I’d like to start with a poem diet it was the starch and dextran in
it was the starch and dextran in
it was the starch and dextran in adhesives that attracted them to Bruce
adhesives that attracted them to Bruce
adhesives that attracted them to Bruce Chatwin’s what am I doing here blue book
Chatwin’s what am I doing here blue book
Chatwin’s what am I doing here blue book bindings photographs plaster sugar and
bindings photographs plaster sugar and
bindings photographs plaster sugar and dandruff Oh what silverfish live off
dandruff Oh what silverfish live off
dandruff Oh what silverfish live off flickering across delicious acts
flickering across delicious acts
flickering across delicious acts minsters they would sample 200 year old
minsters they would sample 200 year old
minsters they would sample 200 year old paint in times of famine they’ll make do
paint in times of famine they’ll make do
paint in times of famine they’ll make do with linen and silk digest shoes I’ve
with linen and silk digest shoes I’ve
with linen and silk digest shoes I’ve watched guernsey carpet beetles swallow
watched guernsey carpet beetles swallow
watched guernsey carpet beetles swallow wool fur feathers and skin clothes moths
wool fur feathers and skin clothes moths
wool fur feathers and skin clothes moths shimmer all winter in my great uncle’s
shimmer all winter in my great uncle’s
shimmer all winter in my great uncle’s sofas his idea of pest control is to
sofas his idea of pest control is to
sofas his idea of pest control is to keep his tweets in the freezer while
keep his tweets in the freezer while
keep his tweets in the freezer while he’s sunning himself in Andalusia like
he’s sunning himself in Andalusia like
he’s sunning himself in Andalusia like most pests in historic houses excluding
most pests in historic houses excluding
most pests in historic houses excluding members of my own family they can go up
members of my own family they can go up
members of my own family they can go up to a year without food take the common
to a year without food take the common
to a year without food take the common book louse
book louse
book louse for example it will devour each page of
for example it will devour each page of
for example it will devour each page of a strain novel until alone with the
a strain novel until alone with the
a strain novel until alone with the title then chew its way through the
title then chew its way through the
title then chew its way through the covers savoring every word those were my
covers savoring every word those were my
covers savoring every word those were my school holidays reading in old houses
school holidays reading in old houses
school holidays reading in old houses silverfish nibbling my feet well I
silverfish nibbling my feet well I
silverfish nibbling my feet well I wanted to share this poem with you
wanted to share this poem with you
wanted to share this poem with you because it’s closely linked to a journey
because it’s closely linked to a journey
because it’s closely linked to a journey that I’ve been on with my voice a week
that I’ve been on with my voice a week
that I’ve been on with my voice a week before I wrote the poem I found myself
before I wrote the poem I found myself
before I wrote the poem I found myself lying on the red and blue patterned
lying on the red and blue patterned
lying on the red and blue patterned carpet of the whiskey bar of the
carpet of the whiskey bar of the
carpet of the whiskey bar of the strongness Hotel upon Orkney the hotel
strongness Hotel upon Orkney the hotel
strongness Hotel upon Orkney the hotel looks out over to scupper flow on one
looks out over to scupper flow on one
looks out over to scupper flow on one side and to the high hills on the other
side and to the high hills on the other
side and to the high hills on the other not like it’s the any of that from the
not like it’s the any of that from the
not like it’s the any of that from the floor of the whiskey bar with its 54
floor of the whiskey bar with its 54
floor of the whiskey bar with its 54 different varieties yes I counted them
different varieties yes I counted them
different varieties yes I counted them all
when I opened my eyes of me I saw the
when I opened my eyes of me I saw the head of a seventeen and a half stone
head of a seventeen and a half stone
head of a seventeen and a half stone stag there have been shots on the 11th
stag there have been shots on the 11th
stag there have been shots on the 11th of October 1912 and christen Linke later
of October 1912 and christen Linke later
of October 1912 and christen Linke later the voice coach was thumping my chest
the voice coach was thumping my chest
the voice coach was thumping my chest and she wasn’t trying to revive me
and she wasn’t trying to revive me
and she wasn’t trying to revive me it was 9:15 in the morning and I hadn’t
it was 9:15 in the morning and I hadn’t
it was 9:15 in the morning and I hadn’t touched a drop of whiskey so what was I
touched a drop of whiskey so what was I
touched a drop of whiskey so what was I doing lying on the floor what I was
doing lying on the floor what I was
doing lying on the floor what I was sighing with relief I was taking my
sighing with relief I was taking my
sighing with relief I was taking my breath down to my pelvis I was feeling
breath down to my pelvis I was feeling
breath down to my pelvis I was feeling my breath in my body in my hips in my
my breath in my body in my hips in my
my breath in my body in my hips in my chest in my cheeks and enjoying that
chest in my cheeks and enjoying that
chest in my cheeks and enjoying that resonance and I cried I cried because in
resonance and I cried I cried because in
