Friday night's Hip Yak at the Archangel in Frome was, as performance poetry enthusiasts will see from a glance at the names on the poster, joyful, provocative, and 'Blimey, kaleidescopic!' as aptly summarised by my vox pop. Chris Redmond, Jonny Fluffypunk, and Liv Torc are all worthy headliners in their own right, and if you add Byron Vincent as guest, you're certain of a fantastic night of offbeat wit & highly original imagery. What's great about all these poets' observational comedy is the way they share something of  themselves, and Byron digs deepest of all. I randomly managed to win the Yakety Yak slam too ~ didn't have the forethought to photo my trophy in situ so here it is back home about to be ceremonially placed on the telly alongside the Mother's Day card that says 'Well it's been lovely but now I have to scream.'

And now I'm off to pack. My next posting will be from Half Moon Bay in California, where I intend to divide my time between writing and walking along the bay where the Pacific waves roll against dunes rich with pink and golden ice-plants... and enjoying the company of my generous friends who take me into their home for a month at a time. It's a loving connection that goes back to 1964 so plenty of reminiscences too...