Writing – Page 12 – Robin Houghton

audio/ 25/08/2013

Setting words to music

What do you think about setting poetry to music? (As opposed to writing song lyrics, I suppose). Personally I rather baulk at the thought of something I’d written being given a tune. I worry that adding music doesn’t just create another layer to complement the words, but it has the capacity to alter them permanently, like putting a painting in a particular frame, it can get in the way of the personal response of the viewer/listener/reader.

Nevertheless in the hands of a skilful composer you could say music takes the words to another, higher level. I can think of a couple of choral pieces where the combination is glorious – The Lamb, John Tavener’s setting of William Blake’s poem for starters, and Stanford’s The Blue Bird, words by Mary Coleridge.

Yesterday I was in an all-day rehearsal with our choir, the Lewes Singers. We’re singing the services at Westminster Abbey next weekend. (Do come and hear us if you’re in London – all the times and details of what’s we’re singing are here.) I confess I’m not a church-goer, but Evensong is the most wonderful invention of the Anglican church. If you’ve never been to an Evensong in a British cathedral, please go some time if you can. It’s short, it follows the exact same format it has done for centuries, and there’s very little for the congregation to do but listen. History, tradition, beautiful music – a meditative experience.

One of my favourite parts of the service is the chanting of the Psalms. For a singer, psalms are one of the hardest things to get the hang of. You have to fit the words to the notes of the chant, observe the pauses and move to the next note precisely at the same time as one another. It’s intense and you can’t let your concentration slip. And the words of the Psalms are unpredictable – full of the earthy violence and passions of the Old Testament, sometimes very funny, always vivid. Sadly, it’s too easy for the psalms to sound rough around the edges, and there are some very boring chants. But done well, they are the most powerful thing you’ll ever encounter in a CofE service.

Thankfully in the Lewes Singers we have Nick (my husband, and the conductor) to write us our own chants. Lucky us! OK so I’m showing off a bit here. But listen to this and tell me it’s not exciting.

Angst/ 22/08/2013

Just a quick ‘yay’ and ‘nay’

How exciting to have a copy of The Frogmore Papers hand-delivered through my door the other day – handy that the publisher lives in the same town as me! (There’s a little poem of mine in it, thank you Jeremy Page for taking it.) Very nice cover art by the way.

On the (somewhat) negative side, a rejection slip from Poetry Review, but with a hand written note from Maurice Riordan to say ‘much that I liked in them’ – just a few crumbs of encouragement, but very welcome to a poet currently starved of acceptances. However, I’m feeling pretty chilled about the whole acceptance/rejection game after having just read Maitreyabandhu’s 13 Ways of Making Poetry a Spiritual Practice, which appeared originally in Magma but was forwarded to me by poet friend Charlotte. Recommended reading if you haven’t already seen it.

Angst/ 21/07/2013

Anatomy of a rejection

It was a long time coming (4 months) but Under the Radar finally emailed me a standard ‘not this time’ (or possibly ever?) note the other day, which prompted me (of course) to look at the offending poems to see if there’s mileage in sending them out again as is, or whether they merit reviewing.

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes look at poems when they’re sent back and think ‘well they were rubbish anyway’, but that might be psychological – especially when it’s hard copies in the post and they look like they’re untouched by human hands and probably went straight into the SAE within mllliseconds (as opposed to read, re-read and ummed and ahhed over) – isn’t it silly the games we play with ourselves?

This time, I’m not yet sure which ones I shall re-submit, so I won’t post the actual poems here, but I thought it would be interesting to do a little ‘hard looking’ at each one and share the process with you.

1) The first was one I was quite pleased with, even after workshopping in a Brendan Cleary session some while back. I did make some changes though, and my possibly ‘too clever’ syllabic scheme (which was supposed to tie in with the theme but perhaps required too much obscure knowledge of South American dance styles) maybe sank in its own merengue. But I think the premise is good, so I will persist with this one, perhaps send straight back out elsewhere.

2) Poem number two has been knocking about for a while and is based on a dream sequence that seemed fun at the time but I know the old ‘dream sequence’ thing is a bit of cliche. There’s a lot here I still like, but perhaps it’s a bit over-egging one decent idea, like an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, until you kind of see what’s coming. I do tend to go for cute endings and must curb the tendency for it to be too pat. This poem was first started about 18 months ago – it’s done the rounds and gone through various iterations. So maybe needs resting.

3) Quite a recent one this, and I think it was the best of the bunch. I don’t think I’ve tried it anywhere else. It’s in my favourite form, couplets, but I wonder if there’s just too much going on and it needs simplifying. Again, I still like the premise, it’s unusual. So worth looking at the language and eliminating the extra weight, I think. Must not Try Too Hard.

