Tag Archives: poetry

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Looking back on 2025 and forward to 2026

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This post consists of some highlights from my year, information about books I have enjoyed, some plans for 2026, a Bible study plan from Rachel Yarworth, and New Year’s greetings.

Highlights from 2025

In 2025 I went on three retreats all lasting from Monday to Friday. In February and June I went alone by train, but in October hubby was the driver and we both enjoyed a few days with our cameras and other photographers.

I realised during the year that I was trying to do too much. This was affecting my physical health. I resolved to be kinder to myself. In future, as I wrote in October, I am mostly going to post brief book reviews on Goodreads instead of reviewing almost every book I read here on Sue’s Trifles.

I am continuing to take part in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge on Sue’s words and pictures. Recently I have not been able to post anything for #WildFlowerHour on Bluesky. The weather has been inclement. However I have recently begun to use Instagram in addition to Bluesky and Facebook.

Books I have enjoyed

A photo generated by Goodreads with a gallery of book covers in picture frames.
Some books I rated with 5 stars in 2025

The books pictured are Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton, Beside Another Sea by David Lythgoe, The Father’s Kiss by Tracy Williamson, The Impossible Task by Christine Wolstencroft, Between the Rivers by Natasha Woodcraft, Finding Jesus in the Wilderness by Rachel Yarworth, The Wanderer’s Legacy by Natasha Woodcraft, A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop by Joanna Toye, Retribution Song by Harry Navinski and Postal Paths by Alan Cleaver. Interestingly the only two authors from this selection, whom I haven’t met are Joanna Toye and Chloe Dalton. I subscribe to newsletters from Tracy Williamson, Natasha Woodcraft and Rachel Yarworth. Rachel has some plans for 2026 which may interest you (more below).

Goodreads pictured 10 books; I awarded 5 stars to a further 11. These were Flamingo Boy by Michael Morpurgo, The Woman in the Photograph by Stephanie Butland, Enchantment by Katherine May, Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, The Twilight Garden by Sara Nisha Adams, Name is Emilia del Valle and The Wind Knows my Name both by Isabel Allende, Northerners: A History by Brian Groom, Impossible Creatures by Katharine Roundell, Playground by Richard Powers and The Fresh and the Salt by Ann Lingard ( the only author in this list whom I have met).

Since my last blogpost mentioning books, I have read:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Retribution Song By Harry Naviniski

Renaturing by James Canton

And Sing in Exultation by Jonathan Landay Cruse

I also finished reading Frostquake by Juliet Nicolson.

(I have added all these recent books to my page of links to book reviews.)

As one of my projects for 2025 I have been reading the Bible using a reading plan devised by Robert Murray M’Cheyne. By the end of 2025 I had completed reading the whole Bible once and the Psalms and the Gospels twice. I used the New International Version.

One verse, the second half of which is repeated many times in the Bible is ‘God is good; his love endures forever.’ I hadn’t realised that this was a major theme in the worship of Old Testament times.

Other books I have read, but not added to Goodreads include books or booklets (published by some of my friends) which have no ISBN. I have also been a beta reader for a book by another author, which I hope will be published one day.

Audio books count as reading, but I haven’t added any of the audiobooks hubby and I have listened to. We have been enjoying the works of PG Wodehouse. His best known works feature Jeeves, but he also wrote many other books. While listening I keep my hands busy by playing a variety of games of cards for one person, knitting, colouring or doing jigsaw puzzles. (My major knitting project for the years appeared on Sue’s Trifles, here.)

All that reading from someone, who calls herself a writer! Among other things I have written 37 poems during the year, some of which have appeared on this blog.

Some of my plans

Today is the start of a new year, I’m not going to reveal all the plans I have for it just yet. A new year is like a new page. One thing I can reveal is that #MyOneWord for 2026 is reconciliation. Next week I hope to post something here for Rebecca Cuningham’s poetry challenge.

A new Bible study plan from Rachel Yarworth

‘Walking with Jesus’ is a daily Bible-reading plan for 2026 that goes through the Gospels in a year of short daily readings every day except Sundays.

Each reading is less than 20 verses, and the purpose is simply to get to know Jesus better – focusing on who He is and what He said – and to grow in confidence in recognising His voice speaking to us through the Bible readings.

The plan is free, and the posts offer inspiring reflections on each day’s reading and encouragement in listening for God’s voice. They can be accessed via email or on the Substack app, with free weekly posts every Saturday, or for those who would like daily encouragement, there is a paid subscription available for £3.50 pcm.

For anyone who would like to know more, further information can be found at rachelyarworth.substack.com/about

New Year’s greetings

I wish you a Happy New Year. Thank you for reading.

Book Review: Beside Another Sea by David Lythgoe

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Beside Another Sea is a book of poems by award-winning poet, David Lythgoe. I purchased this book from the author on a writing retreat earlier this year and have now read all the poems.

The poems are well-crafted and varied in style and subject matter. Many are about the North West of England or about grief and loss. There is a foreword by Revd. Dr Andrew Pratt an an endorsement from former poet laureate, Andrew Motion.

This is not a book to read like a novel, rather to savour a few poems at a time. I intend to keep it handy and dip into it from time to time. David Lythgoe has brought a lifetime’s experience into these poems. There was one which I simply had to read to hubby. This was Caesar in Coccium. It is written in Lancashire dialect in a style reminiscent of Stanley Holloway’s monologues. Coccium was a Roman town thought to be Wigan. Although my Lancashire accent is not authentic, this poem amused us greatly/ tickled us pink.

Other poems are about places, some of which I have visited, or about David’s interests of walking, running and photography.

Beside Another Sea is available on Amazon as a paperback or kindle edition.

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September poetry challenge #ffpoemapop

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Rebecca Cuningham has set a poetry challenge again this month.

1.The first stanza of four lines is the frustrating circumstance you find yourself in. 2. The second is the community response. 3. Third is what you will do about the frustration. 4. How you’ll celebrate when you resolve the frustration. Please write a rap sonnet for the September poetry challenge. 18 lines, rated g, with a tree or cactus theme.

A grassy path alongside a plantation of young trees. there are broadleaf trees in the foreground with yellow flowers of bird's-foot trefoil. Sitka spruce an be seen beyond them and on the skyline.
A young tree plantation (mixed, but predominantly Sitka spruce)

I managed to write a sonnet, which doesn’t quite tick all Rebecca’s boxes. It’s the standard sonnet length of 14 lines, rather than the rap sonnet of 18. Then I had another go on a theme suggested by hubby. I’ve included both poems in this post.

Tree sonnet

Trees are often planted
when funds have been granted.
Species are not native;
for broadleaf we’d wait – if

anybody cared much
’bout CO₂ and such
they’d counter Sitka spruce
with elder for its juice.

Trees live longer than you.
We should let them grow through
all their patient growth rings.
In tall trees a bird sings.

Trees clean the atmosphere.
About that let’s be clear!

The Sycamore Gap Tree

It was seen one morning
without prior warning
that an iconic tree
wasn’t where it should be.

People were affronted;
the vandals were hunted.
Tree from Hadrian’s Wall
removed from sight of all.

A centuries’ old tree
can’t resurrected be.
We’ll wait for the stump’s shoots,
and seedlings to grow roots.

A display we’ll visit
with sycamore in it.
People must all be told:
‘Allow trees to grow old!

'For cutting down one tree,
'Two lost their liberty!'

Read more about the Sycamore Gap tree here.