Logomachy To say that Damianwas sesquipedalianwould be an understatement for there was no abatementin his capacity for loquacityand not one trace of temerityin his pursuitof verbal dexterity. It was precisely this pompositymixed with verbositywhich made him describeKieran Thomas as “crepuscular”. Kieran Thomas was also more muscular. Damian nursed his black eyeand hoped Kieranmight be struck…
words
The totally ace online booksellers BookKind have chosen ‘How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside’ as their Non-Fiction Book of the Month for April. This is doubly good news because every copy sold via BookKind raises money for charity – just select from a range of charitable organisations when you order: https://bookkind.co.uk/book-of-the-month-home/ In…
This week, Waterstones are offering 25% off all preorders of my new book, ‘How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside’, which publishes in April: https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-to-lay-an-egg-with-a-horse-inside/brian-bilston/9781035085729 Alternatively, signed copies are available to order through your local indie bookshop. Waterstones are also promoting 25% off for preorders of the paperback edition of my poetry collection…
An Attempt to Write an Abecedarian Poem in Praise of the Dictionary An unfaltering ability to Bring clarity to the English language Constitutes your Defining quality. Ever since the day we First met and I Giggled at the rude words Hidden amongst your pages, I adored you, Jubilant in the Knowledge that things were Looking up. You offered me the Meaning of life, Not to mention the meaning of…
I’m heading off on tour next year with a brand new solo show, in which I’ll be reading poems from my forthcoming book ‘How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside’. The tour starts in September. Tickets have gone on sale at most venues today. You can find out more here: https://brianbilston.com/events/ I’ll be…
It’s UK publication day for ‘A Poem for Every Question’, my new collection of poems for children, illustrated by the brilliant Joe Berger. Inside there are poems to answer all sorts of interesting questions: how many stars in the universe exploded today?; who had the first holiday?; how many times a day do we laugh?;…
Roger’s Thesaurus In order to grow, expand, widenhis lexicological corpus,Roger bought, acquired, purchaseda synonymopedia, a thesaurus. Soon, presently, without delay,he no longer ran out of things to say,speak, utter, express, articulate,give voice to, pronounce, communicate. This was all very well, fine, great,wonderful, super, terrificbut his friends, mates, pals found himboring, tedious, dull, soporific. So let…
The mathematician John Venn was born on this day in 1834. To commemorate the occasion, here’s a poem in the form of a Venn diagram.
I took delivery yesterday of some advance copies of the gorgeous new edition of ‘You Took the Last Bus Home’. In celebration of that, here’s the title poem … You Took the Last Bus Home you tookthe last bus homedon’t know howyou got it through the door you’re always doing amazing stuff like the time…
Why do I always watch my birds?I know that statement sounds absurdbut today I reached an all-lime toewhen I received a blushing crow. It’s wetting gorse – and here’s the crunch:my conversation packs a lunch.I’m not sure when all this beganbut I think I need a plaster man to help me when my stouth gets muck.I…