Wind Changing
A north-east wind rises, bringing with it
the rattle like promised rain of dry
birch leaves along the dusty pavement.

At night, ripe rain breaks like a wave
on the weathered shore of our slates.
Roof-beams creak and settle in their berths.

The crowded leaves of ash and beech disperse.
Light pours through rents in the orchard.
The world outside opens, comes closer.

This is an October-November poem from the sequence River Calendar, which forms part of the first section of The Territory of Rain. It’s also quite apt for the next stage of my book’s progress out into the wilder seas of the poetry world.

The official launch of the book has been confirmed as 13th February 2016, in the new and sensitively enhanced Scottish Poetry Library. Don’t wait for this, though – do go and see what a beautiful job the developers have made of it, managing to get quarts into pint pots all over it, and yet keeping the light-filled serenity of the original.

Before then, however, I’ll be reading at Writers in the Bath in Sheffield, on the 10th November. This event is run by the wise and wonderful Cora Greenhill, and happens in the Bath Hotel, Victoria Street, at 7:30. It will include Claire Carter local mountaineer and fine poet and performer, and Derbyshire Stanza members reading from their brand new anthology from Templar which will just have been launched at The Templar Poetry Festival.

I’ll be delighted to see you there!