Simon Armitage at the Gala Theatre

Oh a love poem- chuckle ;) well done magic- keep on truckin'
;)Pia

OK, Pia - you caught me! It is a 'love' poem of sorts, just the definition of the word is a little hazy at the moment ;) Thank you for commenting!

Magic xxx

I thought you would have been able to define it from the lecture hehe ;)

No lecturer or academic in Durham will be able to explain what goes on in my head, Pia - trust me! ;)

Magic xxx

Not even a psychology teacher- at Durham?

Hi Magic, It sounds like your having a real good
time at Durham, may the good times continue. Thanks
for the great poem.
Jenny.

Thank you, Jenny! I'm having a ball - even though I'm still battling with freshers' flu :/ But everyone here's got it so there's no getting rid of it for the time being lol

Magic xxx

This is fantastic, you've created such an encompassing situation, I feel like I'm sitting in a seat right next to you. This piece is beautifully visual, I also love your engagement with the past and present.

Get better, I wish only freshers were susceptible to that flu! :)

Thank you, Maggy! Glad you came along for the ride ;) I was in town today buying flu supplies from Boots and I bumped into three people I know at the pharmacy counter! Seems the whole of Durham has come down with it :/ Of course, flu doesn't make a lecture on old and middle English linguistics any less enjoyable :P

Magic xxx

A giddy whirl of experiences, I especially like stanza five.

Thank you, Shoe! I think that's one of my favourite stanzas too :)

And thank you, cherry fairies! You've really cheered me up... Feeling a little homesick today :(

Magic xxx

Yes it's a strange thing how you can think you know what a word means and then realise you don't. 'Love' is not the only one, but it gets the most attention and I like the way you've put it across here. I liked the last few lines, bringing the reader thumping back down to reality - I suppose very much what 'theatre' is about.

Rob

Thank you, Rob. Glad you liked this one ;) It certainly is a feeling of 'back to reality'!

Magic xxx

Flu an 'all, you sound like you're having a ball at Durham, Magic!

Stanza 5 my favourite, too. Really enjoyed this, thanks for taking us along for the ride and well done on the cherry, hope you get well soon (it's certainly not affecting your writing, so no worries there) :)

Rachel xx

Awww thanks, Rachel! Glad you like this one ;)

I've just had an interview for the position of publicity rep for DUCK. (That's Durham University Charity Kommittee!) I managed not to cough once during the interview - then left only to break into a massive coughing fit in front of my bemused friend Adam who had to half-carry me back to my room. *Sigh* And the second years tell me it lasts for pretty much the whole first term!

But you're right - I am having an absolute ball here - I just love the people and the place... even though the homesickness comes and goes sometimes!

Magic xxx

Magic - I feel so terrible:-(

Not only did I quite forget to ask you how your 'evening with Simon Armitage went', but I also had never read this before, until just a couple of minutes ago.

Anyway, as to the evening, it obviously was more than rewarding...as was the resulting poem.

There are more memorable lines than I have time to quote but I particularly liked the following, as I too believe, very much, in that 'fine line'.

"And still that word persists from the poets' lips.
One syllable like a gunshot. I receive another
blow when Simon, last up, starts
a discussion about Bob Dylan; that fine line
between poet and musician."

I also admired the way you put into words, so successfuly, the way we all feel on hearing 'our song', or in this case,'our poem'.

Continue breathing in deeply that Durham air; it certainly does appear to inspire...you quite magically;-)

A more than well-deserved cherry.

Tina xxx

I do hope you get that position on the 'Kommittee', Magic - sure you'll make a brilliant DUCK-er ;o)

Adam sounds like the kind of friend we all wish we had, it's good to know you're being looked after! Got very positive vibes about your time at Durham, sure you're going to do really well. If you can write like this in your first year and with freshers-flu, imagine what you're going to be knocking out in a few years when you're flu-free! Wish you all the best, but something tells me you don't need any luck at all :)

Rachel xx

Hello, Tina! Please don't worry - always better late than never ;) Simon was wonderful. I subsequently youtubed two of his songs from his band 'The Scaremongers' and they've really grown on me - I was humming 'Cardigan Girl' whilst doing my washing this afternoon!