resonance and I cried I cried because in speaking my poems from the floor I was
speaking my poems from the floor I was
speaking my poems from the floor I was finally allowing out all the emotions
finally allowing out all the emotions
finally allowing out all the emotions that I very carefully held in check for
that I very carefully held in check for
that I very carefully held in check for years and keeping them in had taken
years and keeping them in had taken
years and keeping them in had taken enormous amount of energy and I also
enormous amount of energy and I also
enormous amount of energy and I also cried because I’ve been told in school
cried because I’ve been told in school
cried because I’ve been told in school that I would never get up on the stage I
that I would never get up on the stage I
that I would never get up on the stage I would never be able to speak on the
would never be able to speak on the
would never be able to speak on the stage I was far too quiet to speak on
stage I was far too quiet to speak on
stage I was far too quiet to speak on the stage and I believe that for a long
the stage and I believe that for a long
the stage and I believe that for a long time until I realized that something
time until I realized that something
time until I realized that something could change that that actually I could
could change that that actually I could
could change that that actually I could change that myself so it was a relief to
change that myself so it was a relief to
change that myself so it was a relief to meet Christine Linklater and to discover
meet Christine Linklater and to discover
meet Christine Linklater and to discover that I had a choice I could either
that I had a choice I could either
that I had a choice I could either continue to intone my poems in the same
continue to intone my poems in the same
continue to intone my poems in the same dull monochrome way that I’d been doing
dull monochrome way that I’d been doing
dull monochrome way that I’d been doing for years
for years
for years or I could engage with and speak using
or I could engage with and speak using
or I could engage with and speak using the full range of human emotions that
the full range of human emotions that
the full range of human emotions that are available to me through my voice
are available to me through my voice
are available to me through my voice happiness fear anger sadness I sighed
happiness fear anger sadness I sighed
happiness fear anger sadness I sighed with relief to think that I could allow
with relief to think that I could allow
with relief to think that I could allow myself to mean what I’d written in my
myself to mean what I’d written in my
myself to mean what I’d written in my poems that I could take away the war
poems that I could take away the war
poems that I could take away the war that I put between myself and the poems
that I put between myself and the poems
that I put between myself and the poems it was exciting to think that I had this
it was exciting to think that I had this
it was exciting to think that I had this choice but of course it was also scary
choice but of course it was also scary
choice but of course it was also scary it was very scary to be honest with
it was very scary to be honest with
it was very scary to be honest with myself
myself
myself and scary to be honest with an audience
and scary to be honest with an audience
and scary to be honest with an audience well before that I had it might be
well before that I had it might be
well before that I had it might be termed the poetry voice which has been
termed the poetry voice which has been
termed the poetry voice which has been described by Kate Calloway in the
described by Kate Calloway in the
described by Kate Calloway in the Guardian on the 1st of August this year
Guardian on the 1st of August this year
Guardian on the 1st of August this year as that wistful singsong that has become
as that wistful singsong that has become
as that wistful singsong that has become chronic poetry readings she goes on to
chronic poetry readings she goes on to
chronic poetry readings she goes on to say so many poets would benefit from the
say so many poets would benefit from the
say so many poets would benefit from the attention of a really good theater
attention of a really good theater
attention of a really good theater director my particular pet hate she
director my particular pet hate she
director my particular pet hate she notes is the way that poets
notes is the way that poets
notes is the way that poets meaninglessly turn the last words in the
meaninglessly turn the last words in the
meaninglessly turn the last words in the line upwards like a question that did
line upwards like a question that did
line upwards like a question that did not need to be asked and all that was
not need to be asked and all that was
not need to be asked and all that was true of me but I wanted to be able to
true of me but I wanted to be able to
true of me but I wanted to be able to give more of myself away through my
give more of myself away through my
give more of myself away through my words through my poems so I hunted round
words through my poems so I hunted round
words through my poems so I hunted round on the internet to see who my label to
on the internet to see who my label to
on the internet to see who my label to help me do this who could show me what
help me do this who could show me what
help me do this who could show me what it might be like for my voice to let go
it might be like for my voice to let go
it might be like for my voice to let go of all the external controls I have in
of all the external controls I have in
of all the external controls I have in place when I read and instead to explore
