Meanderings 2011 ~ Ten Years On ~ 2021

Journal

Volume 2

(November 2021)

Meanderings An Anthology of Poetry and Prose

(October 2011)

Ten years ago, in October 2011, I published the second anthology of poetry and prose, Meanderings, (hardback) following on from the first anthology, Idle Thoughts, (softback) in September 2009.

All of my writing was made possible because I was living in freedom, in and amongst the People and their city, Liverpool. Those following the website will often see me refer to Liverpool as my literary home. That is no exaggeration. Last month, after 23 months to be exact, I resumed my regular sojourns in Liverpool. I stay at the Hotel Indigo in Chapel Street, a stone’s throw from my former home on the Waterfront. Something always happens, whenever I return home to Liverpool. A different side to me emerges. A freer side, one who can stand tall despite who and what I am. Indeed, up in Liverpool, it’s not even a talking point.

I’m Gloucestershire born and bred, and proud to be a Cheltonian. That always gets the racegoers at the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in the same way as being a Liverpudlian gets them at the Grand National at Liverpool Aintree. Not to put too fine a point on it, I call it the Billy Connolly syndrome, when, in one of his brilliant performances, Sir Billy is in full flow about Glasgow … Oh Yes! Oh Yessss! I come from there. That’s MY city. Oh YES. That’s where I come from. And don’t you forget it!

I know Tom Ainsworth will be well made up reading this bit! Hey, Tom!!

A decade is a long time in a writer’s life. And not without its … ‘Quick! Hide beneath the carpet’ … moments.

What? Me write that? Oh no! No. Not me. Must have been those pesky fairies!! They sneak into my bedroom at night when I’m fast asleep! No, they do. THEY DOOOO! Look. Listen. If I say those pesky fairies sneak into my bedroom at night and plonk themselves at my desk while I’m in the land of nod or wherever then they do. Got it? …. …. ….

a tiny, tiny voice

…. …. yussss I’ve got it! sorry, Billy ever so sorry …. ….

GOOD! And don’t you forget it!

Thank goodness for Comedy.

Let us always be proud of our heritage, and more to the point, our own starting point, whether it be city, town, village, hamlet or housing estate in any of them.

Looking at the first two anthologies, I’m surprised at some of the things written. What? Did I write that? It’s terrible! Again, a starting point.

Much happened in 2011, not all of it good, though one incident laid the foundation for Chapter Five Crescendo in the short story that can be found on the website. I’ve deliberately not linked it, as, if you’re anything like me, you’ll click on the link with the full intention of taking a quickie, then returning to this page, but inevitably said the page has long since passed on… We all do it. In computer-speak, we call it bounce rate. In short, a computer version of the bumble bee or butterfly flitting and flotting between flower heads, never quite finishing before flitting to the next one.

So, over the next four days, I’ll run the book’s dedication, introduction, and supporting intros by Alexander Petricca and Alexander M Long. Meanderings became another milestone on my life’s timeline. And I’m going to sit down on the verge just behind the wall out of the wind, find my flask … it’s here, somewhere, I know it is; I darned well packed it! I DID! … and rest awhile. Now! Where’s that bar of chocolate?!

Feel free to join me, for sure. Or just toddle on. The views are great today, though that sky sure does suggest that rain, sleet and snow will be with us in a day or two, and right through until the end of next week.

Ah! We approach December. December’s always a lovely month. In the garden, each morning’s first coffee sees more evidence of Nature battening down the hatches. I love that first coffee of the day. Matters no what the weather is. I love to feel the morning air. In my twenties, five decades ago, I took that for granted, and moaned a lot too! Now, it is like gold dust. And I am very grateful.

Down under, Australia and New Zealand see the swift approach of early summer. Grand!

13 November 2022
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© Kenneth Thomas Webb 2022