4) Last but (not?) least: this one was always risky – a nursery-rhyme theme in Shakespearean sonnet form – can you say ‘rejection waiting to happen’? Actually though I think it only needs a small amount of close attention to make it decent. There are a couple of dodgy lines where the form shouts out and that’s not good. But a lot of good things. So not worth giving up on yet.

As always, I’ll keep you posted if any of these find a home elsewhere, with or without revisions!

Cartoon credit: http://billanddavescocktailhour.com/

Angst/ 05/07/2013

I mislaid my poetic mojo in a Ghent hostel

Having been away for four days ‘helping’ with a college trip to Belgium (my husband was the tour leader – his A level students) I’m finding it hard to get back to poetry.

I suppose it’s partly because I’m having to catch up with work as well, and not having a proper night’s sleep the whole time we were away (teenagers don’t go to sleep before 2am, so nor can anyone else in a Youth Hostel where there are no carpets and the doors all slam).

Although they were (for the most part) very nice people, I just found the whole being-around-40-teenagers utterly exhausting and a tad depressing. Their energy saps mine, their zest for life deadens my creativity. I’m amazed at how so many writers are able to combine a teaching career with writing – and yet it’s such a common combination, whether it’s by choice or necessity.

OK, I realise I’m probably being over-dramatic here, after all I think a foreign trip is tiring even for the full time teachers, because you’re never off-duty, not for a moment.

Anyway, I think I now have an even higher respect for my husband and his colleagues for everything they bring and give to teaching. I just know I don’t have that kind of generosity in me!

But on a more positive note… lots to look forward to, not least of all some much-needed sunshine!

The answer to a creativity deadzone for me is to read, and read good stuff. I’ve still to explore the new Poetry Review and Magma which arrived a week or so ago, plus I’m reading Abegail Morley’s Snow Child and Ben Parker’s The Escape Artists, so I’ll be talking about those soon on the blog.

Poetry readings coming up: Hilda Sheehan has very kindly invited me to read at the Blue Gate Poets meeting on 8th August in Swindon, and I’m currently talking with the organisers of the Shoreham Wordfest about putting on a poetry night where I hope to be reading alongside some lovely poet friends. Then come October there are exciting plans for a reading with Abegail Morley and Emer Gillespie – will keep you posted.

Angst/ 04/06/2013

Poetry writers and poetry readers – a tricky issue

It was a small turnout last night at our Stanza reading group in Brighton – just Miriam, Gary and myself! Of course there are all sorts of reasons why that might have been – the first time it has clashed with a sunny evening, plus there’s been some confusion about the start time and content of meetings in recent months due to an unfortunate bookings error by the pub.

The reading group is a relatively new thing which a few of us thought would be fun and would complement our workshopping meetings perfectly. The idea is that we each bring with us copies of a poem for everyone to read, discuss, perhaps learn something from and even spark an interest in seeking out more by that poet. It’s very relaxed and all you need to enjoy it is an open mind. Last night, Miriam had brought a poem by U A Fanthorpe and I had with me two short poems by C P Cavafy (incidentally, if you’re interested virtually all Cavafy’s poems are online here.)

Unfortunately I didn’t study English at university and haven’t done a Creative Writing course or anything where I would have come in contact with the poetry canon, so I love the idea of being introduced to poetry and having my awareness raised in this way. But the meetings have been pretty quiet. We talked about why that might be. Are those people writing poetry just less interested in reading the poetry of others? Are people put off because they think it’s going to be too academic or ‘serious’? Or do people just want to do their own reading in private and don’t see the point of going to a meeting to talk about it? (Things like weather and time of day are, I think, the kind of issues easily overcome if the desire is strong enough.)

The Brighton Poetry Stanza, being affiliated to the Poetry Society, is all about encouraging and supporting poetry and the poetry community. In my mind that means the whole business of poetry from learning the craft, giving and receiving feedback on work in progress, discovering and reading poetry, supporting poets, going to events (or staging them) and so forth. Since Jo Grigg took on the job of revitalising the Stanza several years ago it really has really taken off – meetings are full, we’re twice staged group readings in Brighton and have started to take part in ‘Stanza Bonanza’ readings at the Poetry Cafe in London.

But people vote with their feet, and Miriam can’t be expected to keep showing up for the reading group if no-one else does. So maybe the group is a lost cause, for whatever reason. One thing we did talk about yesterday was the possibility of combining the reading and workshopping groups in a more structured way. When we’ve tried this informally, it hasn’t worked because everyone just wants to workshop and when you have 10 or more people there’s no time for anything else. However, perhaps at least one person could agree to bring something by another poet. In that way, everyone would get exposed to something by Hughes, Fanthorpe, Dickinson, Duffy or whoever. A little moment of ‘let’s see how the professionals do it / did it’ – sneaking in the ‘educational’ bit. Or is that just too prescriptive/controlling/patronising?

