The Banshee calls from the abandoned island of my birth… St Kilda Love Song: Banshee: Kelly Phillips Voice: Shannon Gilchrist Music: Laurie Glass Story: Martin Kielty #stkilda #scotland #poetry #historicalfiction #fairytale #prog #music www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJAY...

She was with us for a thousand generations She shrieked the Blood Scream when death was close In 1930 we left her behind She’s coming for me tonight Coming soon: St Kilda Love Song www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqrB...

We know you know what we are Fried embers of a murdered star Learning nothing; flying far Not knowing where to go… Just The Dust – the meaning of life in 90 seconds – arrives on Feb. 21. #poetry #meaningoflife #spacefllight

Well, this is lovely – and just over five years to the day since I started the channel. Thanks to everyone who dropped in, listened and maybe even liked; to those who’ve been supportive personally; and to the amazing collaborators who help make my wee stories into bigger, better things.

NEW POEM: Witchfound – a witchfinder general faces their conscience… Inspired by the artwork of Rosie Hepworth as she explored the Pendle witch trials of 1612. #horror #poem #witchcraft #witchfinder

I got there six thousand years after he’d gone It took me that long to find where I needed to be The message was still warm, even under the frosted stones… Kilmartin Glen: A Solstice Story – 21/12/25 1503GMT #poetry #stoneage #ancientvoices #wintersolstice

What did YOU see out the side-hatch of your narrowboat this afternoon? This is what I got… #WinterIsComing #narrowboatlife #canallife #birdphotography

A cold one, but a lovely one! Winter morning on the Lancaster Canal near Galgate. #canallife #narrowboatlife #canal #narrowboat #lancastercanal

Just in case there's any doubt, sheep are NOT very good at covert ops… #canallife #narrowboatlife #wintermorning

Harking back to the tale of a king dismissing his army after their final battle, co-written with the great Andy Glass of @solsticeuk.bsky.social and, sadly, only performed twice. This was the first, hence the slight issue with cues and my very subtle solution. #highfantasy #poetry #folkmusic #prog

For as long as I live, breathe and write, I’ll forever demand of myself: “Why did you create the phrase ‘With cackled caws a clack of claws carve up the carrion soul’? You’re gonna have to PERFORM that!” [Also, 148,000 views. Thank you for watching!] #halloween #edgarallanpoe #classichorror

A family outing passing my boat this morning… #narrowboatlife #canal #lancastercanal #narrowboat #wildlife

Up like the larch to find a wee middle-of-nowhere spot to hide for a day or two. It's grand to feel like there's no one else in the whole world. Until the loneliness kicks in and you'd happily spend an hour with the pub bore! It's all a question of balance… #canallife #narrowboat #lancastercanal

A lovely 45-minute or so cruise from Bolton-le-Sands to Carnforth, with a minor issue when a tree pushes the camera over c16s, and my "friend" tries to "help" me moor outside the Canal Turn pub… #canal #narrowboat #lancastercanal

Actually not that far from the madding crowd – but it feels like it! #lancastercanal #narrowboat #canallife

At very very very very long last there is a new poem on the way… #poetry #history #wales

Today's cruise at 100x speed – real time was 1hr 34m. Distance about four miles from Ratcliffe Bridge wilderness to Galgate, slowing down to pass moored boats and when ducks or swans on patrol signalled eggs or hatchlings nearby. A grand day for it! #lancastercanal #Narrowboat #canallife #wildlife

Really enjoyed a few late winter walks along the towpath while I've been moored just outside Lancaster. #narrowboat #lancastercanal #canalboat #moonlight #coldnight

Someone’s left the cell open! But it’s okay… they’re asleep.

I’m wondering what the all I’ve been And who I want to be And while I learn to understand I’m drinking in the pub behind the tree #canalpub #canal #narrowboat #pub

Can you make out a couple of lights under the left-hanging branches of the tree? That's the pub. It's 600m across the fields but there's no public footpath so it's 2.2km away. I'm told it's not a great pub. It's cold. The cabin is 24º and I have Guinness. Quandaries of boat life. #canal #narrowboat

Challenging barriers in the way and a hill to climb, but there's a way through to the bright world beyond… Today's view from my boat is remarkably representative of the month I'm having. It's getting better! #canal #spring #challengeaccepted

I often don’t have the words. That may surprise people who know what I do for a living. This beautiful four-year-old boy in the pub tonight didn’t need my words. I didn’t ask him if everything was going to work out. But he told me that’s exactly what’s going to happen. And I completely believe him.

