Revision seems to be the area that most clearly sorts the poets from the play-poets. It's hard work (oh god, isn't it just!), and requires you to be able to divorce the editor-self from the poet-self (or "creative-self", if you prefer). Some days (and some poems) are easier than others. The comforting thing is that this …
NaPoWriMo 09 recap meme
I've sort-of answered these already, but since January has set it up as a meme (and because I'm finding it hard to let the whole thing go) here's my contribution. Thanks to Catherine for the original link. 1. Number of poems written in April. If we're allowing posted rough drafts to count, thirty. (Woohoo!) No, …
Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate
It's happened at last. After 400 years, Britain has finally chosen a female Poet Laureate! Before you blokes stop reading, muttering to yourselves about "bloody feminists" (and yes, I do know what I just said), let me put it into perspective for you. And I promise that this will be the only feminist rant in this …
NaPoWriMo 09 – the post-mortem
Well, it's all over. I have survived thirty days of writing a poem-draft every day (or "for" every day), and posting them publicly. What did I learn, what did I gain, what did I lose, and was it worth it? Certainly the challenge of a poem every day was harder than I expected. Having only just emerged …
NaPoWriMo 09 – day 30 (and end!)
Imago A box, made of some dark wood with no scent, no discernible grain. Inlaid into the lid, a scene of welcome made from scales that shone like pearls in shallow water. A man and his daughter and a tree with arching limbs. Shall I tell you about angels? There was no latch, no lock, …
A Dark Feathered Art 