Way back in December last year, as I was first wallowing in the delights of Canadian poetry and checking out the magazines that had published poems I particularly enjoyed, I came across something that sounded interesting: the Contemporary Verse 2 Two-Day Poem Competition. Very simple – you sign up, and at midnight on the first day of …
takahē: the exit interview
Joanna Preston re-interviews Joanna Preston Today, once again, I’ll be interviewing poet, editor, chicken-keeper, creative writing tutor and masochistic glutton-for-punishment, Joanna Preston. Joanna, good morning. Good morning, Joanna. Lovely to be here again. Love what you’ve done with the curtains. I haven’t done anything with the curtains. I know. This is the way I love …
Reasons not to go online – # 2,447
Sometimes the universe seems to line things up, so that it feels as though you are receiving a domino-chain of affirmation – random things, unrelated or only tangentially so, that fall into place with a sound like yes! Yes. Yes. See, we’re aligning for you! Yes. Yes. Yes. Synchronicity, in other words. I try not to be superstitious (or …
Teaching poetry – Kate Clanchy article
I was recently sent a link to a gorgeous article in The Guardian written by Kate Clanchy: the story of The Very Quiet Foreign Girls poetry group. Having spent the weekend revisiting the deep pleasure of being a student (despite nearly dislocating myself trying not to butt in and teach over the top of poor …
Inertia is a thing with stacks of paper
I’m now at the point where shame has tipped me past grief, and I’ve actually started the tangible work of putting together Helen’s final collection. I know, I’ve “started work” on this many many times in the months since she died. But it’s incredible how physically as well as mentally difficult it is to get myself …
A Dark Feathered Art 