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Charmless and Interesting: Robert Archambeau on Conceptual Poetry 3 Aug 2013 | 05:33 pm
There’s a thought-provoking article article on the Poetry Foundation’s Harriet blog, by Robert Archambeau: What Conceptual Poetry Lacks And What It’s Got. In case you, like me, were wondering what he...
‘The Whitsun Weddings’: in the midst of life we are in death 17 Jul 2013 | 02:42 pm
‘The Whitsun Weddings’ is usually regarded as one of Philip Larkin’s brighter poems: a beautiful evocation of romantic love, with newlyweds riding the train to London against a backdrop of town and co...
Machi Tawara at Ledbury Festival 12 Jul 2013 | 07:01 pm
When I edited Magma 34 I was thrilled to publish the first translations in the UK of tanka by Machi Tawara. Tawara is a superstar in her native Japan – her first book, Salad Anniversary, sold over 2....
Reading at the Magma 55 Launch – Monday 25 February 21 Feb 2013 | 10:40 pm
My poem ‘The Future’ is published in issue 55 of Magma Poetry, out now. I’ll be reading it at the launch next Monday 25th February, at The Troubadour, with other readers including Penelope Shuttle and...
Reading at The Shuffle, Saturday 26th January 24 Jan 2013 | 08:38 pm
This Saturday 26th January I’ll be reading some of my poems at The Shuffle, hosted by Jacqueline Saphra at the Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden. There will be ‘feature sets’ from Peter Armstrong, Fran Loc...
“Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care” 18 Jan 2013 | 02:40 am
As an absorbing evocation of Shakespeare’s life in London, Charles Nicholl’s The Lodger: Shakespeare on Silver Street is up there with Peter Ackroyd’s biography and James Shapiro’s 1599. Starting with...
The Four Subjects of Lyric Poetry 10 Aug 2012 | 06:12 pm
a short but comprehensive summary of subjects for lyric poetry. I went out into the woods today and it made me feel, you know, sort of religious. We’re not getting any younger. It sure is cold and lon...
Farewell to Magma 23 Apr 2012 | 09:31 pm
After eight very enjoyable years as a member of the editorial board of Magma Poetry magazine, I’ve recently handed in my resignation. I’ve had a wonderful time – among other things I edited Magma 34 ...
Nancy Gaffield, ‘Nihonbashi’ 16 Oct 2011 | 10:14 pm
Inside, the edo-jin stir ashes to a dogged glow. A pair of curs sniff the bridgehead and the rat that passed there, now wallowing unreachable in river silt. They turn their backsides to our Hiro a...
Nancy Gaffield, Tokaido Road 14 Oct 2011 | 10:08 am
I’ve just finished Nancy Gaffield’s superb Tokaido Road – 55 poems based on Hiroshige’s series of woodblock prints Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido. I read it first without looking at the prints, to...