place when I read and instead to explore
place when I read and instead to explore another part of me and I came across the
another part of me and I came across the
another part of me and I came across the name of Kristin Linklater
name of Kristin Linklater
name of Kristin Linklater so I headed up to Oakley and on day one
so I headed up to Oakley and on day one
so I headed up to Oakley and on day one of my sessions with Kristin I read her
of my sessions with Kristin I read her
of my sessions with Kristin I read her sample of the poems from a manuscript I
sample of the poems from a manuscript I
sample of the poems from a manuscript I was putting together titled banjo which
was putting together titled banjo which
was putting together titled banjo which looks at the way music and the theatre
looks at the way music and the theatre
looks at the way music and the theatre enabled the crew members of three
enabled the crew members of three
enabled the crew members of three Antarctic expeditions to survive don’t
Antarctic expeditions to survive don’t
Antarctic expeditions to survive don’t you care about these characters Samantha
you care about these characters Samantha
you care about these characters Samantha she said to me I do but obviously that
she said to me I do but obviously that
she said to me I do but obviously that wasn’t coming across in my voice I was
wasn’t coming across in my voice I was
wasn’t coming across in my voice I was giving the impression that I didn’t care
giving the impression that I didn’t care
giving the impression that I didn’t care enough about my characters what are the
enough about my characters what are the
enough about my characters what are the key things that I’ve learnt is to be as
key things that I’ve learnt is to be as
key things that I’ve learnt is to be as convincing on the stage as on the page
convincing on the stage as on the page
convincing on the stage as on the page and that one way of doing this is by not
and that one way of doing this is by not
and that one way of doing this is by not anticipating the ending in my voice not
anticipating the ending in my voice not
anticipating the ending in my voice not to give away the end of the poem a lot
to give away the end of the poem a lot
to give away the end of the poem a lot to comment on the poem in my voice but
to comment on the poem in my voice but
to comment on the poem in my voice but instead to live the narrative word by
instead to live the narrative word by
instead to live the narrative word by word to live the narrative image
word to live the narrative image
word to live the narrative image image to be fully present in the poem as
image to be fully present in the poem as
image to be fully present in the poem as I read it as I speak it and in some ways
I read it as I speak it and in some ways
I read it as I speak it and in some ways to relive the poem well this was all new
to relive the poem well this was all new
to relive the poem well this was all new to me and I had a shock when I read my
to me and I had a shock when I read my
to me and I had a shock when I read my poem curtain court to christen to
poem curtain court to christen to
poem curtain court to christen to realize that it just wasn’t having the
realize that it just wasn’t having the
realize that it just wasn’t having the impact that I had intended when I wrote
impact that I had intended when I wrote
impact that I had intended when I wrote it I was declaiming it in mournful tones
it I was declaiming it in mournful tones
it I was declaiming it in mournful tones because it tells the story of how the
because it tells the story of how the
because it tells the story of how the crew that terranova had to shoot their
crew that terranova had to shoot their
crew that terranova had to shoot their horses before they headed south across
horses before they headed south across
horses before they headed south across the ice-barrier I thought what it’s
the ice-barrier I thought what it’s
the ice-barrier I thought what it’s supposed to be tragic inside isn’t it so
supposed to be tragic inside isn’t it so
supposed to be tragic inside isn’t it so shouldn’t I read it like that Christian
shouldn’t I read it like that Christian
shouldn’t I read it like that Christian said well no it’s actually a series of
said well no it’s actually a series of
said well no it’s actually a series of ups and downs but in fact there are
ups and downs but in fact there are
ups and downs but in fact there are moments of joy in the poem and that the
moments of joy in the poem and that the
moments of joy in the poem and that the first few lines are full of excitement
first few lines are full of excitement
first few lines are full of excitement of the excitement of discovery of
of the excitement of discovery of
of the excitement of discovery of testing things out a fun and it’s only
testing things out a fun and it’s only
testing things out a fun and it’s only after the first eight lines that the
after the first eight lines that the
after the first eight lines that the difficulties start to show might indeed
difficulties start to show might indeed
difficulties start to show might indeed be more interesting for my audience I
be more interesting for my audience I
be more interesting for my audience I considered if I were to be alive to
considered if I were to be alive to
considered if I were to be alive to those changes in the poem will not be
those changes in the poem will not be
those changes in the poem will not be more convincing I discovered that the
more convincing I discovered that the
more convincing I discovered that the way to do this is to breathe in each
