news and events
pass on a poem events
23 May at The Oxfam Bookshop, 170 Portobello Road, London W11. This special and free celebrity reading launched an exciting collaboration between pass on a poem and Oxfam which will enable our regular readings to begin to take place in venues all over the country thanks to Oxfam's offer to host some of them in selected Oxfam bookshops. Fiona Shaw, P.D.James, Salley Vickers, Jon Snow, Craig Raine, Professor Richard Dawkins, Alex James, Rachel Johnston,Joan Bakewell, Mariella Frostrup, Matthew d'Ancona, Harry Eyres and Todd Swift, Oxfam's poet in residence, generously gave their time and talents to read or recite their favourite poems to an enthralled audience of about 80 on what turned out to be an unforgettable night. David McCullough, deputy director of Oxfam with specific responsibility for Oxfam’s 750 shops, 21,000 volunteers and other commercial activities, and three regular West London readers, Brian Looney, Jane Darwin and Matthew Stadlen gave superb readings as well. William Stadlen, our indefatigable local compere, hosted the evening with his usual charm and enthusiasm. The reading was recorded on film, and we hope to make it available on the website and also in DVD format in due course. £650 was donated for the Darfur and Chad appeal. Over the summer and into the autumn, new venues for pass on a poem readings are actively being sought outside London. Poetry lovers are warmly invited to make contact if they feel there is a suitable venue and enthusiasm in their area: enquiries@passonapoem.com or 020 7229 9152
Below is Matthew d'Ancona's report on the reading from Coffee House, the Spectator Blog, Wednesday May 23rd 11.05 pm www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/
A hot, hot night in a Portobello Road boookshop for a poetry reading (see my earlier post) hosted by the excellent Pass on a Poem and Oxfam, in aid of Darfur and Chad. As I stand up to read "The Day He Died" by Ted Hughes, I notice Saffron Burrows sitting in the back row of the audience. Just another night in Notting Hill, I guess. I manage to get through without fluffing my lines, I think. Then it's over to the real talent. Our own Rachel Johnson reveals that (in addition to all her other talents) she has a beautiful speaking voice, reading Auden's Epitaph on a Tyrant with great poise and power. And speaking of that poet, the great Alex James, Blur bassist and man of letters, reveals that his own haircut is "centenary Auden", to mark the 100th anniversary of Wystan's birth. Alex tells me during the break that he is working on some pop songs with Steven Berkoff, an enticing prospect (will Steven sing?). Meanwhile, he reads Hire Car by John Cooper Clarke with a witty delivery worthy of the original punk poet. P.D. James delivers as stately a rendition of Dover Beach as you would expect, Craig Raine reads an Alice Oswald poem but offers a line-by-line exegesis first, and the People's Atheist, Richard Dawkins, chooses D.H. Lawrence's Snake. But the laurel must go to Fiona Shaw who delivers from memory a stunning mash-up of Ted Hughes's translation of Ovid's story of Echo and Narcissus and Eliot's "Wasteland": stunning stuff, prompting Jon Snow to pay homage to the actress's feet. And not bad to pack out a bookshop on the night of the Champions Final: to Pass on a Poem, respect is most certainly due.
read the reports of recent readings: ev_recentreadings
other news and events
THE LEDBURY FESTIVAL
A fantastic programme of readings and discussions over 10 days. Visit the official site on www.poetry-festival.com/
EDINBURGH
The Edinburgh Poetry Club. Tea served at 2.45pm, readings and discussions at 3pm. Guest speakers include Ron Butlin and themes include World War 1 Poets, Poems of the Borders and the life and work of George Mackay Brown. Session Room, Craigmillar Park Church, Newington, Edinburgh. Sessions for the remainder of this year.
GLASGOW
Poetry Discussion Group.Would you like to join a new group to read and discuss Scottish poetry? Come along to the initial meeting in October. Telephone: 0141 287 2865. First Thursday of the month. Level 5, Mitchell Library, Glasgow.
RAMSGATE
Harbour Lines: Round-table readings of poetry.This is an on-going event occuring on Wednesdays.Harveys Crab & Oyster House, Harbour Parade, Ramsgate. 8pm-9pm, Wednesdays
LONDON
The Poetry Society presents. 'Under the Influence' .In association with the Arts Theatre. The highly popular' Under the Influence' series, where one poet looks at the influence another poet has had on their work, continues in 2008 with an exciting new line up and venue.