What do you think? Have you been through this yourself? I’m posting a link to this on our Stanza facebook Page also, in the hope that members might have comments or suggestions. Should we just stick with the workshopping and stop inventing problems? For my own part, I just know that for years I used to write poetry, when the only poetry I’d read had been for A level English. I knew I wasn’t writing well, but thought that was all I was capable of. I just didn’t get the connection. When the lightbulb finally went on it led me to raise my game, and for that I’m eternally grateful. I want others to have that feeling.

Image credit: JamesJaffe.com

Books/ 24/05/2013

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.

As a fledgling poet as desperate as anyone to be published by a good quality press (if I’m being honest) I may be shooting myself in the proverbial foot here. But in my mind, publishing is a business, like any other – yes, I realise many small presses do it for love, which is perfectly possible if you have the means to do so, if you have a day job, don’t have staff or premises or bills to pay. Don’t get me wrong – I love the small presses and am eternally grateful that poetry attracts so many selfless individuals.

But if you are in the business of publishing, you need to make a profit, or at the very least, cover your costs. And to make a profit, you have to sell books. The time when poets could hand that over to their publisher to worry about has gone. A publisher does not exist to nurture new talent or to give young upcoming poets their big break. A publisher can only do that if people keep buying the books. Which, considering how many people no longer even read books, let alone buy them, and given how easy it is now to self-publish, is not surprisingly an uphill struggle.

Of course the Guardian gave the piece a particular editorial slant (big clue being in the funereal photo of Carol Ann Duffy). Perhaps I’m just not knowledgeable enough to realise the dreadful consequences of all this. But the marketer in me says that for poets to come across in this light – complaining about how poets are being denied an outlet, and what a tragedy it all is – does nothing whatsoever for the reputation of poetry, or poets, in the eyes of the general public. You know, all those people who do still buy books (except poetry books).

Surely given the economic climate we should all be thankful that Salt hasn’t folded, or even that it hasn’t abandoned poetry publishing altogether.

Rather than worrying about who’s going to publish our slim volumes we should be thinking about the real issues – how can we help regenerate interest in poetry? How do we reach out to all those people who love reading but can’t stomach poetry? How do we embrace changes in how the written or spoken word is consumed? How do we help publishers sell more books?

Come on guys, we’re in this together. If we can just be a bit less passive and a bit more proactive we might win more non-poet friends over. And then who knows what might happen.

Courses/ 12/05/2013

Social media for writers, ‘Orgasm Management’ etc

This is not the blog post I started writing this morning – but that turned into a cod philosophical/ psychological discourse that I eventually decided wasn’t going anywhere. So I’ve saved it for another day when I might be able to better whip my thoughts into a proper shape.

Instead, more of straightforward diary entry. This week I’ve been a bit restricted by a sore leg – I’ll spare you the details but just to say I managed to strain a calf muscle a couple of weeks ago and as a consequence I’ve been limping about and avoiding walking any sort of distances. It’s definitely getting better though.

On Thursday I made it into Brighton for the last of my ‘Build your social web presence’ sessions for New Writing South (next course starting September). It’s been really interesting to work with a group of writers on this. Clearly, publishers are putting pressure on authors to share the publicity load and demonstrate their social media reach and influence. I’ve wanting for a while to pull together my interests in social media/ communications and writing/publishing and this is one of the strands that seems to be coming to fruition. I’m also talking to a large children’s publisher at the moment about social media training, and am working with a literary agent to help support their authors in building their online presence.

There’s also a strong possibility of a book on this subject, before the end of the year – I’ll keep you posted.

Something else I’m working on is an up to date list of UK poetry magazines, print and online, together with details of their Twitter & Facebook etc. Although there are a number of lists around, including the excellent Poetry LIbrary list, I’ve found that their Twitter or Facebook accounts aren’t listed, or they’re not always kept up to date – magazines tend to come and go, and I’ve often wasted time by seeking out (and sometimes submitting to) magazines that have clearly gone under but not told anyone. Anyway, it’s a bit of a mammoth task – I’ll post the first draft when it’s ready and hope you can help me by telling me of any you know to be ‘dead’ or others that I’ve haven’t heard of that ought to be included. Then if I can keep it up to date it could be a useful reference.

And last but not least, on Friday I went to see my very funny performance post friend Iona Jette perform her new one-woman show The Orgasm Management Monologue in the Brighton Fringe. I filmed it on a DSLR camera, my first attempt at such a thing and great fun to play with all the gadgetry involved. I’ll post a link to it when it’s up!

