Suzy’s BLOG
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Review of Songs of My Soul
'Divided into three parts of an inner journey—Discovery, Holy Fire, Resurrection— Suzy Rigg’s Songs of my Soul is a diverse poetry collection. It has pieces that tackle the aches of isolation and fear and loss: 'For one so alive/ it is hard to believe, you are gone’...
Interview with Suzy Rowland
Q. Tell us a bit about your background A. I was born and brought up in the Midlands, with my mother, a teacher. She was also an eternal student and loved to read - she studied English literature for her first degree and there was lots of Chaucer, Shakespeare, William...
Songs of My Soul launch
After six weeks of planning and a life time of cosmic ordering (remember that?) the date for Songs Of My Soul book launch arrived. I was delighted with the venue, the gorgeous OSO Arts Centre in Barnes. I was nervous, of course, that no-one would show up, but I also...
‘I give you words like I give you gold’
A writerly mind, and putting it down on paper..When the words in your head simply become to loud to ignore, you need to write them down. That is the theory behind journalling. That is also my theory behind being a writer - the deep desire to get the words out of your...
ZONG 1781 a poem for Black History Month
I first read Zong 1781 at my Songs of My Soul poetry book launch on October 25. I'm beginning to love history! Not just black history - all history. The entanglement of people as they migrate across the planet - their wars, their stories, their monuments, statements...
Writing a book when you have a day job
Long before Songs of My Soul was conceived, I remember the living room floor at my mother's house strewn with handwritten manuscripts, paperclips, highlighter pens, squiggles on note paper and lots of colour photos. It looked like a crazy unsolvable jigsaw - it was...
Soul of a Nation – Tate Modern
Finally got to Tate Modern's Soul of a Nation - Art in the Age of Black Power exhibition - and it didn't disappoint. The opening room threw us straight into paintings full of the colour, imperialism and injustice of Uncle Sam's America, where the stars and stripes...
T-h-e C-o-m-m-u-t-e
The stench of frustration hangs in the air The look of exhaustion abundantly clear The taste of coffee on everyone’s lips The buttery croissants clinging to hips The touch of a stranger’s bag or case The jolt of an armpit right in your face The crinkle of newspapers...
Half-Time at Conway Hall
Enjoyed a great Saturday afternoon in London browsing wonderful poetry books and chatting to publishers, oh and of course pitching Songs of My Soul! And here's a short video I recorded after a couple of hours browsing...just click and download - I haven't uploaded...
Conway Hall – a lively Poetry Book Fair
A short video in between me rushing around the stalls at the Poetry Book Fair..click the link below... Half-time at Conway Hall What a better way than to spend a Saturday afternoon in the centre of London on a bright, chilly Autumn day, in the company of poets and...
Venice Haiku
With shining faces gondolas stalk the lagoon in floating Venice Suzy Rigg
You, the rose
Excited heart and mind racing full of ideas, vigour, drive realising something brilliant takes you into another realm of discovery the postcard in a shop window speaks to you a conversation overheard pulls you in you interrupt knowing it's rude, but can't stop...
The Yummy Life
What is life all about? Joy! Yes Joy life is as fragile as a butterfly wing, easily crumbled, beautiful, simply dove blue, striking red admiral bold! Be quick, oh, you missed it, it's gone! I came when you called me but too late, blown away with the clouds, smashed...
Kind words that keep a writer writing
I had the delight to read the following words on Instagram recently by a warm and talented entrepreneur, and Founder of My Ebony Box Jenaitre Farquharson: 'We believe very strongly in supporting phenomenal women and the work that they do, we have chosen to support and...
In Celebration of My Sisters
Iyanla Vanzant has been a spiritual writer and inspiration for me for the longest time. I've have well-thumbed copies of Acts of Faith and Faith in the Valley that have been great to dip into when relationships are going sour or it's been difficult to see any light in...
Maya
I wrote this, as a tribute to one of the most influential black women writers in recent history, and one of my favourite poets - Maya Angelou. I've recorded an audio clip of me reading the poem for your additional enjoyment! ad it. Maya is on page 20 of 'Songs of My...
Where does a writer get inspiration?
Lots of writers will tell you that they are inspired by anything and everything. I think inspiration can be put into two categories: the external world and your world within. Poets and writers usually fall into one camp, but some like myself like to hop between the...
Solstice Poem
Child of Universe Bended bodies in unison Stretched from toes to tips In Salute to the Sun A lively Solstice sun-kissed dawn Birds flew out of trees Providing solar chorus Dogs stayed curiously quiet Marble Hill House white, watchful Breathe in - lungs...