Outwith the official StAnza Blog

As a Guest Blogger for StAnza, I had my brief - the theme of Poetry and Design and the Welsh strand- but of course, there was much, much more as I was not asked to cover.

So my personal highlights were readings by Gillian Clarke, Liz Lochhead and Deryn Rees Jones,  mentioned already, but also readings by Mark Doty, Paula Meehan, Alvin Pang and Robin Robertson.  Chatting to Mark Doty, Alvin Pang and George Szirtes briefly.  Spending longer with Gillian Clarke and Paula Meehan in the Supper Room.

Touching base with friends Mandy Haggith, come down from Assynt, Jean Atkin come up from Shropshire, and Geraldine Mitchell over from Ireland...and bumping into many more poet/friends from around Scotland and my son, of course - one of the StAnza PR team and whose beautiful cover designs grace the Stewed Rhubarb poetry pamphlets.

And sloping off to the Fairmount Hotel on Sunday afternoon for a break and a snifter with Maurice Franceschi to see his photo - part of the Dualism project (oh yes, I did mention that in previous blog).

Back from StAnza 2013

Back from StAnza 2013, Scotland's Poetry Festival in St. Andrew's.

I was invited to be a Guest Blogger for the second year running - again to cover the link between the art installations and poetry and since one of the festival's themes was 'Poetry and Design' there was masses to see.

And also, since I lived in Wales for 13 years, I begged to cover the Welsh strand of the festival:
See
StAnza Blog

But of course, there was much, much more as I was not asked to cover.  See my personal favourites in my next blog-
And sloping off to the Fairmount Hotel on Sunday afternoon for a break and a snifter with Maurice Franceschi to see his photo - part of the Dualism project.

Maurice Franceschi toasting his own photo by Chris Parkes, part of the Dualism: Poetry and Photo project, exhibited at the Fairmount Hotel during StAnza.

Hwyl fawr!