(June 14 1942- January 17 2023)

I was 22 when I first met Jonathan at the University of East Anglia. I was a student in a class he was giving on American poetry. He was 25 then, and a junior lecturer in the Department of English and American Studies.

I was older than my compatriots because I had worked at the V&A museum in London and spent a year at the University of Birmingham, reading Philosophy before taking up my degree in Fine Arts at UEA.

But I had been writing poetry from a young age, and Jonathan was interested in looking at my work. It was the first time in my life that anyone had taken my little poems seriously, although I had already been published in magazines and ‘Sprouts on Helicon’ (Deutsch).

Jonathan took out a red pen and corrected, advised and made alterations and suggestions to my work. Here was a bright, brilliant, enthusiastic young man, full of energy and enthusiasm, who was eager to encourage me. I had never met anyone so full of life. He was vital, fun and dynamic. On the brink of leaving university teaching and academia to become a full-time writer. I knew him then as the fledgling about to leave the nest. It was an exhilarating time for both of us.

I introduced him to my friends the poet George MacBeth and to Prof.M.L. ‘Mack’ Rosenthal .He invited both of them to lecture to the Faculty. Jonathan had a sweetness about him then. He wanted avidly to extend his circle. We became close at this time.

Friends as well as lovers. He moved into my flat and wrote a short story

that was published in ‘London Magazine’. We were both thrilled,and celebrated this triumph together. It was the beginning of his literary career. I sent a poem off to ‘The Listener’, and it was published in July 1969. Again, we celebrated. It was our annus mirabilis. It was the year he left UEA and went to London to become a full-time writer.

Picture of Jonathan taken on the balcony of his flat in Unthank Road, Norwich. June 1969. The tie was a gift from me. I took the photos and ironed the shirt.