Jon McGregor - This Isn't the Sort of Thing That Happens to Someone Like You

Ticks Moor, West Moor.

Gayton le Marsh, Chapel Six Marshes, Marshchapel, Holbeach Marsh.

Brentingby, Wyfordby, Bescaby, Stonesby, Saxby, Stainby, Gunby, Dunsby, Hacconby, Ingoldsby, Keisby, Dalderby, Winceby, Asgarby, Hundleby, Scrivelsby, Spilsby, New Spilsby, Great Dalby, South Ormsby, Wood Enderby, Ab Kettleby, Old Somerby, Bag Enderby, Coningsby, Miningsby, Aslackby, Hanby, Humby, Thimbleby, Gautby, Wickenby, Fulnetby, Bleasby, Wragby, Sotby, Ranby, Goulceby, Asterby, Raithby, Maltby, Scamblesby, Swaby, Grimoldby, Manby, Aunby, Careby, Carlby, Thrulby, Saltby, Revesby, Raithby, Dalby, Graby, Dowsby, Tumby, Thoresby, Somersby, Goadby Marwood, Kirkby Green, Boothby Pagnell, Kirkby on Bain, Ashby Puerorum, Irby in the Marsh, Hemingby, Tealby, Kirkby, Kingerby, Ketsby, Calceby, Rigsby, Raithby, Sutterby, Utterby, Ashby de la Lounde, North Ormsby, North Thoresby, Grimsby, Tumby Woodside, Mavis Enderby, New Spilsby, West Ashby, Little Dalby, Little Grimsby, Ashby cum Fenby, Normanby le Wold, Fulletby, Salmonby, Worlaby, Fotherby, Legsby, Walesby, Osgodby, Usselby, Claxby, Croxby, Grainsby, Hagnaby, Aylesby, Candlesby, Barnoldby le Beck, Irby upon Humber, Ulceby Skitter, Dragonby, Keadby, Ulceby Cross, Ulceby, Worlaby, Bonby, Wrawby, Appleby, Risby, Brumby, Scawby, Bigby, Somerby, Searby, Owmby, Grasby, Clixby, Usselby, Snitterby, Atterby, Aisby, Saundby, Kexby, Normanby, Saxby, Barnetby le Wold, Hareby, Wilksby, Brattleby, Bransby, Skegby, Harby, Saxilby, Whisby, Thurlby, Firsby, Boothby Graffoe, Navenby, Digby, Ewerby, Asgarby, North Rauceby, South Rauceby, East Kirkby, East Firsby, Aisby, Aunsby, West Firsby, Gonerby Hill Foot, Grebby, Aswardby, Driby, Osbournby, Caenby, Granby, Barrowby, Welby, Oasby, Kelby, Braceby, Haceby, Dembleby, Aswarby, Scott Willoughby, Silk Willoughby, Saltfleetby, Great Gonerby, North Owersby, South Owersby, Spanby, Coleby, Ashby, Aby.

Westry, Whittlesey, March.

Dogsthorpe, Longthorpe, Westhorpe, Wilsthorpe, Belmesthorpe, Northorpe, Obthorpe, Manthorpe, Leesthorpe, Grimsthorpe, Elsthorpe, Scottlethorpe, Hawthorpe, Hanthorpe, Garthorpe, Milthorpe, Castlethorpe, Kettlethorpe, Skellingthorpe, Grassthorpe, Besthorpe, Winthorpe, Kirkby la Thorpe, Woolsthorpe by Colsterworth, Woolsthorpe, Derrythorpe, Birthorpe, Far Thorpe, Mid Thorpe, Kingthorpe, Swinthorpe, Friesthorpe, Woodthorpe, Claythorpe, Authorpe, Althorpe, Yaddlethorpe, Yawthorpe, Thorpe in the Fallows, Caythorpe, Sibthorpe, Biscathorpe, Buslingthorpe, Scunthorpe, Grainthorpe, Londonthorpe, Scotterthorpe, Northorpe, Gunthorpe, Springthorpe, Culverthorpe, Mablethorpe, Manthorpe, Aisthorpe, Hogsthorpe, Little Cawthorpe, Trusthorpe, Thorpe Satchville, Thorpe Arnold, Thorpe.

Loosegate, Fleet Hargate, Gate Burton, Broadgate, Horsegate, Halesgate, Wrangle Lowgate, Deeping Gate, Westgate, Chapelgate, Guanockgate, Halton Holegate, Gedney Broadgate.

Dogdyke, Skeldyke, Seadyke, Fosdyke, Austendike, Gedney Dyke, Thorpe Fendykes, Quadring Eaudike, Dyke.

