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 ⟶
Category: Books
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 ⟶
First poetry reading group – Ní Chuilleanáin, Feaver, Wilkinson
There’s nothing quite like reading poetry to stimulate writing – something it took me many years to discover. So I was very pleased when Brighton Stanza member Miriam Patrick proposed a new monthly group devoted to reading poetry. Our first meeting was last night – we were a small but perfectly formed group! The formatRead more ⟶
Where were the ‘Best of British’ poems first published?
Poet friend of mine and soon-to-be-blogger Jo Grigg mentioned she had been reading The Best British Poetry 2012 so I invited her to write about it here. It is Jo’s first guest blog post on Poetgal. The second volume of this British version of a longstanding US anthology has now thundered through my letterbox. Hurrah! ItsRead more ⟶
Readings, launches, and the Carmen Rollers
Lots of excitement in the past week. First of all, National Poetry Day and the launch of the Frogmore Press anthology Poems from the Old Hill on Thursday evening. It was standing room only as we’d all brought family and friends to cheer us on. It was fab to see some of my non-poetRead more ⟶
Smith, McCullough, Curtis, Lasky at the Red Roaster
Lovely evening last week at the Red Roaster in Brighton, for the launch of Abi Curtis’s new collection The GlassDelusion. Not too crowded, some familiar faces and a really nice selection of work being read. I’ve a soft spot for Abi ever since she and I were involved with the University of Sussex ‘Poetry Soc’Read more ⟶
Upcoming poetry events in Lewes, Brighton & Seaford…
Very pleased to be invited by Tom Roper to be one of the poets reading at Seaford Live this year on September 12th. Last year I did the open mic. It’s an intimate venue – the Crypt Gallery – rather lends itself to ghost stories or something creepy. I’ll see what I can conjour up…Read more ⟶
Now all roads lead to France
My book group friends aren’t really into poetry. At all. But someone suggested we read Matthew Hollis’s biography of the last years of Edward Thomas, ‘Now all roads lead to France.’ So I’ve brought the book on holiday with me to Wales and am engrossing myself in the detail of the life of a poetRead more ⟶