Robert Minhinnick under the influence of Derek Walcott. West Indian poet Derek Walcott's collection Sea Grapes inspired Welsh poet, Robert Minhinnick to explore his own language and landscape and find that his own scrap of coast could be poetic.
7pm. 26 June
Lemn Sissay under the influence of the Liverpool Poets
Lemn Sissay was born in 1967, the year The Mersey Sound was first published, but he wasn't given a copy until 15 years later when his head teacher spotted his burgeoning talent. Within its pages Lemn found the confirmation he had been looking for, that poetry should be for the people, by the people. It is a beat he has worked to ever since.
This event is part of Liverpool 08
7pm. 16 July
Yang Lian under the influence of Ezra Pound
How could an American poet influence a Chinese poet? Not only influence his writing in general, but influence him to develop his understanding of Chinese, his native language? Chinese poet Yang Lian will discuss not only the influence of one poet on another but one poetic culture on another. This event is part of China Now
The host for each event will be the Poetry Society's Chair, Anne-Marie Fyfe.
Ticket Bookings.0844 847 1608 or in person at the venue. Find out more on www.poetrysociety.org.uk 7pm, 22 May
6/7 Great Newport Street.London WC2H 7JB.Tickets £10 and £7 (Concessions and Poetry Society members).
SCOTLAND
There are events taking place in Aberdeen, Balloch, Bathgate, Cove Park, Dumfries, Eskdalemuir, Glasgow, Huntly, Inverness, Johnstone, Kilmarnock, Moniack Mhor, St Andrews and Stirling http://www.spl.org.uk/events/other.html#readings
TWO YEAR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR BLACK AND ASIAN POETS
Spread the Word launches a pioneering national development programme for Black and Asian Poets
Spread the Word is now launching a pioneering two-year national development programme for Black and Asian Poets called The Complete Works.
The initiative follows publication of Free Verse, a report highlighting the fact that very few BME poets are getting published in the UK. The programme will provide solid support to 10 BME poets to produce a publishable collection of poetry and will offer mentoring, workshops and networking opportunities as well as a week long residential Summer School in partnership with the Arvon Foundation.
This scheme is open to poets who are either unpublished or have published just one collection of poetry to date. Poets will be selected on the basis of an application form, a letter, samples of their poetry and an interview where they will be assessed on their commitment to developing their poetry to the highest standard, to this scheme and to the completion of a collection of poetry in two years.
The selection process will be highly competitive and it is hoped that exceptionally talented new, unknown poets will be discovered. To ensure that as many new voices as possible are represented, publicity has been sent out a wide range of groups and individuals, including both literature/arts based organisations and more grassroots community based groups. The steering committee includes poets Moniza Alvi, Bernardine Evaristo, Daljit Nagra, Patience Agbabi as well as Matthew Hollis of Faber and Faber publishing house, Ruth Borthwick director of Planet Poetry, Fiona Sampson editor of Poetry Review, Gemma Seltzer from Arts Council England and Emma Hewett, director of Spread the Word.
Full details of how to enter can be found on the Spread the Word website.
The project is funded by the Arts Council England, The Foyle Foundation and the Old Possum?s Practical Trust.
Bernardine Evaristo, Ruth Borthwick and Daljit Nagra are also available for interviews about the programme.
