The end is the beginning

The end for me in this case is the end of my studies at Edinburgh Napier - my cybersecurity masters is complete although it will be July before I graduate officially. I took time out I suppose to finetune my geek side but the poetry never stopped of course. Alongside the study, the day job, birds, orienteering, travel and family, I managed to get new poetry out in some fantastic publications: what a joy it is when the acceptance note comes in!

A pretty list below:

• The Cormorant
• Causeway/Cabhsair
• The Interpreter’s House
• The Writers’ Cafe
• HU 
• Abridged
• Algebra of Owls
• Gutter
• Ink Sweat & Tears
• Northwords Now 
• Ambit 
• Pure Slush
• Under the Radar
• The Blue Nib
• Eildon Tree

And many thanks to the editors and others - you know who you are - for keeping the faith while some percentage of my mind was untangling hex etc.

So now it comes time to get back to the The exact colour of snow manuscript " a book of weather & maps" which now needs to be supplemented with my copious notes of walks, absent buildings and birds. Before I have found it daunting to write the book but assembling a circa 20000 dissertation over the past 6 months has deleted any worries on that score.  Around about June I should have something but if you are interested in taking a peek with a view to publishing - a dm on Twitter or through the usual email here will do the job.

Currently writing a poem about salt and mangroves inspired by this Jurassic pond in Bo'ness - so back to business as usual.

Stuff coming up in Spring

Mostly it is revision which of course immediately sent me into the hills to take photographs of snow.

You can see that and a few other photos on p&g insta if you are interested.

New poetry is out in Ambit

And also in Northwords Now Issue 35

And advance alert that ink sweat and tears is featuring a poem of mine on April 18th .

I am delighted to be featured in all these excellent publications alongside many other great poets and artists.

I will also be doing some geek stuff in Paris on security for API the Docs so if that is also your bag perhaps will see you there.

Just click on the pictures to find out more. Thanks and more from me once my university exams are  over next month.

Riverbank listening 02

I have walked the dry Huntlyburn before. (It loses it water to farming needs in a reservoir further up each year.)

This poem first appeared in Northwords Now.

The burn bed

The sheets are pulled back

leaving a scuff of algae

like the velvet jacket

on the back of a drunk.

The stepping stones of the ford

mosaic the mud

unseen

for a generation.

That last pool endured

days of scum and midge

pokes for fry

until it too was dry.

Desert scrolls and stones

litter this new path

beneath meadowsweet walls;

the depth of the pot

attracts a shoal of blackbirds

to hoe its moist furrows.

Alight.

I wake myself to follow.

© Bridget Khursheed