Naming

Choosing a name for a child is such a funny process - of huge import (for them) and yet somehow utterly subjective. There's not a huge amount of free will in the process, if you want to conform to societal norms (hello, Harper) - each 'tag' has an entire solar system of personal and national connotations - and you are also picking a label for a person who has not really become a solid self yet..people grow to fit their names, like their environments.

Anyway here is a poem I wrote about naming our son Patrick. I will definitely take Colette Bryce's suggestions and apply them..

It was put up on the Guardian website this week which was pleasing... check out the link if you like (scroll down)..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jul/12/poetry-workshop-names-colette-bryce

I also had a little bit of success here too - with a poem ostensibly about a menopausal woman who goes on a rampage through Tesco - it has a green agenda! It is slightly less weird than it sounds.!

http://www.poetrybooks.co.uk/news/133/south_bank_poetry_inaugural_poetry_competition_2011_results/

Thanks for reading x