For further information please contact:
Nathalie Teitler
Project Manager
The Complete Works
Nathalie@spreadtheword.org.uk
0207 735 3616
www.spreadtheword.org.uk
www.freeverse.org.uk
Spread the Word is a charity that supports the development of London-based writers at all stages of their careers. We manage innovative projects attracting new people to writing, as well as supporting those further on in their writing careers through a rolling programme of workshops and events.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
David Morley. The Invisible Kings. Carcanet
Sean O'Brien. The Drowned Book. Picador
Fiona Sampson.Common Prayer. Carcanet
Daljit Nagra. Look We Have Coming To Dover. Faber
ed.Kei Miller. New Caribbean Poetry: An Anthology. Carcanet
Carol Ann Duffy. Hat. Faber
Les Murray. The Biplane Houses. Carcanet
Louise Gluck. Averno. Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Robert Creeley. The Collected Poems 1975-2005
Don Paterson. Orpheus. Faber
Robin Robertson. Swithering. Picador
Laurie Sheck. Captivity. Knopf
Sarah Maguire. the Poemegranates of Kandahar. Chatto
Mahmoud Darwish. The Butterfly's Burden. Bilingual arabic/English Edition. Bloodaxe
Frances Leviston. Public Dream. Picador
POETRY TEACHING IN OUR SCHOOLS
Following an Ofsted report, the children's laureate, Michael Rosen, and teachers' union representatives react with their opinions. Read more http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7131133.stm
FORWARD AND FELIX DENNIS POETRY PRIZES Sean O'Brien has won the £10,000 Forward Prize for Poetry for his sixth collection The Drowned Book – and for the third time, having won it in 1995 and 2001 with Ghost Train and Downriver respectively. Daljit Nagra has won the Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection 2007 (Look We Have Coming To Dover). Alice Oswald has won the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem, in memory of Michael Donaghy for 'Dunt' (Poetry London).
T.S.ELIOT prize to Sean OBrien for The Drowned Book
NEW POETRY SITE FOR LIVERPOOL
If you are interested in what is going on in the poetry scene in Liverpool, a new website has been launched in time for the City of Culture 2008. For information about Liverpool events, magazines and poets, see www.poetrykit.org/liv/index.htm.
AMERICA
Poetry in America, a National Opinion Research Center study commissioned by the Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine reveals that the vast majority (90%) of American readers highly value poetry and believe it offers a deeper appreciation of the world around them, a better understanding of oneself and others, comfort in difficult times, and sheer enjoyment. In addition, an overall 64% of adult readers think that people should read more poetry.
POETRY FOUNDATION and Chicago International Children's Film Festival launch "Reel Poetry" Initiative.
The publicity reads:
The Poetry Foundation and the Chicago International Children's Film Festival at Facets Multi-Media are proud to announce a partnership to produce a unique three-part pilot initiative that engages children as audiences, aesthetes, and appreciators of both poetry and film. "Film is a highly concentrated, image-based art form that has a great deal in common with poetry," states Josh Flanders, program manager of Facets. "We're very excited about this collaboration because it gives us a chance to recognize excellence and artistry in poetry-inspired films and encourage the creation of great films for children based on poetry.""Both organizations share the belief that poetry is one of the most magical and compelling art forms," says Anne Halsey, media coordinator for the Poetry Foundation. "This is a very natural collaboration and a terrific way to help children discover great poets and poetry as part of a medium they already know and love." During the 2007 Festival, which runs October 18 through November 8, and through the end of the year, the CICFF and the Poetry Foundation will launch two programs, Reel Poetry and the Dream Screen Animated Poetry Workshop, as well as announce the creation of a Poetry Foundation Film Prize in 2008.
Reel Poetry is a dynamic program of short films that both celebrate the art of poetry and make its complex beauty and artistry relatable to a young audience. Supported by a special curriculum for teachers and facilitated by trained media educators, the program is designed for upper-level elementary and middle school students and has already caught the attention of public school teachers.
"Children actually memorize poems before coming to the Reel Poetry screening, and the teachers love it!" says Flanders. The organizers believe that memorization helps children build a connection to poetry and stimulates their curiosity.
"We've been thrilled by the response of teachers to the Reel Poetry program. It was one of the first programs to sell out, and it's running several times in post-festival screenings. I think we're getting Chicago Public Schools to focus on poetry in an entirely new way," said Lauren Whalen, media education coordinator for CICFF. "The funniest comment I heard was from a teacher whose students asked, "So ... we need to memorize poems to go to the movies?"
The Dream Screen Animated Poetry Workshop integrates a new emphasis on poetry into the foundation of the CICFF's acclaimed animation workshop. The program kicks off on October 18, when 20 children at Prescott Elementary School start participating in a "poetry immersion" program that will lead to the production of their own short animated films based on a cherished poem.
