Literary Listening

News in from Terry Quinn, author of Terry's Column in the Broadgate news, as well as a broadcaster for Preston FM.

Sunday morning (24th) at 10.00am on Preston FM: an interview with Jane Brunning on how she got her Doctorate in English Literature.

Monday evening (25th)at 7.00pm: an interview with local poet Cynthia Kitchen (runner up in Bridport Prize )about her book and the appointment of Carol Ann Duffy - repeated next Sunday.

More about Cynthia Kitchen (via Poetry in the City)

Cynthia Kitchen is married with one son and has been writing and having poetry published since the 1980s. She is a primary school teacher by profession but now is semi-retired and draws her inspiration from Morecambe Bay, Cumbria. She has been published in a range of magazines and has been a prize-winner and runner-up in various competitions including Manchester, Chester, Lancaster, Ver. She has been featured and interviewed on Radio Merseyside. Her first collection – was published by Headland in 2008.

The following poem was shortlisted for the Bridport prize.

Deflations in Sad Weather

In a week of kestrel rain
and wind swooping on the smallest of us,
suffering the flung leaves.

We stepped across chaotic branches,
stumbled by rocks and salt marsh.
The heavens’ pourings’ fell

Portentous on our anoraks and hoods.
This might be a sign to save us
from something infinitely worse.

And then we saw them on the cliff path,
Punctured still with railing silver strings.
Their first brilliance now a mortal blue,
touched by mud and circumstance.

Cynthia Kitchen