Magic xxx

Thank you so much for the lovely comments and wishes, Rachel! I'm still soldiering on - went to a Poetry Society meeting this evening where we all read and discussed some of our favourite poems. I brought 'Ice on the Beach' by Jean Sprackland and the president of the society actually brought one of my all-time favourites: 'Text' by Carol Ann Duffy. So it proved an interesting evening!

Magic xxx

Hello Magic,
I don't know if you will get around to reading this,
as I know you are probably busy, but I really hope
you get better soon, so that you can get on with
your life, your work and enjoying yourself.
It's horrible when your feeling ill and worse when
you have to carry on regardless.

By the way good good luck with the publicity Rep
position. Take care of yourself.

Jenny xx

Hi Jenny! The soldiering on continues - I had an erm... 'eventful' night last night. It was the college's Halloween formal and we went out to the Klute nightclub afterwards. Suffice to say, there is now a rather rude in-joke amongst my friends about me and boys from Castle College!

I then had to get up for a 9am Donne tutorial. *Groan* I also had a lecture on Plato's realm of forms which brought back memories! So today has been very busy. We're having a girls night-in tonight - watching the BBC's Jane Eyre adaptation.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the position as DUCK publicity rep but they HAVE offered me a place on the committee as a more non-descript member with no specific role, but I can help out with anything I can! :)

Thanks for all the good luck and well wishes ;)

Magic xxx

Well done, Magic - knew they'd need you on the committee :)

Glad you're managing to study and still have a social life! I'm loving the updates of your time at Durham ;o)

Rachel xx

Hi Magic,
Well it certainly sounds like your feeling better,
I am really glad.

You are worth alot to the committee, I am sure that
you will beable work your way up the ladder, if you
know what I mean.

I bet you will be looking forward to your break in
November, I think I remember you saying you were
going home.

Keep up the good work.
Jenny xx

Hope you feel better soon, flu and homesick ;) , sounds like you have a good time going though lots of interesting happening :) K xx

Thanks again, Rachel, Jenny and Kahdai :)

I was out again last night for Halloween - resurecting my Alice in Wonderland outfit! I had a meal with my college 'family' i.e. the two second years who have adopted me and my fellow freshers siblings... and then, as was inevitable, we all went to Klute! Although I had to leave within half an hour and take my friend Adam home as he could barely walk! At least he is a happy drunk, and provided much entertainment on the walk back up to Mary's!

Another busy day today - I've just returned from a tutorial on Aristotle's Poetics. Greek philosophy is too much for a Monday morning!

Magic xxx

I'm sure you looked just great. Were you the caterpillar or Alice? I think I'd stick to just tea or coffee on a Monday morning. Aristotele's is very interesting but not a Monday morning. You poor thing ;) Did you have your costume on at Klutes? Ha ha LOL
What else is going on ? More More
Pia ;)

So casually do they flick the word 'love',
repeatedly, into the audience.
It’s as if I’m thirteen again,
and Henry Fulton is throwing
biro after biro in my direction.

lol! like the diarystyle Magic, flicking biros - and the nod to simon's poetic glue is sweet! Was Ms Duffy there - i fancy a read, some hearts on sleeves - miss teaching their poems -you know AQA removed some poems from GCSE syllabus for being too violent or something?! Ridiculous *rolls eyes* Nice read Magic xx

Hi LD! No, Carol Ann wasn't there - which is a shame as I would've loved to have seen her again! (It's over a year now since I went down to London to meet her.)I heard about the AQA 'scandal' - you're right, ridiculous!

Magic xxx

Great stuff!!!

:--) xxx

Thanks, David! Great to hear from you :)

Magic xxx