way to do this is to breathe in each
way to do this is to breathe in each image and to speak them out one at a
image and to speak them out one at a
image and to speak them out one at a time being emotionally true in my voice
time being emotionally true in my voice
time being emotionally true in my voice to each image and that I can do this if
to each image and that I can do this if
to each image and that I can do this if I allow my voice access to the deepest
I allow my voice access to the deepest
I allow my voice access to the deepest part of me to my solar plexus which is
part of me to my solar plexus which is
part of me to my solar plexus which is the largest single transmitter of
the largest single transmitter of
the largest single transmitter of emotion in the body so here’s my poem
emotion in the body so here’s my poem
emotion in the body so here’s my poem curtaincall which I first worked on with
curtaincall which I first worked on with
curtaincall which I first worked on with Christine upon walk me
we’ve been taking it in turns to undo
we’ve been taking it in turns to undo our shirts in -72 nurse Oates’s
our shirts in -72 nurse Oates’s
our shirts in -72 nurse Oates’s frostbitten foot on our breasts jokes in
frostbitten foot on our breasts jokes in
frostbitten foot on our breasts jokes in the tent are discouraged since even
the tent are discouraged since even
the tent are discouraged since even laughing hurts yesterday
laughing hurts yesterday
laughing hurts yesterday I threw a cup of boiling tea into the
I threw a cup of boiling tea into the
I threw a cup of boiling tea into the air to see it freeze before it hit the
air to see it freeze before it hit the
air to see it freeze before it hit the ice if I breathe near a sheet of my
ice if I breathe near a sheet of my
ice if I breathe near a sheet of my diary the pencil slips across its
diary the pencil slips across its
diary the pencil slips across its polished page as if I’m writing in a
polished page as if I’m writing in a
polished page as if I’m writing in a book of glass our clothes crackle like
book of glass our clothes crackle like
book of glass our clothes crackle like suits of armor we have to play the game
suits of armor we have to play the game
suits of armor we have to play the game of statues to hear each other speak the
of statues to hear each other speak the
of statues to hear each other speak the hardest part so far was ruffling the
hardest part so far was ruffling the
hardest part so far was ruffling the mane of each Pony before we shocked them
mane of each Pony before we shocked them
mane of each Pony before we shocked them on the barrier every night our sleeping
on the barrier every night our sleeping
on the barrier every night our sleeping bags solidify two slabs of granite
so instead of rattling along and
so instead of rattling along and anticipating the engine in my voice I
anticipating the engine in my voice I
anticipating the engine in my voice I began to explore what might happen if I
began to explore what might happen if I
began to explore what might happen if I were to hand over my voice to the
were to hand over my voice to the
were to hand over my voice to the intelligence of my spine speaking it
intelligence of my spine speaking it
intelligence of my spine speaking it speaking my poems vertebra by vertebra
speaking my poems vertebra by vertebra
speaking my poems vertebra by vertebra on the floor from my tailbone as if each
on the floor from my tailbone as if each
on the floor from my tailbone as if each vertebra will word in a sentence and I
vertebra will word in a sentence and I
vertebra will word in a sentence and I began to feel my voice on my lips to
began to feel my voice on my lips to
began to feel my voice on my lips to feel all the reverberations in all my
feel all the reverberations in all my
feel all the reverberations in all my bones and to allow my body rather than
bones and to allow my body rather than
bones and to allow my body rather than my brain to indicate where the
my brain to indicate where the
my brain to indicate where the emotionally informed emphasis in the
emotionally informed emphasis in the
emotionally informed emphasis in the poem come from where Kristin encouraged
poem come from where Kristin encouraged
poem come from where Kristin encouraged me to speak with color in my voice and I
me to speak with color in my voice and I
me to speak with color in my voice and I loved this idea that my voice could
loved this idea that my voice could
loved this idea that my voice could change color that I might be able to
change color that I might be able to
change color that I might be able to paint the ceiling purple the back wall
paint the ceiling purple the back wall
paint the ceiling purple the back wall yellow spatter the floor with green and
yellow spatter the floor with green and
yellow spatter the floor with green and red dots allow yourselves to speak using
red dots allow yourselves to speak using
red dots allow yourselves to speak using all two and a half octaves from your
all two and a half octaves from your
all two and a half octaves from your speaking range all those tones and
speaking range all those tones and
speaking range all those tones and colors and emotions in your voice
colors and emotions in your voice
colors and emotions in your voice because what happens is that what you’re
because what happens is that what you’re
because what happens is that what you’re saying comes alive as if you’re saying
saying comes alive as if you’re saying
saying comes alive as if you’re saying it for the first time and I think that
it for the first time and I think that
it for the first time and I think that this applies not only to poets and
