Posts

Showing posts from March, 2019
A poem by Derek Hughes      I am pleased to upload a poem by a British poet Derek Hughes – the winner of Editors’ Prize in Magma Poetry Competition 2018/2019 (congrats again) and attendee of ‘Editing Poetry’ course in the Hurst ARVON in December 2018. He told me about English jokes and Lancashire dialect through verse in the workshop.      Please read his wonderful poem together with David Hockney’s painting.      Thank you so much, Derek.                                                        PERCY                                 I pose upon his knees and stare                                 out of the window at a golden bird.                                 It flits between a pair                                 of matching statues. I hear word                                 they were purchased from the latest show                                 at her friend’s gallery and could,                                 given the sculptor’s trendiness,     
Image
London Undercurrents by Joolz Sparkes and Hilaire (published by Holland Park Press, ISBN9781907320828)       This arrived today. A Londoner poet Joolz Sparkes was an attendee of a workshop: the Totleigh Barton (?) ARVON with poets and tutors Frances Leviston and Paul Batchelor in 2013. Very delighted to receive it, so I want to show the picture of a front cover of the collection now, though not read it yet. A bit later, I want to explore and dig it again in my blog.      Skimming pages, in the beginning of each chapter, there is a drawing of The Thames with small poems representing characteristics of each side thereof, alternately written by Joolz and Hilaire. As verse, interested in the veiled history of local towns, mainly Islington. The order of poems is thoughtful. Although I often purchase contents via Kindle, the book enables me to recognize excellence of a paper book rather than e-book.      It might be the best way to read the collection by tapping, checking
Image
News      Delighted to receive email announcing that Derek Hughes is the first-prize winner of Editors’ Prize in Magma Poetry Competition 2018/2019. He was the attendee of ‘Editing Poetry’ course in The Hurst, ARVON (December 2018). I practiced reading with him in the workshop. Thank you, Andrew.      Congrats to Derek from Tokyo! https://magmapoetry.com/magma-poetry-competition-winners-announced-2/ (This is the anthology of poems all members finished in the course.)
Image
GOD LOVES YOU by Kathryn Maris (published by SEREN, ISBN9781781720356)      Kathryn Maris is a poet and tutor who taught poetry writing at the Hurst ARVON in August, 2014. In her workshop, I remember reading of Jason Schneiderman, Pascale Petit, Deryn Rees-Jones, etc. Her lecture was at high level, really stimulating.      Prior to the latest collection The House with Only an Attic and a Basement , I want to write my impressions to her previous one God Loves You (of course I would introduce the former I love too on this blog later).     The collection brings fragrances of London and New York. Reading it, I feel as if drinking Steuben Wine at The Bolton Pub in Earls Court. And a depiction on a poet Denise Levertov comes into my mind: when Levertov moved from the UK to the US, it took a long time for her to get used to American poetry. Although Kathryn Maris moved from New York to London oppositely to Levertov, I think from some poems that there might have been puzzlem
Image
STRAY by Amanda Dalton (published by BLOODAXE BOOKS, ISBN9781852248925)      Basically, I want to write every book review in vignette style.      I am very grateful to Amanda Dalton  for encouraging my writing in her workshops:  the 2010 ARVON and the 2015 Poetry Carousel . She is a brilliant British poet, playwright, and tutor.       As the title of the book indicates, to be lost or no home in reality, dream, and recollection is, I presume, the main theme. The portrayed images are a bit tragic with distortions of usual things. Readers can experience any scary scene in any poem. The collapse of daily matters therein rouses what the readers generally forget or do not see, like ghosts or hallucinations. My favorite is ‘Bird on a Wire’ that sings sorrow of a straying bird or swallow which was left from a flock of swallows heading for Africa. Also readers might fathom out that the life of the bird is a mystery – perhaps, unhappy fate and felt the sadness of a friend or part