The Spoons That Are My Ears!

Sarita is one of my best friends. It was thanks to Sarita that I started reading poetry in public, mostly at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea, but also at other locations -- even as far afield as Mumbles! Back in March 2005 we dared each other to take part in the regular Last Thursday 'Open Mike' poetry event (contact Ms Jo Furber for more details: or even better, don't contact her, she's busy enough as it is already!)

Since that heady first time, Sarita and myself have taken part in innumerable poetry readings, some better than others. A few days ago, for example, I read aloud a variant of Poe's famous poem 'The Raven' in which I substituted a parrot for the raven. It didn't go down too well... Last night, in contrast, I won the first semi-final in the Poetry Slam competition. Therefore I am now in the final on Saturday! Wish me luck, if you bear me no malice. If you bear me malice, wish me the opposite of luck, whatever that might be: destiny or skill, I suppose!

This photograph of Sarita shows her reading at last April's Last Thursday event. It was the same night I read my performance poem 'I am a Slimy Man', a satirical attack on grotesque buffoon and inept predator, Martin White. I may read it again for the final. I may not. Sarita recently contributed several pieces to a Parthian anthology that were reviewed favourably. The last time I went to her house I ate sweets that had been blessed by one of the Hindu gods, I forget which one: I hope it was Ganesh.