At the 2007 Closing Night Award Gala, John Barr, president of the Poetry Foundation, will announce the 2008 Poetry Foundation Film Prize, celebrating the best film based on poetry. With a cash prize of $10,000, this prestigious award will go directly to the filmmaker whose use of verse in film opens new artistic vistas and inspires children to appreciate poetry.
Founded in 1975, Facets Multi-Media is the nation's leading conservator of great film and one of America's foremost cinematheques, screening 300 films a year and hosting tributes, retrospectives and premieres of films created by artists across the globe. Called "a temple of great cinema," by critic Roger Ebert, Facets' mission is to present and preserve high quality, multi-cultural cinema for diverse audiences and to offer seminars, classes, and a broad spectrum of educational and cultural programs for adults and children. The most important of these programs is the Chicago International Children's Film Festival (CICFF), the largest festival of films for children in North America and the first juried, competitive festival of children's film in the United States. The CICFF is the only children's film event to be recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an "Academy qualifying" festival.
THE POETRY LIBRARY AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL IN LONDON HAS REOPENEDThe press release reads: The Poetry Library has now reopened to the public! The location and opening hours are the same as before:Level 5, Royal festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London, SE1 8XXOpen: Tuesday - Sunday, 11am - 8pm.Tel: 020 7921 0943/0664 We are asking new and old members to bring along a proof of address (e.g. utility bill, bank statement) so that we can issue new membership cards. Members can still borrow up to 4 items from the loan collections.We look forward to seeing you in the Library!
POETRY OUT LOUD HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL RECITATION CONTEST FINAL. WINNER ANNOUNCED. Poetry Out Loud is an American organisation that seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by building on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement and the popularity of rap music . Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. Now in its second year of national competition, Poetry Out Loud has inspired thousands of high school students to discover classic and contemporary poetry. www.poetryoutloud.org.
RUTH LILLY POETRY PRIZE Lucille Clifton. In announcing the award, Christian Wiman, Editor of Poetry Magazine and a judge, said: "Lucille Clifton is a powerful presence and voice in American poetry. Her poems are at once outraged and tender, small and explosive, sassy and devout. She sounds like no one else, and her achievement looks larger with each passing year." The citation reads: Widely admired since Langston Hughes championed her work in an early anthology of African-American poetry, Clifton has become one of the most significant and beloved American poets of the past quarter century. She writes with great clarity and feeling about family, death, birth, civil rights, and religion, her moral intelligence struggling always to make sense of the lives and relationships to which she is connected, whether those of her immediate family, her African ancestry, or victims of war and prejudice.
The judges issued the following statement in making the selection: "One always feels the looming humaneness around Lucille Clifton's poems—it is a moral quality that some poets have and some don't. Her poems are local and funny, and have their own particular idiom; they speak big things in quiet ways, and she's voracious in the subject matter she takes on, spanning city and country, speaking for the unspoken, the sacred, and the invisible. Clifton has added enormously to the representation of the African-American experience in poetry and has been a kind of historical consciousness for her people and a public consciousness for us all."
Clifton served as the poet laureate of Maryland from 1974 until 1985. She won the National Book Award in 2000 for Blessing the Boats: New and Selected Poems, 1988-2000 (BOA, 2000). She is the author of 11 books of poetry, one autobiographical prose work, and 19 books for children. Her first volume of poetry, Good Times, was cited by the New York Times as one of 1969's 10 best books. Clifton's most recent collection of poetry is Mercy (BOA, 2004).
OXFAM Oxfam launch poetry CD - live recordings of 69 leading British and Irish contemporary poets
JOSEPHINE HART Catching Life by the Throat . How To Read Poetry and Why. Poems from Eight Great Poets is the new book and 4 hour CD from Josephine Hart. The poets featured are Auden, Dickinson,T.S.Eliot, Kipling, Larkin, Moore, Plath andYeats, read by celebrated actors and writers.Josephine Hart's Poetry Hour
Live poetry readings hosted by Josephine Hart featuring well known actors as readers are held at the British Library regularly. There are always tickets available on the night.
BALLOCH
A poetry reading group now meets in Balloch Library, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire approximately six-weekly. Details can be obtained from Ian Baillie or Alistair Paterson, at 01389 830739 or by e-mail at prism.atic@virgin.net.Free.