Old Leake, Leake Commonside, Leake Gride, New Leake, Leake Ings.

Pinchbeck, Pinchbeck Bars, Swallowbeck, Pinchbeck West, Fulbeck, Woodbeck, Sudbrooke, Binbrook, Sedgebrook.

Chainbridge, Cuckoo Bridge, Fosdyke Bridge, Swineshead Bridge, Hubbert’s Bridge, Gipsey Bridge, Bishopbridge, Bracebridge, Friday Bridge, Pondersbridge, Tattershall Bridge, Forty Foot Bridge.

Stickford, Tetford, Belchford, Snarford, Ludford, Spalford, Stapleford, Langford, Sleaford, Hazelford, Bottesford, Scalford, Twyford, Greatford.

Owston Ferry, East Ferry, High Ferry.

Holbeach St Matthew, Holbeach St Marks, Holbeach St Johns, Marshland St James, Sutton St James, Sutton St Edmund, Deeping St James, Deeping St Nicholas, Wisbech St Mary, Wainfleet St Mary, Witham St Hughs, Saltfleetby St Peter, Toynton St Peter, Thorpe St Peter, Walpole St Peter, Walpole St Andrew, Terrington St John, Tilney St Lawrence, Theddlethorpe St Helen, Wiggenhall St Germans, Wiggenhall St Mary the Virgin, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, Toynton All Saints, Saxby All Saints, Wainfleet All Saints, Theddlethorpe All Saints.

Ring’s End, Fen End, Surfeet Seas End, Tongue End, Brand End, Moulton Seas End, Scrane End, Kirton End, Frampton West End, Fishmere End, North End, Benington Sea End, Halltoft End, Ashington End, Gedney Drove End, Tilney High End, Bridge End, Castle End, Church End.

Eastville, Midville, Wyville, Frithville, Little London, Jerusalem, Gibraltar, Boston, New England, Newark, New York.

In summer the sky is most times blue.

A blue so pure & bright thatit hurts to look into it.

A blueso deep that if you look straightup you have to grab

something forfear of falling

in.

The light pouringwhich pours from out of this blue nesssears

everything it can reach

/ fields of wheat / canals & drains / tarmac roads /

In summer the sky is blue & lifted high

a shimmering blue silence from which

there is no hiding place

(save) beneath the surface of the land.

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he came back for the taste of her

like he was passing through the sky

to go somewhere and do something

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In autumn the sky is most times white.

A ragged, dirty white.

And you wonder how this could be the same sky but it is.

The earth turns thick & hard beneath it.

Winds rip through the clouds and

slashes of light

run across the fields and vanish over the horizon and leave

the land as heavy as before.

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The colours of the earth change. Westry

Fields & ditches clog with leaves. Whittlesey

Rivers swell. Pondersbridge

Forty Foot Bridge

Ticks Moor

West Moor

Ten Mile Bank

Salter’s Lode

Outwell

Friday Bridge

If you had stayed at home it

would never have happened.

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We know the seasons are changing mostly by the shape & colour of the sky.

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s t r e t c h e d o v e r u s f r o m

h o r i z o n t o h o r i z o n

t h e l e n g t h & b r e a d t h o f a d a y.

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In winter the sky is most times grey.

A dark & bruising grey.

The days shorten.

The distance between the horizon shrinks. What little light

seeps downis thick & lifeless.

In winter there’sno danger of falling into the sky

Our bodiesanchored to the ground by the weight of the light.

The earth hides secrets.

The land is silent.

The drains & canals will freeze and be covered in snow.

The snow will come fast in the night and

block the roads & drains and leave

nothing

but whiteness

(all lines & textures concealed).

The land giving back light to the sky.

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In spring the sky is all these colours. Spring comes

gradually here.

Broad beans & early wheat break through the surface of the soil.

Pale green buds squeeze out from dry branches

while the sky fades to light grey & white & finally afaint blue.

The air cleanses itselfis cleansed, with by

a warm wind from the south

bursts of sparkling rain

The sky lifts away from the ground.

those arms lifted

up to the sky.

The horizons draw apart

and stretch the sky taut and

space & light flood back into our lives.

that arching back.

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This is the time when change

is a daily force:

woodlands smeared green overnight

fields purpled with lavender behind your back

wives & mothers & daughters pregnant by dawn

This is the time when the floods come

and the ditches and barriers have to be built again,

a littledeeper

a littlehigher

But still, with all this life bursting up towards the sky,

(the earth holds secrets)

(the sky watches)

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The hills having eyes means nothing here.

The land is level and all we have watching over us is the sky.