boarded-up chapel and narrowboats at Leamington Wharf.

Rivets and fresh paint at the Leamington Lift Bridge near Lochrin Basin.

Arrival in Prague/Lower Gilmore Place.

Upcoming event: Barge Fiodra

This photo (taken by Canal & River Trust Writer in Residence Jasper Winn) shows me and Pierre Tremblay during our epic cycle journey along the Regent's Canal last month. The excursion was the start of a collaboration which has led to a new filmpoem about the Regent's Canal.

The fillmpoem, The Cut, will be premiered as part of Barge Fiodra's March festival. On 15 March you can join me onboard Fiodra for a short screening, followed by readings of canal poems written since I was appointed Canal Laureate in January. Although small, the venue is supplied with a comprehensive bar and there'll be opportunity for convivial discussion and mingling post-event.

You can see an introduction to Pierre Tremblay's work and catch up on my first month as Canal Laureate on the Waterlines blog.

Canal Laureate 2018

I'm delighted to be appointed Canal Laureate for 2018 by the Canal & River Trust and The Poetry Society, following in the slipstream of writers Luke Kennard (Canal Laureate 2016-17) and Jo Bell (Canal Laureate 2013-15).

Over the coming months I will travel the 2,000 and more miles of waterways looked after by the Canal & River Trust -- wherever possible, in my kayak. I will seek out and share stories from the rich history of the waterways, and champion the importance of these 'green corridors' for wildlife. As well as poems featuring people who live and work on the waterways, I will create new collaborative works with other water-loving artists and writers.

My first canal poem, 'Safety Briefing' can be read on the Waterlines website, and subsequent poems will be posted there over the coming months. You can also follow the project on Twitter @CanalPoetry

More details in the announcement from The Poetry Society.