Just a quick update on my poetry submissions, in case you’re interested – I know people often like a comparison, and while those “I’m delighted to announce…” successes are all very nice to hear about, sometimes it’s good be reassured that you’re not the only one who’s not currently delighted about anything. So, I’ve just done a 6 monthRead more ⟶
Category: Poems
Isabel Palmer’s ‘Ground Signs’
One of the interesting things about the Poetry Book Fair in September was seeing poetry pamphlets and books from different publishers side by side, and the great variety in jacket designs, colours and fonts. Flarestack was one of the tables that really caught my attention, with its beautifully simple pamphlet covers. Just look at the clean,Read more ⟶
A poem by Josh Ekroy
It’s funny how certain names pop up regularly in the poetry magazines, one such being Josh Ekroy. I’ve had him on my radar for a while, partly because his poems always seem to have a self-assurance about them, a unique stamp, I can’t really explain but I was always intrigued because I couldn’t find outRead more ⟶
Bring up the poems (are they dead or sleeping?)
As part of my autumn poetry reactivation plan (sounds good, eh?) I’ve signed up for an online course from the Poetry’s School with Karen McCarthy Woolf. It’s a feedback course for the ‘general improvement of left-for-dead poems in need of resuscitation’. This premise really appealed to me – having quite a few poems languishing atRead more ⟶
Share crazy | Dickinson poem found | Hot stuff
It’s all been a bit hectic lately, but I thought I’d just check in with updates on a few things. Readings – On Wednesday I’m at the Poetry Cafe with 5 other Brighton-ish based poets, talking on Palmers Green in a Stanza Bonanza. I’m wondering how little clothing I can get away with, given the typicalRead more ⟶
Love this: recordings of poems by Denise Levertov
Huge thanks to Brain Pickings for leading me to this.
‘The Fishermen’s Farewell’ by Robin Robertson
Now that I’m enjoying a brief work hiatus (book submission made yesterday, drum-roll please) I’m hoping to catch up on my reading. This morning I picked up Hill of Doors (Picador), Robin Robertson’s T S Eliot award-nominated collection, and was reminded of how much I enjoyed my first brief meander through when it was givenRead more ⟶
Harry Man’s ‘telesue’ from Lift
Just as I was umming and ahhing about doing a video blog post in which I would read something from Harry Man’s pamphlet ‘Lift’ (tall-lighthouse), I learn that it’s been awarded the Bridges of Struga Prize – part of the award being translation into Macedonian – golly! I’ve really enjoyed ‘Lift’ – not least ofRead more ⟶
Stars in our eyes
There was an episode of ‘Girls of the Playboy Mansion’ in which a new ingenue is welcomed into the Playboy ‘family’ with the gift of a star named after her. “Ooooh, you’re a STAR!” says Kendra to the upstart, somewhat mockingly. I watched the show for moments like that. What is it about stars? MostRead more ⟶
Workshop report – the T S Eliot Prize shortlisted collections
Tonight it’s that lovely annual poets’ jamboree, the T S Eliot Prize readings at the Royal Festival Hall. This year I thought it would increase my enjoyment of the readings if I had an inkling about all of them beforehand, so yesterday I was at the Poetry School in Lambeth getting educated. Ten poets, tenRead more ⟶