Great work Charlotte, very thought provoking x
Comment is about Metropolis (blog)
Original item by Charlotte Henson
Isobel, I'd agree that making poetry come alive is something to aim for. It's just that it's determining whether a teacher/lecturer/other educator actually knows if they are achieving that. I'm fairly sure that our lecturer thinks that she is engaging I knew of her and her work long before going to uni. It would be more than a little cheeky for a student to say 'did you know that your delivery of poetry is a little lacklustre?'.
For some people perhaps she is making the poetry come alive. For me though, she is not...I guess that's another factor educators have to contend with. Not all students will be as engaged in the same way. Personally, I'd prefer to see a raft of poets come in perform and talk about why they've written their work in the way they have, than see a lecturer read a poem and ignore the punctuation that is signalling where to pause...or putting a pause in the wrong place (A CAD poem I've heard CAD read).
Like I said earlier though, there's as many different tastes are there are people in that room...oh well!
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Yes - I think quality of teaching will inevitably vary from one teacher to the other, regardless of the discipline.
My A level English literature teacher was the pits. We'd spend hour upon hour copying out her dictated university notes in longhand. Photocpiers did exist back then - but it was a nice easy way for her to fill the lesson...
I'm sure she had an excellent degree in English. I got an excellent A level in it. It killed the subject for me though - to the point that I studied French at Uni instead of English Literature - something that has been a life long regret.
I think there is a huge burden of responsibility that goes hand in hand with teaching. As others have said, making poetry come alive would be a good thing to aim for; a balance being needed between study of others and writing and performing our own.
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Sorry ( no I'm not ) but still keeping the commas!
Comment is about A Time For Snowdrops (blog)
Original item by Ian Gant
Mmm I found most of this really good and interesting. It started slowing down (no pun intended, heh) at the 5th verse. Everything before that I thought was great. It's a concept I often ponder, and I like the whimsicality of this sort of meandering piece. I bet it's great read out loud.
It gets back on track in the 7th verse, but (and I really hope you don't mind me saying this) - I think it's a little too long. The good bits are REALLY good, and the other bits...could be left out and the poem tightened up. That, for me, would make it read better.
But I am no expert, so please don't be offended, or take it the wrong way. It's your poem, not mine :)
Comment is about Like Clockwork (blog)
Original item by STEVE RUDD
Good piece - political apathy boils my piss.
Comment is about Apathy (blog)
Original item by Martin Nelson
For me personally, your latest pieces are a bit hit and miss, but I'll tell you what - I salute your many and varied experiments with language - that alone is massively refreshing. Does it scare you at all?
Comment is about The Colour Transition (blog)
Original item by Kealan Coady
I'd like to just weigh in here as someone who is currently having to sit through a module of poetry at university.
If I look back to secondary school (10+ years ago) poetry was not just wrapped up in reading, but in writing and presenting (speaking aloud). I was fortunate enough to be at school when Future Voices anthology was being brought out. This meant that I could see a poem of mine in a book at a rather early(ish) age.
That did get me writing poetry, but it was not until I began reading and listening to the work of poets that I actually began looking at how to improve my own poetry.
Unfortunately, I sit here now very uneager at the thought of having to get up and head to a lecture room where the poetry is presented to us in such a dry style. Now it's not so much to fault of the lecturer. I see she means well, but there seems little enthusiasm from her over the subject matter. More importantly she seems overly concerned with poetic fashion.
I think that is the truely terrible thing. Poetry following 'fashion'! Part of me felt like shouting out that there's as many different fashions as there are students in the room (around 80-100)! Publishing houses seem to specialise and look for different things, so god only know where they get the idea of fashion in poetry from!
I digress though. Many of the students I know were actually looking forward to studying poetry becausde they'd never studyed it before. Now though the energy seems to be somewhat lacking.
Personally, poetry in education I think is a dodgy thing. Just like everything, you get the good teachers and the basd teachers.
I'd rather see more exposure of poetry. Street poetry is not only wonderfully fund but give you a great rush...and you give people poetry that are not normally exposed to it. I'm sure that's not the only way though!
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Same as Neil - 'bullets for cuts' is a fucking GREAT line Chris, 'scuse my french, like.
I'm not going to get embroiled in another monster political thread here, but I know that I share more of your beliefs, Chris. Good poem, and I applaud your following post.