this applies not only to poets and
this applies not only to poets and writers and public speakers but to all
writers and public speakers but to all
writers and public speakers but to all of us who open our mouths and have
of us who open our mouths and have
of us who open our mouths and have conversations every day which is
conversations every day which is
conversations every day which is probably pretty much everybody in this
probably pretty much everybody in this
probably pretty much everybody in this room instead of flattening out all the
room instead of flattening out all the
room instead of flattening out all the emotion from your voice invest time and
emotion from your voice invest time and
emotion from your voice invest time and energy and getting to know it because it
energy and getting to know it because it
energy and getting to know it because it can change the way you share what’s
can change the way you share what’s
can change the way you share what’s important to you with others it can
important to you with others it can
important to you with others it can enable you to be and sound more engaged
enable you to be and sound more engaged
enable you to be and sound more engaged with your friends your family your
with your friends your family your
with your friends your family your colleagues whether you’re a poet or a
colleagues whether you’re a poet or a
colleagues whether you’re a poet or a scientist a fisherman a farmer or
scientist a fisherman a farmer or
scientist a fisherman a farmer or student or a school girl I’d like to end
student or a school girl I’d like to end
student or a school girl I’d like to end with a poem about another journey
which looks at the story of Madame
which looks at the story of Madame Tussaud who spent several years
Tussaud who spent several years
Tussaud who spent several years traveling around with her exhibits
traveling around with her exhibits
traveling around with her exhibits before she finally settled in her Museum
before she finally settled in her Museum
before she finally settled in her Museum in Baker Street on the road the thing
in Baker Street on the road the thing
in Baker Street on the road the thing you’d think she would have been good at
you’d think she would have been good at
you’d think she would have been good at was sitting still but Madame Tussauds
was sitting still but Madame Tussauds
was sitting still but Madame Tussauds spent 36 years touring the country in a
spent 36 years touring the country in a
spent 36 years touring the country in a horse-drawn cart packed with wax
horse-drawn cart packed with wax
horse-drawn cart packed with wax effigies of the nearly dead the long
effigies of the nearly dead the long
effigies of the nearly dead the long dead and those whose heads were freshly
dead and those whose heads were freshly
dead and those whose heads were freshly off the block was both travelling
off the block was both travelling
off the block was both travelling newspaper and a show whose cast stayed
newspaper and a show whose cast stayed
newspaper and a show whose cast stayed motionless at all her gigs alone but for
motionless at all her gigs alone but for
motionless at all her gigs alone but for her set of replicas jolting at every
her set of replicas jolting at every
her set of replicas jolting at every pothole she take each face between her
pothole she take each face between her
pothole she take each face between her hands and kiss it sweet good night in
hands and kiss it sweet good night in
hands and kiss it sweet good night in Leicester Sheffield Inverness give talks
Leicester Sheffield Inverness give talks
Leicester Sheffield Inverness give talks on wax the facts don’t model outside for
on wax the facts don’t model outside for
on wax the facts don’t model outside for those who’d fallen out of favour
those who’d fallen out of favour
those who’d fallen out of favour she chisel off their heads in Marylebone
she chisel off their heads in Marylebone
she chisel off their heads in Marylebone Road right now people are standing in
Road right now people are standing in
Road right now people are standing in lines to pay to fire past people
lines to pay to fire past people
lines to pay to fire past people standing in lines have been dead for
standing in lines have been dead for
standing in lines have been dead for years but made to look alive to make the
years but made to look alive to make the
years but made to look alive to make the dead appear living the Living Dead
dead appear living the Living Dead
dead appear living the Living Dead without quite meaning to is a skill I
without quite meaning to is a skill I
without quite meaning to is a skill I can’t yet take in and one that started
can’t yet take in and one that started
can’t yet take in and one that started life in death masks where she’d
life in death masks where she’d
life in death masks where she’d reanimate forgiven before I go did you
reanimate forgiven before I go did you
reanimate forgiven before I go did you know
know
know madam herself was shipwrecked once off
madam herself was shipwrecked once off
madam herself was shipwrecked once off the west of Ireland and all her wax
the west of Ireland and all her wax
the west of Ireland and all her wax companions dived wide-eyed to the seabed
companions dived wide-eyed to the seabed
companions dived wide-eyed to the seabed only to pop to the surface one by one as
only to pop to the surface one by one as
only to pop to the surface one by one as the vessel rotted away and start on the
the vessel rotted away and start on the
the vessel rotted away and start on the fish and thought this lot already dead
”
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