James Walbank



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LETTER TO MY 14 YEAR OLD SELF

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Doug Dunn Dear Dougie It must be very strange to receive a letter from your older self! It’s something I’ve been asked to do by my Writing for Enjoyment teacher 50 years in your future. How are you? I often think about you but have never thought of writing you a letter. I know writing isn’t one of your strengths. You prefer reading about things like stars and planets and nature. You are finding English lessons a bit of a mystery, without the facts and figures found in the sciences. But it does get better. You’ll learn to write essays and a whole dissertation and get over your fear of reading aloud.   In fact, I’m reading this letter out aloud right now in a café to my writing group. I’ve even shown them a photo of you. I also know life seems tough with the schoolwork and also the bullying. I now know it used to happen a lot in boys schools, even by school teachers. Don’t worry too much, it will stop quite soon. Then there’s all the mystery around girls. You don’t get many c...
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AS SHE GOES by David Erdos - Poem 17 from THE PEOPLES PRISON

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  Poem 17 from THE PEOPLES PRISON AS SHE GOES     And after (Harold) Budd, Babs, a different human beauty, One made of strength and survival and of course The feted breasts of her youth. But before that, Her birth in a poor part of London, ravaged by war And the absence of a Dad she adored, her lost truth.   From the blitz came the glitz of post war showbusiness, Tawdry perhaps but entrancing to this bright city bird Who flew through dim rooms, sparking said dark With her laughter; a never sorry near Dolly, generous With a handful and a pleasing curve none could spurn.   Her talent carried her, as a singer and actress, from Soho To Stratford and back again to the Strand. By way Of Pinewood and Cheam, Camber Sands, Eastbourne, Morecambe, a Gracie Fields for the Sixties who died Fighting a war she’d not planned. And yet she lived   That former London life at full thrust, as a friend To the Krays, spliced to Ronnie. Wh...
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THE GIFT OF HISTORY

Doug Dunn    The last time I studied history was 50 years ago. My teacher seemed to encouraged seemed my history class learn dates and important facts by heart. I remember listening to him read the French Revolution textbook while underlining the important bits. After two years I learned enough of European history to pass the exam. After school the only other history class I attended was at university where the history of science was part of my Astrophysics course. That was more of an inquiry than parrot learning and more interactive. After my school and university I had no more history education in that subject. I decided history was something not very relevant to my job as an IT trainer and was not something I enjoyed talking talk about with my friends and family. I still remember a few names of famous writers such as Voltaire, 1694-1778, and that he contributed to the French Revolution through being an outspoken advocate of civil liberties. But I had no sense of who he was ...
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