Comment is about Insult to Injury (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
Ha! What an interesting poem! I love the thinking behind this and it's a really interesting structure.
Oh, meant to say Harry - wish I had come over to speak to you at the last Poet's Corner night in Hoylake. I loved your poem that night :)
Comment is about ABOUT GERASIMOS (blog)
Wow! I absolutely love this - bet it sounds great out loud too.
Raw, real, painful - right up my street. Fantastic.
Comment is about Pretty Young (blog)
Original item by Gemma Lees
Brilliant Kate - really looking forward to the collection.
Comment is about Kate Fox (poet profile)
Original item by Kate Fox
Great event... unfortunately hasn't been running in Exeter since mid-2011. Currently the only regular spoken word events in Exeter are Taking the Mic and Uncut Poets, both monthly at the Exeter Phoenix.
Review is about Catweazle on 31 Jan 2012 (event)
It's good to be on board Ann. I look forward to being able to weave in and out of the various discussions.
Comment is about Brian Wake (poet profile)
Original item by Brian Wake
<Deleted User> (10049)
Tue 31st Jan 2012 09:38
What is great about the Word Distillery workshops is that they are not about 'sharing' poems, but rather about analysing poems to see what works and what doesn't work, and why. As a consequence, regular attenders' work improves perceptibly over even a fairly short timescale.
I would recommend this workshop to anyone who wants to write better poems.
Review is about Word Distillery Workshop on 18 Feb 2012 (event)
Adele, the mention of teachers being afraid of poetry is not my idea but one that the questioner raises in question 2.I hear a lot of this rubbish about art being intimidating. What the people really mean when they are peddling this rubbish is that they think ordinary people are to stupid (or fragile) to engage with art.It is a trait of the new elite that they tend to look down on the majority of people as being incapable of engaging with art. Their main approach is to patronise and debase the arts. Thus slam and the idea that if you break a piece of writing up into line you have a poem, are said to be poetry. Ms Sampson suggests that we do not study the Haiku masters because it is too difficult, it is a pity that she isn't more consistent and sticks to her maxim "Learn the rules, do the hard work" that Kate Fox quotes below.
Why should we settle for their head-patting? We are quite capable of learning the rules of poetry (even if only to break them)and we are quite capable of engaging with the most elaborate forms, but instead we are told that it is all too difficult for us.The one thing that can be said about the old elite is that, although they feared 'the barbarians at the door' they at least valued the art enough to try and protect it.
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Hello Denis - welcome to WOL! Hope you enjoy taking part in the site. (I've not heard of Japanese court poetry before.)Looking forward to reading some more.
Comment is about Denis (poet profile)
Original item by Denis
Hi Brian - welcome to WOL - great to have you on board!Hope you enjoy taking part in the site.
Comment is about Brian Wake (poet profile)
Original item by Brian Wake
Hi Brutus - or should I call you Juan? Welcome to WOL. Look forward to reading more of your poems on here.
Comment is about Brutus Paulinus (poet profile)
Original item by Brutus Paulinus
<Deleted User> (6315)
Tue 31st Jan 2012 02:10
I shall echo what Ray has said about the sentiments..also found the reading super too.. :)
Comment is about UNICEF (blog)
Original item by Noetic-fret!
<Deleted User> (6315)
Tue 31st Jan 2012 01:56
enjoyed and I liked US too from the link
just three lines threw me, where you use motionless with flickering and constantly changing (couldnt get my tongue round metamorphosing!)
Comment is about A distant Memory (blog)
Original item by Brutus Paulinus
Attention all Poets...and WOL Gig Guide/Editorial Dept.
The above information is nearly 3 years out of date..I am a Wirral based Poet and have been reading throughout both The Wirral and The Northwest for sometime now.
I have recently created 'Poets Corner' at Glassfire in Hoylake which meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, it is an 'open mic' evening with Guest Poet and Guest Musician plus raffle with proceeds in aid of Clare House - (a local Childrens Charity).
All Poets over 18 are welcome to come along and either read or simply to listen to other performance poets! (other reading venues/events are as follows):
...I am aware of The Poetry Spoke in Liscard.open mic)
The Wirral Ode Show at The Stork Pub in Birkenhead.
The New Brighton Bards at The Magazine Pub.
The Liver Bards of Liverpool (although it is not Wirral)- it is related to The New Brighton Bards.
