Kevin Pocock

Carol Ann Duffy, who is really impressing me with her constant, creative variety in the role of Poet Laureate, has written the following piece in light of the General Election. It’s delightfully sharp, quick-witted and delivers verse with plenty to debate in admirable brevity.

Here’s a boat that cannot float.

Here’s a queue that cannot vote.

Here’s a line you cannot quote.

Here’s a deal you cannot note …

and here’s a sacrificial goat,

here’s a cut, here’s a throat,

here’s a drawbridge, here’s a moat …

What’s your hurry? Here’s your coat.

On the subject of poetry, if you happen to be in North London tomorrow, the arts collective I’m part of – Lazy Gramophone – is holding an event called Lazy Sunday.

Full details can be found at the facebook group here, and it should be a lively and entertaining event, equally mixed with Sunday cool.

Readings by William Conway (from sections of his Tastes of Ink) as well as performances by the top gent (and excellent poet and musician), Joshua Idehen, The Sea Kings and Jem Cooke will feature.

I’ll be there milling about and chatting to peeps as well. Not as part of any performance, just to have a bit of a natter. Maybe see you then. And let’s hope that – for the good of the country – whatever is to happen, happens quickly in Westminster. 

So yes, we’ve a hung parliament. This isn’t a political blog, so I’ll just say that hopefully it bodes well for the UK, it’s people and its economy.

Moving on, in some bad, bad news for lovers of small, boutique festivals, a great one has been cancelled this (what would have been its fifth) year. Very, very sad. GocStock, a weekend I’ve enjoyed every year since its inception will no longer be going ahead. It was set to be the biggest GocStock so far, had a fantastic Jabberwocky theme in place, moved to a larger site and even had The Holloways headlining. But all that is for nothing now.

Why is GocStock much-loved? Well take a look at the below video You’ll see me on there at some point waxing lyrical (and sporting a rather nice, borrowed, beret!):

GocStock is dead, long-live GocStock! Hopefully, it will be back next year…

OH JESUS CHRIST…

*weeps*

The Guardian has the others here.

This election isn’t going to be fun is it?