Brian Patten
I too was very sorry to hear Brian Patten had died (I was reminded of this in reading Mat Riches blog post in which he talks about having sent Patten some poems as a youngster and got a kind letter in reply – how lovely! Imagine writing letters. I did once get a kind reply to a fan letter I sent to Philip Schofield. But let’s not go into that!)
The Liverpool Poets loom large in my early days of reading poetry. I never saw Brian Patten read, but I did contact him a couple of years ago hoping he might agree to be interviewed for Planet Poetry, He replied that he wasn’t feeling up to it, but wouldn’t rule it out in the future. Sadly that future has now run out, and I feel the poorer for it.
One of my favourite poems in ‘New Volume’ was the last in the book, Patten’s ‘On Time For Once’, which I share with you here.
I too am sorry Brian Patten has died. His Notes for the Hurrying Man was the first poetry collection I bought, aged 17, when I went from a small town in Northern Ireland with no bookshop for a university Interview in Canterbury. It never left me. I still don’t know how a young man then could get into the mind of the “girl raped at a suburban party” but it made me see that poetry could reach into other people this way.
A few of those earlier poems I found/find a bit iffy, too.
Roger McGough doesn’t come out of it well, either, preying on female students; I suspect Adrien Henri wasn’t much better.
That’s a lovely memory Grainne, thanks for sharing.
I missed this; what a sad loss. I only saw him once, he was performing in the group Grimms, with Andy Roberts, Roger McGough etc.
As a matter of interest have you ever contacted/written to established poets? I did with Seamus Heaney, a one-off with John Stammers, a Facebook exchange with George Szirtes. Clare Pollard on her blog….
Thanks for commenting Michael. I didn’t know about Grimms, I remember the Scaffold, of course. I’ve seen McGough read a few times, always good value I felt. (Although he never responded to our Planet Poetry invitation – huh!) I don’t think I’ve ever corresponded with a poet. The only time in recent memory I contacted a writer was Ian McGilcrist, to say how much I enjoyed ‘The Master & His Emissary’.
I’ve always felt it a dubious thing to do – and yet I did it! What can i say.
Best wishes, and great thanks for all your energy and work. Much appreciated.