The last few mornings I’ve been suspicious that someone was messing about with my boat. You hear stories of chancers who’ll just steal coal, mooring gear, tools – anything not locked down . It’s a weasel innit! Stalking about as if it owns the place, looking at me like, “Get off my boat!”*

View from the side hatch, 7.44am today #canal #narrowboat #lancastercanal #dawn #landscape

This has to be one of the worst things about living in England… I ordered a haggis rom a supermarket chain, to enjoy a late Burns supper. They didn't have one, so replaced it with a black pudding. In Scotland, you wouldn't even dare to THINK of that. #burnsnight #haggis

It's been a cold but wonderfully bright couple of days on the Lancaster Canal at Galgate. I'll soon be leaving this canal, but there are some aspects I'll miss… #narrowboat #canal #sunset #landscape #lancastercanal

This is written by the bishop who stood up to Orange Voldemort. Everyone should be buying this. It's available on Amazon for $14. I'm an atheist and I'm buying it. #booksky

The great rock drummer Ted McKenna – one of my closest friends in all the world – moved on six years ago. I keep saying, "If you love someone make sure they know." Tonight even that doesn't feel like enough. #tedmckenna #sahb #rocknroll #drummer #rip

I kid you not, I was cruising through effing MORDOR… #canal #narrowboat #fog #mordor

Night into day, although the temperature hasn't changed much. Despite my best-laid plans and a pressing need to visit a bin shed, I don't think anyone's going anywhere today… #canal #frozen #ice #winter #narrowboat

The boat is ever-so-slightly moving because the water between the hull and the towpath remains liquid. But I suspect the ice will soon lock me in place. Then there’s the merry dance of NOT compensating for the boat’s movements around me! #canal #narrowboat #ice #frozen

In the brilliant movie The Quiet Man, two characters stop on a wee bridge one night, and one tells the other he’s off to the pub to “talk a little treason.” This bridge takes me to a pub where I love to talk a little treason, so I call it Treason Bridge.

It's that time again… the canal freezes over, and when the ice moves you hear the spookiest things inside the cabin… #canal #ice #winter #narrowboat

Clannad did their farewell show in October. I spoke to Pol and Moya Brennan about that, and their genre-changing soundtrack music for 80s cult TV show Robin of Sherwood. The article is in Prog 156, on sale now. #clannad #progmagazine #progrock #robinofsherwood www.loudersound.com/news/we-cele...

All Hail The TIt, Commander of the British Empire! #alantitchmarsh #cbe #newyearhonours #britishroyals

“Give your partner a kiss; take a course in tactical medicine, another in firearms training; buy a power bank; write a will; find out where the nearest bomb shelter is. … Just in case you find yourself called upon to shift to a wartime mindset.” www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I launched The Boozer Cruiser YouTube channel 4 years ago today, unsure if poetry was something I could make part of my life. Today the viewer count is 1,115,880 and I have 54,944 subs, with 5 videos having passed 100k views. Thanks for your interest! www.youtube.com/@TheBoozerCr...

As of this very minute… the nights are fair drawin' oot. #wintersolstice

Bit of high revs so I control where I’m going rather than the wind…. #lancaster #narrowboat #cana

The Ghost of Terror Bay has passed 50k views on YouTube! It’s a reflective, haunting collaboration with Chrissy Mostyn (The Blackheart Orchestra) and Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow, The Opium Cartel). Full version on the Boozer Cruiser YouTube channel. #ghoststory #poetry #hmsterror

Good times: Spending a couple of days in this wilderness amid crisp winter sunshine. Bad times: Spending those couple of days with a howling version of flu or Covid, complete with fever, dizziness and insane work-related hallucinations. Ups and downs innit. #winter #canal #narrowboat

Oh go on - since it's you … one more bit of cold-weather action from Carnforth on the Lancaster canal #boatlife #canal #narrowboat #lancastercanal

A little bit more cold-weather action from Carnforth on the Lancaster canal #boatlife #canal #narrowboat #lancastercanal

A little bit of cold-weather action from Carnforth on the Lancaster canal #boatlife #canal #narrowboat #lancastercanal

Tonight on BBC Radio Five Live, I’ll be exploring the music of 1989 with host Gordon Smart and fellow music author Zoe Howe. We’re on around 11.30pm – listen live or later: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Coniston Brewing Co’s XB Bluebird Bitter. I don’t always enjoy it because the dull traditional element often overwhelms the bright modern - but it’s working tonight. Restrained fruitiness and a decent hop body. More will be taken.

Marking 1000 days since the Ukraine invasion began, here's the live version of my poem about it… Today's war is about love versus fear; we must win and we can win. #ukraine #war #peace www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA2L...

The Moon, here, tonight – talk about presence! #moon

My vehicle, adventure catalyst and home. She's a 45-foot narrowboat with several thousand miles of canal, locks and tunnels behind us. It's a compromise lifestyle but after five years I'm still loving it – although the depths of winter can be a real challenge to the body and mind…