Tales Around The Fire at Fort Perch Rock New Brighton.
'Poets Corner' at 'Glassfire' in Hoylake (open mic)
There are 2 Poetry Workshops (maybe more) that I know which are Poets A'Hoy of Hoylake contact Judy Ugonna.
and Greasby Poets and Writers at Greasby Library.
These are the only regular Monthly Poetry Events currently on The Wirral..so The Morton Arms and The Riverview events are no longer running!
I suggest any interested parties go to The WOL Gig Guide to get up to date information on all events!
Graham Robinson - poets-corner@hotmail.com or Fbook.
Comment is about Live poetry goes WEEKLY on Wirral - the ‘Poetry Peninsula’ (article)
<Deleted User> (9641)
Mon 30th Jan 2012 22:02
I have read what is being said about poets and their poems. Personnaly I feel there is a great need for poems in this society cos it brings the romance back into peoples lives, but of course not everybody likes poetry! Only today I took some poetry into work to read and there was a work college who was looking for something to read in break time.... I asked her would she like to read my book of poems? (not mine personnaly of course, another poet)The look that she gave me well!! So not everyone apreciates poems, I dont think some folk understand it and find it boring... To me I feel it brings the imagination out of us. A few times ive been asked why dont I get my own book published?, the first thing I said was.... there's loads of poets out there doing that and no one buys! It would be good for students to study poetry for what it portrays in life and about life in general.
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Yes, I liked this short one Chris. Because of its word combinations and imagery regardless of any current government policy. Win
Comment is about Insult to Injury (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
I'm not sure if teachers are afraid to teach poetry but I'd be very surprised if this were true. The English teachers always seem to be good, even if it can be hard to get good teachers in other subjects. Teaching is one of the popular careers for English graduates to go for. They have studied poetry and they have great communications skills, as would be expected of English literature graduates. They usually have a love of their subject so they should be able to communicate enthusiasm.
I wasn't sure how many poems from the anthology they studied. The whole anthology would certainly be far more than the amount we had to study in grammar schools when I was a teenager for the poetry part of our O levels. As I remember we studied four poets and a small selection by each, so sixteen poems must be fairly similar. In my day we studied Keats, D H Lawrence, Wilfred Owen and Edward Thomas. No women and no living poets.
My son's class were given a choice to see which part of the anthology they wanted to study. They chose the relationships part, although he wasn't keen as that doesn't really reflect what the poems are like. This section includes Robert Browning's My Last Duchess, which has become one of his favourites, Christina Rossetti, Carol Ann Duffy's 'Valentine' and other wonderful poems.
I think English GCSE teachers would be surprised to hear they're afraid of teaching a subject they've studied and loved for years, and the selection of poems is one I would have liked myself as I really wanted to read women poets and living poets when I was doing GCSE.
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Dave, the distinction between what is art and what is entertainment has become very blurred over the past century. I don't make proscriptions. The problem is that treating poetry, or any art, as entertainment is lazy. It does nothing to engage the audience, in fact it does the opposite. Art does not challenge us simply by its presentation. A work of art will force us to engage with the work, it will tell us about the world and it will force us to understand. In short; it will impel us to actively engage.Entertainment, on the other hand, works to pacify us; helps us to, momentarily, escape the world. I would not like a world where we are forced to treat poetry as engaging, just as I would not like a law that says we cannot use a chair to prop open a door. My problem is not with the audience but with those who purport to be its practitioners, but who seem to view the audience as being incapable of appreciating art on its own terms.
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Poetry should not be treated as entertainment? No doubt, it can do all that you've said, Denis, in the way of challenging, exploring meaning etc. But should those who use it for entertainment be told to stop? Or told that it isn't poetry at all? Surely not.
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Hi spaceghost.
I always read your work, although I can't say I fully understand all of it and feel hesitant to comment. Perhaps that's understandable as most of your writing seems extremely personal. You have an interesting and unique "voice." I hope you won't be offended, but I want to ask you if you ever write poetry that isn't first-person, i.e not about you and your own experiences?
Often people are reluctant to comment on "personal" poetry, perhaps because it almost seems like an intrusion into someone's personal thoughts and feelings.
Regards,
A.E.
Comment is about SPACEGHOST (poet profile)
Original item by SPACEGHOST
Powerful stuff Chris - you get your message across really well.
