[…] Outside each propelling constellation but inside that feeling of boat. It demands and bruises, cuts pride, hardens stomachs. […] (‘That Feeling of Boat’) It was such a pleasure to be at the launch of Lynne Hjelmgaard’s new collection A Boat Called Annalise last night. Hosted by publisher Seren Books, it was a warm occasion,Read more ⟶
Category: Books
Readings, talks, good poetry stuff on the horizon
Last Thursday I was at Roehampton University where I’d been invited by Principal Lecturer Louise Tondeur to talk to her Creative Writing students about Telltale Press, collaborative working, the importance of submitting work to magazines, marketing your work/yourself, that sort of thing. I get a bit scared when faced by a room of people (mostly) underRead more ⟶
The Reading List week 10: Glück, Paterson, Crowther
These pocket-sized reviews have been getting a bit long lately and that’s not good, because I start thinking “do I have time to write a 1,500 word post today?” and tend to put it off. So here goes, this is me trying to cut back on the waffle. A couple of paragraphs, a taster… thenRead more ⟶
What I’ve been up to, and look ahead to Aldeburgh
Just a quick update and a look ahead to the weekend … I was excited to see the T S Eliot Prize shortlist, especially as it included the excellent debut collection from Sarah Howe – Loop of Jade – which I mini-reviewed on this blog a short while ago. I’ve already signed up for Katy Evans-Bush‘s excellent previewRead more ⟶
The Reading List week 9: Malone, Maitreyabandhu, Man
This week, three books by men, all with names starting with M, all with (pretty much) monochrome cover art and three of the shortest titles ever. Spooky! This is the latest post in my Reading List project begun in July 2015. Cur, Martin Malone (Shoestring 2015) To read Cur in one sitting is a rollicking ride.Read more ⟶
The Reading List, Week 8 – McCabe, Hopkins, Skinner, Sawkins
All the National Poetry Day euphoria over with and I’m back into the swing of The Reading List this week, and some wonderful reading to report on. Included here are two pamphlets I picked up at the Poetry Book Fair, by Chris McCabe and Holly Hopkins ( who I also heard read). I’ve had RichardRead more ⟶
The Reading List, week 7 – Jack Underwood ‘Happiness’
Only one book to report on in this episode of The Reading List – there seem to be endless admin jobs involved in moving house, as well as getting out and about exploring my new town when the weather’s been so glorious. Plus I have a cold. Boo! Anyway, excuses be damned. The upshot isRead more ⟶
Poetry Book Fair and other shenanigans
Yes, it’s the obligatory ‘look what I bought at the Poetry Book Fair‘ photo – I love looking at other people’s ‘hauls’ to see what I missed. There was so much choice it was overwhelming. My strategy was to start calmly – on my first sweep I just picked up a couple of things at fullRead more ⟶
The Reading List, week 6: Duhig, Kenny, Murray, Lehane
This post is the latest update to my ‘Reading List’ project begun in July 2015. The Lammas Hireling, Ian Duhig (Picador, 2003) From the opening poem ‘Blood’, an extended description of a self-styled skinhead-type hardman who turns out to be a fifteen-year-old who faints at the sight of a vaccination needle ‘in front of aRead more ⟶
The Reading List, week 5: McVety, Konig, James
Right now my reading material consists mainly of kitchen brochures, legal house-moving gumph and internet research on macerator toilets and whether you need planning permission to change a window on the rear of a building. So the antidote is of course a splash of poetry. ‘Splash’ being the right word, I think, consider the amount ofRead more ⟶