After nearly two years without writing a poem, recently two came along at once. Unsurprisingly, they’re both attempts to process the last year.
My poem about the first lockdown, called ‘Pollen‘, has just been published in the excellent new online journal Bad Lilies.
I was also commissioned to write a poem for the Crick Institute, as part of Poet in the City’s ‘Drop of Hope’ project. It was really interesting to think about the history of inoculation – I read Eula Bliss’ excellent book On Immunity – and talk to scientists at the institute. Those vaccinated there have also been asked to jot down their thoughts and feelings, which we could draw on in our poems. The result is ‘A Mnemonic Device’ which you can read here, along with my artists’ statement. Do check out the other poems too, by a brilliant array of poets from Hanna Ali to John Hegley to Will Harris.
I went to visit the Crick today in the rain, and was heartened to see the rainbow of posters outside, with my words in big letters: MEMORY PROTECTS US.
clarepollard 