I'm not very well versed in the rights and wrongs of the proposed changes. Just tried to look them up. From what I could see, the government was trying to introduce more tests to make sure that people were indeed disabled, a few years down the line. I personally can't see anything wrong in that. Any system needs to build in cross checks, verification. That isn't to say that all disabled people are deemed scroungers. All systems are abused by a minority though.
My mum once did an evening course with a lady who was deemed disabled so given a disability car. She never had the use of it though. My mum ended up giving her lifts to save her waiting for the bus. Her husband used the car to go to work in... see what I mean?
Comment is about Insult to Injury (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
I guess that I shouldn’t be surprised any more that those who are in a leading position of British poetry seem to have the same contempt for it. Fiona Sampson starts out by correctly saying that not everyone can become a poet and then spends the rest of the interview talking complete dross, fashionable dross, but dross nonetheless.
Of course this might also be because of the questioning. Teachers scared to teach poetry? Then they should find another job, because educating children requires that the teacher is the voice of authority and that the role of the teacher is to bring new experiences and ideas to children. If they haven’t experienced poetry and they are supposed to be teaching English Literature then they shouldn’t be teaching. Children may well find thing that they ‘love’, but education should be about the things that are alien to children; things that will challenge and push them on.
There is no basis to the idea that the political and economic fortunes of the world are a determinate in writing good poetry. Like all art poetry is the expression of our humanity. We respond to the world whether things are going well or whether they are not. Right from the time of the Ancients poets, such as Homer, were composing poetry that is still with us to these days, in a world in which Greece was one of the major powers. Unless you view poetry as misanthropic whining, then there is no basis to the claim that “political instability can generate poetry” any more than its opposite premise.
Whilst there is a cathartic element to all the arts, there is something cheap about the manner in which poetry has become a healthcare tool. It has also given a wider and negative image of poetry. Poetry performances these days sometimes make you feel as though you are in some sort of psychiatric therapy ward. The doggerel of the poet laureate’s Guardian pieces or the adolescent whining that one experiences at many readings these days, may well make the author feel good, but it doesn’t make what they are doing, poetry. Like all art, poetry should challenge an audience rather than be something as banal as a coffee break chin-wag. As much as Ms. Sampson might think otherwise, poetry should not be treated as entertainment. Having meaning is not the same as something being relevant to one’s life. Meaning is something that one discovers through interaction, relevance is just a comfort blanket.
I have a high regard for the poetry of Fiona Sampson it is a pity that she seems to have such a low opinion of the art itself.
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
The feedback is appreciated- thx
Hi Neil, I was going for the gut, so it helps to know it seemed to hit the mark.
Hi Rachel, I agree, though I think the country faces a situation this government cares little for those on the wrong side of the divide.
Disability, incapacity- both are lumped in with the umberella term benefits. And if we played word association right now, thanks to our government, national newspapers and media; the word most associated with benefits would be- cheat.
In this context (an injured returning soldier) it appears impossible to levy that word or logic, yet if an injured soldier returns to this country/civvy street and is disabled, collects benefits; he falls into the one tarred, all tarred category doesn't he?
The word association, targeting of benefits by the gorvernment and the loaded feeling of resentment in the country; it can't make an allowance for one good man or woman.
Of course this also brings up the emotive question; what difference is it how or where you get/become disabled? To which most would say; it doesn't matter. Furthering the logic, it doesn't matter if you are a soldier or faced trauma in the womb, faced your woes on cancers battlefield, lost your stability to depression or far away polio.
I think this context and that of the soldier helps to consider the issue in a more heroic light or at least from the point of view of the genuine individual. It is true, sad and wrong in the literal sense that this has and will be happending to soldiers returned and returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. But in the universal sense; all disabled people are soldiers one way or another- aren't they?
Comment is about Insult to Injury (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
very good co. i know a soldier who after 20 years exemplary service with the british army was told to work voluntary while he learned his civilian job. i think this a disgrace. after serving as a soldier if you are lucky enough to still have all your limbs, then a job guaruntee should be a given. some disagree, i say fuck them they only have an opinion cos our soldiers have fought for it. rightly or wrongly with no army wed all be speaking german and i would be dead.
Comment is about Insult to Injury (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
Kenneth Eaton-Dykes
Mon 30th Jan 2012 17:04
Thx Chris
Praise indeed from one so esteemed.
Glad it hit the spot for you.
Ken.
