Latest:
The mini series of poet interviews, conducted by Mike O'Brien and myself has finished, but you can still listen (podcast) at: https://alexanderderyecroft.substack.com/
Rehearsals remain ongoing for the pan-arts project, which I can now name as "ZAGDEGRA". Some of the poetry for the project remains on here, but there is much more to be published once the project launches, 2026...
I have been very lucky to have various people accept their invitations to join the project. Mike O'Brien has taken the rôle of narrator, Chivonne Barrington Head reads Jane Nettleton. At the launch there will be mini-talks by Chris Bilton, the artist, and myself. Once our show is finished, guests will be welcome to perform acoustic (preferably original) music or read their poetry (original again please).
For the performance of live plus a recorded version of the instrumental music, we have Chivonne Barrington head on flute, Gary Wells on Bass Guitars, Alan Jackson on Keys, Acoustic Guitar and special effects and myself on electric and classical guitars. Performances occur mostly between orations, when occasional special parts or effects weave in.
The show will comprise the opening ceremony for the exhibition. The recorded version will be available to pre-order some time early in 2026 on band camp and possibly via substack.
Chivonne and Mike read thier poetry around South Yorkshire venues, with Mike hosting his excellent 60 Odd events at Mexborough Business centre. Gaary Wells plays rock MOR covers regularly with Steretonin around South Yorkshire pubs/clubs. Alan Jackson has his own youtube channel and recently prepared this: https://youtu.be/tKgrSVbfOHk?si=Y9jEavPxiNyZTRhA
So to my collection of poetry: I've struggled with what to call it, trying to be professional and avoid contention. Of course we cannot do that, and if I go back to an early source, including Aristotle, we cannnot but agree that it is free verse.
As I prepared the script for Zagdegra, I found a renewed interest in submitting to publishers. This is encouraged by my inclusion in the Figtree Anthology, 2024, Old Crooked Spire Press run by Timothy Fellows. He has been busy with this new venture and the Coal Mining Anthology is doing well. I should at this point mention that Mike O'Brien's 60 Odd Poets also has an array of publications vaunting poets from the UK and US. Anyway, these submissions had me pouring over some existing works as well as new ones I've written over 2024/5. I shall begin uploading revised versions of material on here (which is all but a few short of everything I've written in latter years.
Hoping then you will return not just for new entries, but to see if I mangled anything you liked better how it was before.
Should anyone have a query of some sort, by all means let me know via captaincatschat@gmail.com
Meanwhile if you crave regular reading of prose and poetry, I regularly publish articles on a variety of subjects on substack - follow this link:
https://alexanderderyecroft.substack.com/
Thank you for being here,
Alex Oliver, December 2025