William Hague's visit and Comic Relief

Well Comic Relief day was interesting. I was cajoled into dressing as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz which made the job of teaching excited teenagers much easier. It all brought out the humbug in me.

Plus the fact that William Hague was visiting to open a new computer room. The school day was been completely re-arranged around him and they even brushed the grass. Anyway, fortunately, he did not bump into staff dressed in silly costumes. However, I did make the mistake of telling my class that the photo-copier technician was a secret service agent sweeping for bombs. All hell let loose. One kid did a somersault off a desk. It is incredible that after all my years in teaching, I never learn.

Anyway, Cartimandua has been on my mind again and I have redrafted her poem into three short poems (bargain three for the price of one). Cartimandua was the Brigantian Queen who ruled these parts and had quite an interesting life and set of lovers.

Pompei and Yorkshire

Not a lot of inspiration to be had from garden centres and sick children. Although I am sure Larkin could have found something to say.

Instead have been looking at mosaics from Pompei and thinking about Cartimandua, the Brigantian Queen who allegedly betrayed Caratacus to the Romans. She left her husband, Venutius, for Vellocatus, her husband's armour bearer. I reckon she was a typical Yorkshire woman making choices for her people and when she got tired of it, I imagine her in Italy enjoying the Roman life. Interesting woman to write about.

Getting distracted

Fantastic...so I decide to write an essay on how writers promote themselves on the internet. Ohh how distracted I can get. So I have a Twitter, a Digg, a website, a facebook and goodness knows what else. But no essay. Deadline is looming but there are so many interesting people writing so many interesting things out there.

And I still have to write a poem this weekend.