Comment is about Chris Co (poet profile)
Original item by Chris Co
Very powerful. 'bullets for cuts'. Very strong gut thumping stuff.
Comment is about Insult to Injury (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
I think Adele has made some very valid points. With a flexible curriculum comes greater responsibility. Fine if you have brilliant teachers – not so find if you have boring windbags, who neither teach nor inspire. What strikes me from this discussion is that we all have different perspectives based on our own personal experiences at school. At GCSE level, my experiences were great because the teachers majored on aspects of English Language that I enjoyed. Had they concentrated on grammar, writing letters, comprehension, or doing summaries of text, I might not have enjoyed the subject as much. Clearly some kind of balance needs to be achieved and that is what a National Curriculum should try to achieve.
Adele was also right to say that some sweeping generalisations have been made throughout this interview and some follow on comments. I had the perception that no creative writing was done at secondary school. I based this on conversations I’d had, plus the lack of evidence from what my children bring home. I’ve just taken a look at the AQA curriculum. I see that 15% of the final exam is based on a creative writing exam , the other 85% going to : understanding and producing non fiction texts, speaking and listening, understanding spoken and written texts (comprehension?). I personally, would like to see that 15% increased significantly.
As Adele points out, the opportunity to study poetry is included in the GCSE with an impressive anthology that includes both contemporary and classical poetry. I think the problems may stem from the way that poetry is presented to pupils in the classroom – and that may vary depending on which school is attended.
Of the 63 poems in my daughter’s poetry book, the class only read and studied 16 – all the poems relating to relationships.
I think pressure is on teachers to achieve the best marks possible – after all, league tables and reputations depend upon them. To achieve the best results, they cut corners. Any pupil inspired by this one section of poetry though, would have the opportunity to personally read and enjoy the 3 other sections of the book...
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
I would lose the comma at the end of the first line of each stanza; the lines flow well with enjambment and the commas hinder the flow.
It's interesting and I like the final line as it reverses the expectation.
My Best
Chris
Comment is about Apathy (blog)
Original item by Martin Nelson
I like this M,
Blood does indeed run through instinct. Through the instinct of the fight or flight mechanism of the adrenal glands and through the instincts activated by the brain. Including the older more primitive parts of it.
I would lose the comma after 'I find' and I would also lose the capitalisation of 'Or' and would tend to go with commas thereafter. Just subjective though- well thought/written.
My Best
Chris
Comment is about DNA (blog)
Thx Mike and Stella- appreciated :)
I see nowt wrong with structure, meter etc.
I use it as much as free verse- but!
I know of people getting right up their own passage talking about the merits of pentameter or other forms. Half the time the people doing it haven't got a clue what they are talking about, but continue for Kudos!
Sounding like little lord fauntleroy lol.
I can hear the air and grace of one right now trying to run from his own accent Haha.
Imbuing the tones of the gentry whilst casting off the clothes of all real life.
One does need to take scansion into account.
One certainly does. I personally only shoot the best scansion this time of year- wot oh!
Hehe
Glad it borugh a smile :)
Comment is about What's the good (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
My son was annoyed with me for saying there wasn't creative writing at GCSE level. Apparently they do creative writing - he would just like to do even more of it! And I think he fancied more creative writing exams as they wouldn't need revision.... But they do creative writing after all.
It was so lovely when I told him about the discussion on here as he was just going out the door and smiled to think we were talking about teenagers and their study, while also commenting on the coincidence - he was off to meet his teenage friends in Costa to start on discussions of Romeo and Juliet.
I wish you could all see these very street wise London teenagers at a standard secondary and how they learn poetry, both from the canon and contemporary, and how they love it. Some of them have only learnt to speak English in recent years. Poetry does talk to teenagers and they respond to it.
I'm glad there's a national curriculum. When I was at school so many hours and days were spent listening to teachers rambling on about their own lives, and repeating it all over and over. Teachers can still be creative around the national curriculum, and at least they can't waste children's time rambling on about their own interests and what they think would be best talked about in class.
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Hi John, As a Selby lad it's nice to see this tribute. Went to The Abbey primary School and was stood outside the Abbey on xmas day 2011. Its a wonderful place. Win x
Comment is about Selby Abbey (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
thanks both x
a soldier is a great metaphor for a man struggling to be that. i was brought up with soldiers and war. my dad, my brother i thought you could hit them with anything and they would never bleed. i still cannot stand to see a man cry. i like the idea of being a man. i like the idea of living in a loveless world of logic and control.
