(So sorry about the weird asterisks etc in the following – just that last time I mentioned the B word I got immediately spam-commented and spam-followed by some decidedly un-poetic peeps.) It’s been quite a busy week, easier to do it in reverse order – yesterday and Friday I was in London at the BritMumsRead more ⟶
Category: Books
Getting poetry out there
As I sit down with a cup of tea in my favourite mug (pictured above – just an excuse to feature it, really! I inherited it from my mum, it used to be one of pair but the other got broken, and I’m so attached to this one I dread anything happening to it. It’sRead more ⟶
Where my poetry pocket money has been going
June 3rd and I think I’ve already blown my poetry pocket money for this month. First of all I’ve subscribed to Poetry London which I’ve been meaning to do for ages, and I asked to start with the Spring 13 issue, which has resulted in both Spring and Summer issues arriving within days of eachRead more ⟶
Dear poets: publishing is a business
I’ve been emailing with a poet friend today who drew my attention to this piece in the Guardian, about Salt’s decision to stop publishing individual poetry collections and to concentrate on anthologies. I know it’s been a big topic of debate this week. But something about the way it’s been reported makes me see red.Read more ⟶
More new reading material, and some happy happenings
Some classic internet-enabled moments this week. Firstly, my post about having received a free copy of Poetry magazine was picked up by Steven Critelli who alerted Don Share, senior editor of that venerable publication, who promptly lived up to his name and tweeted it … Then one of the other participants going to the TyRead more ⟶
Frogmore Press 30th birthday readings
It was an intimate affair: in the round at the New Venture Theatre in Brighton yesterday evening, the first Sunday of the Brighton Festival and an unusually sunny (if not balmy) evening, with poet friends and friends of poetry, all to celebrate the 30th birthday of the Frogmore Press. The evening brought some thrilling readingRead more ⟶
Lovely example from Ted Hughes’ letters
It is now 1974. At least, that’s how far I have got with Ted Hughes’ letters, through which I’m getting a stronger impression of him than I think I’ve ever got from another source. Perhaps that’s not surprising, as he valued his privacy. And in the letters, there’s a clear sense of his growing frustrationRead more ⟶
T S Eliot shortlisted poetry collections – reviews
I confess haven’t read all the collections shortlisted for this year’s T S Eliot Prize. But I’ve trawled for informative reviews of each, in order to at least have an idea and also in anticipation of hearing all the poets read on Sunday evening at the Festival Hall. So here we go. Sean Borodale BeeRead more ⟶
More holiday reading
I’m enjoying Ted Hughes Letters and can see it going on well into 2013. Other reading matter that has crept into the bedroom includes The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin, which I’m reading for my book group but actually it’s been on my bookshelf for some years. I went through an Australian thing a while back,Read more ⟶
Holiday reading part 1: Ted & Sylvia
Christmas. I wish I could play up to the seasonal stereotype of the busy ‘mum’ with a house full of over-excited children and the prospect of hoards of rellies to cook for and entertain. I don’t even have to search the internet for ’10 top things to do with left over turkey’ or whatever –Read more ⟶