Biography
I write poetry, prose and plays and lead writing workshops for adults and children and give readings from my work, poetry and also fiction. My first poetry collection, Hobby Horses Will Dance, was published in October 2014; a collection based on myth, folklore and nature. My second poetry collection Not Exactly Life was published in September 2017 and all the poems feature women, from life, film, fiction and history. A new collection, Over By Christmas is due out in May 2018. (WWl theme) I am pleased to be a guest at the Wilfred Owen Festival in Oswestry in November this year. (2018) Received an Honourable Mention at the Ovation Theatre Awards in October 2012. Was a winner at the Gi60 One Minute Play festival in June 2013, at Halifax. My poetry has been published in several anthologies, most recently the Schooldays and Best of British anthologies, both from Paper Swans Press. My poetry has appeared in the SLQ, Orbis, The Dawntreader, The SHOp, Reflections, Areopagus, The Journal, Sarasvati, the Caterpillar, The Wilfred Owen Journal, Napalm and Novacain, Jellyfish Whispers, Three Drops from a Cauldron, and The Beltane print edition, Pyrokinection, The Foxglove Journal, The Poetry Shed Quirky Christmas 2015, The Poetry Shed 22/4/2016 and The Poetry Shed Christmas 2016. I was a runner-up in the (2014) Wilfred Owen Association Poetry prize, and commended in the Festival of Firsts poetry competition in July, 2015.
Samples
The Arts and Crafts Movement, From 'Not Exactly Life', The Arts and Crafts Movement It went with the territory and I think she wore it well, her dress of ink. The butterflies, lions, trees and verses, intricately, intimately shown. She was unstoppable, twirling and contorting from a circus trapeze, this was how Maud Wagner could delight her audience, would hold them spellbound but gasping for more. At the end of her act she would receive rapturous applause, her head held high on five strands of pearl choker. Her craft was learned and measured. Her body a gallery’s art displayed, and at the tattoo parlour, she could see a queue already forming. A celebration of Maud Wagner, circus artiste and travelling tattooist. ------------------------------------------- As a Child... I saw... January open her eyes on the year, Perfect and bright. Watched as geese skeined across A February sky. Marvelled at the antics Of hares as they boxed and danced Across a spring meadow. Picked milkmaids, daisies and Buttercups for a mother's bouquet. caught the 'sugars' of Willowherb and wished. Told the time with a 'dandelion clock', Not knowing how fast the time Was running on. Smelt the woodsmoke of Autumn, and watched it colour the days And ease winter silently into place. No decision needed. But now... Seasons merge, spring comes too soon, Too wet, too hot. And why? Weren't we present at all? And so... I saw in my childhood what My children may not see, My grandchildren may not know, And my only lasting gift may be regret. Margaret Holbrook.
All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.
Blog entries by Margaret Holbrook
In a Valley of Many Ash Trees (10/04/2020)
Universal Time Co-ordinated: June 30th 2015 (19/06/2015)
Hobby Horses Will Dance (28/11/2014)
It Must Be The Taste (23/03/2014)
Blog link: https://www.writeoutloud.net/blogs/margaretholbrook
Photos
Margaret Holbrook, Festival of Firsts (Wirral), June 2012.
( 0 comments )
Galleries
Archives
- 2012 (2)
Calendar
Do you want to be featured here? Submit your profile.
Comments
Thanks for listening Margaret! (Lavender man)
Many thanks for your kind thoughts on my prose piece, Schadenfreude.
Hi Margaret, thank you for commenting on "Snowy Window", glad you like it.
I really like your "Sense of Love -Hurry Home", excellent rhythm which works really well. x
Hello Margaret,
Many thanks for commenting on "Progress and The Diggy Box". You're right; so many had the spindly, silver legs.
We also had the record player which was a box in red and silver, so popular in the 60's.
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for comment on Compy Dompy from way back.
Dave
Margaret,please find two new verses
added onto 'the day my car died'
Would you happen to know
who the lady in the flowery dress
happens to be,mentioned in those added lines?
lol-and thanks again.xx
Thank you Margaret, I will let you know how things develop with the ghost trains!
Hello Margaret. Thank you for you comments on my sister Sandra's poem, "It is Time."
I know it was heartfelt. I will pass your comments on to her.
Thank You
Shirley
Hi Margaret,
Thank you for your comment, I appreciate your taking the time to read my poem and I value your ideas. I find it can be difficult to take a step back and be objective sometimes. If I am honest, I like the freedom of not using too much punctuation in poetry, aesthetically, I don't like it. As you recognise, I enjoy the way the words look on the page as well as the way they sound. I'm going to spend some time mulling over the suggestions people have made and repost the revised poem shortly. Thanks again :)
Hello Margaret.
Many thanks for your thoughts on Charente-Maritime. Just got back from 4 weeks there (although the post is an old one!)
Hi Margaret - welcome to WOL. I hope you will enjoy being a part of the site. Putting a poem on the blog section is a good way to get feedback and to get to know other folk on here, if that is your wish :)
If you wish to post a comment you must login.
Isobel
Sun 10th Aug 2014 18:27
Thanks for your lovely comment on my poem Margaret - I'm much like you in that I'm not spending as much time on WOL as I used to - there is always something to catch my attention when I do though - we're very lucky to be a part of it!
Take care for now.
Isobel x