Comment is about landing (blog)
<Deleted User> (6315)
Mon 30th Jan 2012 10:44
Oh Chris!!...Pen-tam-et-er indeed big smiles :)))
Comment is about What's the good (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
steve mellor
Mon 30th Jan 2012 10:39
Really chuffed with your 'I Pledge' discussion. It doesn't matter how many get involved, even 1 is a step forward.
I've just posted War & Peace to explain myself better (I hope)
Getting involved at school may well be the most enjoyable thing I've ever done (outside family) - hope you do
Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)
Original item by John Coopey
<Deleted User> (5269)
Mon 30th Jan 2012 10:35
Brilliant interview--thank you! We've shared it on the Cork Spring Poetry Festival facebook page. People who'll be in Ireland next month should check out Fiona Sampson's reading on Thursday, 16 February at 9pm in Cork (Metropole Hotel, MacCurtain Street). More about the event here: http://www.corkpoetryfest.net/readings.html#biagini
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Mon 30th Jan 2012 10:11
Fiona Sampson: "Learn the rules, do the hard work".
Rosalind Bentley (journalist): "Reading a Billy Collins poem isn't like stepping into a room where you haven't been invited".
The latter comment was in my Google Alert summary for "Poetry" today-lots of sentences like that come up in the articles on there. The "Shock horror poetry can speak to people after all" trope is probably the most common one in general journalism which covers poetry. I'd be happier to see unapologetic elitism balanced with a recognition that this trope needs more active combatting than "If we build it they will come". They won't you know. There are too many subtle messages that you didn't build it for the likes of them- and Poetry Review sends them frequently. Maybe let it remain unmolested but also have a journal that unapologetically speaks to a more general readership too? It can seem like a room into which few are invited.
The "invitation" bit is missing from most of Fiona's interview- apart from when she speaks eloquently about the power of authentic poetry in healthcare settings. I think the "Disenfranchisement" Anthony writes about is real and strong.
Many of the school poetry projects I've been involved in have provided the invitation by getting students and teachers to write and speak their own poetry alongside their reading of the work of contemporary poets. There are many, many projects still focused on getting poets into schools to work on this. Lots the Poetry Society run, plus the Well Versed project run by various literature development agencies, the Arts Council funded, Apples and Snakes led "Shake The Dust" slam project running across ten regions and many others...not enough, but lots.
At University I read and loved Lawrence and Whitman and Plath. I was a sitting duck for being invited to the contemporary poetry room. But school (canon reading only) hadn't done it, open mic nights in pubs where I wouldn't have gone on my own couldn't do it for me, a London-centric Poetry Society with a journal I'd never encountered couldn't do it- it took poetry coming into a world where I was already active and comfortable (stand up comedy of all things) for me to be pulled in and then reach out. The more worlds poetry is in, then the more it might connect with people and then and only then will they "learn the rules and do the hard work".
(Link here to the Billy Collins interview-it provides a great counterpoint to much of what Fiona says) http://www.ajc.com/lifestyle/poet-is-inspired-when-1321820.html
Comment is about The Write Out Loud interview: Fiona Sampson (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
This one had me smiling Chris, I could feel the humour and to be honest, the poet can find nothing to write about without the wife job and car lol. As for pentameter, pentameter's are a damned curse if you ask me.
Nice little poem and well received.
Keep writing Chris. Nice one.
Mike
Comment is about What's the good (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
Hi Rachel, I agree with Stella, this is a very strong poem and for me, it speaks volumes about bitterness. Men do have feelings though, but in the field of conflict they have to cover them up, discard them. it is sad they are expected to do this but that's how it is. Nevertheless the metaphor i read into this is a good one.
keep well and be safe and warm this winter.
best wishes
mike
x
Comment is about landing (blog)
I'll be "Motorcycle News" if you'll be "Jewish
Chronicle"!
:-)
Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)
Original item by John Coopey
kealan coady
Tue 31st Jan 2012 14:51
im so afraid both my cocks fell off. and thanks laura im just findin it hard to write straight forward poetry at the moment, it's just been done again and again for centuries. Our own genration needs something different to stand out. The future wont forgive us for failing to be original.
Comment is about The Colour Transition (blog)
Original item by Kealan Coady