Inspiration/ 03/05/2013

Launches, celebrations, lovely poets

Three days into May and I think it’s been sunny all week – that’s about 5 or 6 days on the trot, something we haven’t had in over a year, if not two. It’s not yet warm enough to take off my ‘winter’ boots (which I now wear nine months of the year.) What on earth has happened to the weather in this country? I am starting to feel seriously SAD.

However, a few joyful happenings: I had a lovely outing to Tonbridge on Wednesday with poet friend Jo to hear Abegail Morley read at the launch of her new collection, Eva and George, from Pindrop Press. It was presented alongside a series of evocative slides featuring the artwork of George Grosz and photos from between-the-wars Berlin, and a contextual commentary between poems. There followed the longest signing queue I’ve ever seen (except perhaps at Charleston), so kudos to Abegail. I have her first collection ‘How to pour madness into a teacup’ on order and look forward to reading it. (PS Abe very kindly featured one of my poems on her blog recently The Poetry Shed …)

On Sunday the Brighton Festival will have begun and I’m mooching over to Brighton to a Frogmore Papers anniversary reading where John McCullough and Maria Jastrzębska are two of the readers, really looking forward to that…

Tonight there’s another launch in Brighton, which I can’t get to, sadly – but the super Jess Richards is at Waterstones reading from her new book Cooking with Bones – it sounds like the event’s going to be big party.

Then next Friday 10th, my VERY funny performance poet friend Iona Jette is performing her new piece, ‘The Orgasm Management Monologue‘ at the Friends Meeting House (aren’t the Quakers wonderfully liberal?) and I think I’ll be filming it for her (if the bits of equipment I need arrive in time) so I can’t laugh too hard because of risk of camera shake, or even falling over and knocking down the tripod.

On the poetry writing front, I’ve started a new ‘poem a day’ challenge which I began on May 1st, having written off my attempts in April. So let’s see where that leads – I feel like I haven’t written anything decent in weeks. But at least the sun is shining!

Form/ 29/04/2013

Mimi Khalvati on form, and a few ‘banned’ words

Saturday was our penultimate workshop with Mimi Khalvati before the summer-autumn break. (By the way I realise the title of this post could be read as a pun -‘ on form’, geddit?? Um, sorry…)

This month, several of us got pulled up for the chosen form of our poems. Classic Mimi comments often sound like rhetorical questions. “What am I supposed to do with a short line on its own like that?” “Why would you write something that’s a classic ballad in free verse?” “Couldn’t you make this more interesting?” She looks at you with an expression of such disappointment you can’t really think of an answer, other than “I don’t know! I’ve let you down again and I’m really sorry!”

Anyway, either we’re all class A masochists or we do need this kind of talking-to in order to improve. So here are a few of Mimi’s comments that I jotted down. As always, please excuse the brevity. Hope they make sense, divorced as they are from the poems under discussion.

Be careful of words or images that work too hard and break the fabric of the poem. The reader wants her attention drawn to the poem, not the poet.
Many lyric poems (for example about a bird, or about digging or fishing) act as metaphors for something else, so be careful of referencing that thing explicitly if it’s already implied.
When writing in free verse you still need a rationale for your chosen stanza breaks or line length, otherwise the effect can just be ‘paragraphy’. And be open to the possibility of form – it may be that free verse isn’t doing the poem justice.
If you have one line of a different length to the others then it will attract attention. You need a good reason to throw in a odd-length line. It needs to stand up to close inspection.
Beware potentially archaic words – Mimi has a bee in her bonnet about beneath – apparently we never say or write it except in poetry. (Is this true, do you think?) Ditto within and for (when used to mean ‘because’.) And being IAMBs naturally both beneath and within are even more likely to lead us into temptation. O woe, thrice woe for our disappearing tongue!

Submissions/ 18/03/2013

‘Poem a day’ update, 40 days in

It’s two weeks since my last ‘poem a day’ update, and I must confess I feel like I’ve run out of steam. The last week or so has been particularly dispiriting. But I’ll keep trying up until Easter. I should have 40 poems by now, but I’ve fallen a bit short of that. I suppose there’s still a chance I might have another half a dozen before the deadline.

Although I said I wouldn’t put myself under any pressure to rework poems or send any off, I have found myself doing a bit of that on days when new material just wasn’t forthcoming.

So here’s the tally so far:

25 complete

3 started

1 in plan form only

Of the 25 first drafts, I’ve worked up 5 and was pleased enough with them to send them out. So plenty of other material still to play with.

I think it’s been a really good discipline for me. After Easter although I will try to write something each day I won’t get despondent if I don’t manage it, and I’ll allow myself to work on existing poems even if I haven’t written anything new that day.

Category: Writing