I’ve just returned from the Lapidus AGM/conference (5th-6th October, Bristol). What an excellent event. Lapidus (www.lapidus.org.uk) gathers together people – health professionals and writers (and those of us who wear both hats) – interested in the literary arts (writing and reading) for good health and personal development.

There was plenty of time for networking, discussion and the exchanging of ideas. On the Saturday we were entertained by performance poet Matt Harvey: ‘Down-hearted of Suffolk seeks Norfolk broad./Lady with life-raft sought by man overboard.’

On Sunday we were enthralled by the gentle wisdom of Ted Bowman (www.bowmanted.com). He gave us some resources for our journey, including Given Poems by Wendell Berry: ‘…And then/we must call all things by name/out of the silence again to be with us…’

In response I wrote: Sometimes I am beyond words. In reply to the question, ‘How are you?’ I say, ‘Fine.’ I leave the naming, the true naming, to another time, another person. Sometimes I am beyond words, is that OK for a writer? For someone indulging in talking therapies? Sometimes words, names, just don’t nail it, however hard we try.

‘Not everything that is faced can be changed,
but nothing can be changed until is faced.’ James Baldwin.