He was surprised to find he’d lived to tell the tale. Now each spring he heaves his kayak from the shed, straps it to the roof rack and drives the half-mile to the canal – digs out a parking permit for the dashboard – doesn’t forget to lock the car – hoiks the boat down […]

for SAFE Regeneration, Bootle Lift the old canoe from the canal, set down its keel on the dry grass. Fill it with soil and broken tiles heavy enough to thwart its restive spirit. Plant it bow to stern with medicinals:  a small lemon tree grown from a pip, lollipop verbena, lavender, juniper and hops to […]

the days are long enough to travel three hours by train to walk with you from Top Lock to Bottom Lock: a descent of sixteen locks should give us time to talk. The noon sun is hot on the cobblestones, already, and I’m so happy to be here with you after all you’ve been through. […]

A new poem for the Nottingham & Beeston Canal on Nottingham Light Night 2018 – and one week after Chinese New Year. Travellers on this Wooden vessel, let me tell you a story of Fire and Water and finding Funds (by which I mean, finding Gold) and how these elements meet between two steep banks […]