Over the past few months I've been impressed to learn of the wide readership my blog has, especially among UK poets, but I always learn of it because someone's sent an email response to a post rather than posting a comment on the blog, or because someone mentions something from my blog at a reading or other event. May I persuade a few of you, at least, to say hello, introduce yourselves, say something about your interests? I'd love to generate more conversation here, and if we have a better sense of who's visiting, that might then suggest some topics of mutual interest.
Please?
hello carrie. I'm a bradford on avon writer too (but mainly nerd journalism, not poetry)
ReplyDeleteHi, Giles. What brought you here?
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie, I live in Cardiff, Wales and I come for your thoughts on poetry, the po-world and what's happening in your poetry life. :-)
ReplyDeleteGUILTY! But, as you know, for someone who is an inherent gasbag, I do seem to have a peculiar inability to sign up to these public forums, yet also find it sad to be labelled as "Anon". Go figure! :))
ReplyDeleteCongrats on another TLS entry. Having read the title initially here in your Blog entry (with my poor middle-aged eyesight and brain!) as "A BirDmother's Catechism", I find that, for some inexplicable reason, this title seems to fit the poem?!
But thank you for highlighting with your double-edged experience a) the dangers of duplicating titles and b) the complications that now arise with submissions, owing to the length of time it can take to gain (or perhaps even not, as in this instance) a response, making simultaneous submitting almost a "necessary" and wholly reasonable practice.
Of course, I have never wittingly done such a thing...!! But, if there are any Editors out there who are reading your Blog, it would be very interesting to hear their views on the matter...
??
As ever,
Helen P x
How rude of me! My name is Paul Mena and I live in a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. I work in IT in the financial industry, but I play at poetry, particularly haiku. I'm pleased to make your collective virtual acquaintance.
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie,
ReplyDeleteI read the blog because I like you in the real world. Here is my deep dark secret. I would rather be a poet, so I read the blog for inspiration.
Carrie! I could've sworn I said hello. Ah well. An American in the UK for over eleven years (ha, beat you!), currently a final-year undergrad student of Creative Writing at Bath Spa, of indeterminable age ;). Currently unpublished, but about to make her first submission for real (to The London Magazine). I come for the wisdom and the insight into the process!
ReplyDeleteAlso. I have two cats that love new people, if ever you want to stop by. :)
~ Leslie
Hi, Ivy. I'm flattered by your response and hope you find my comments useful. Helen, I know you're an internet junkie, and if you've read the poem, "birdmother" doesn't work in the slightest, sorry. Welcome David and Rachael. I like secret poets. Does the website help give you the inspiration you're looking for?
ReplyDeletehey carrie!
ReplyDeletei'm kristen orser--we met in chicago once with my good friend andy and the series a poetry reading. i live in the windy city and teach poetry and art at columbia college.
best,
kris
well I did miss your posting here earlier and replied via facebook - just noticed I'm signed into blogger in my Hyde DP alter ego as opposed to my Ackworth born alter ego which might confuse some people but I use the same "avatar" for both and cross-reference the profiles so hopefully .. must stop waffling!
ReplyDeletePS word-verification + moderation is considered overkill - having one or t'other will encourage comments without the danger of spam.
hey carrie,
ReplyDeleteyou know i only came here recently because of feed somehow! but i liked what i saw and already put your blog on the list over at my blog....
What a good idea, Carrie. I'm a South African poet. I've recently started blogging and have added your blog to my blogroll. I'm interested in anything related to poetry or literature. More poems please ... the orphans, perhaps? And links to your online publications so we can read them.
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie. I'm a poet and publisher living in Dunbar, Scotland. I run (well, actually I am Calder Wood Press). I chair the Board of StAnza: Scotland's international poetry festival, and I'm webmaster for Poetry Scotland. My blog is called Sunny Dunny (Dunbar's nickname).
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie. I'm a poet and reviewer based in Leicester, UK.
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie. I'm a poet and reviewer based in Leicester, UK.
ReplyDeleteOh, hi Carrie. I read your blog because I am a poet and love all things poet- and poetry-related.
ReplyDeleteWell, I write poetry and also the blog, Surroundings. I enjoy good poetry blogs and never have enough time to read as much as I'd like.
ReplyDeleteHello Carrie!
ReplyDeleteBeen meaning to add the blog to my blogroll - and to send you a greeting - for a long while. The facebook message was the right prompt at the right time. Nice to see where you are and to catch up on your poetry news.
xxJen
Hi Carrie,
ReplyDeleteI learned of your blog throught the Blog Networks utility at Facebook. I usually don't leave comments at blogs. Maybe that's why so few readers of my blog leave comments. I'd be happy to do a link exchange with you. I enjoy talking with poets but comments don't seem to get it for me.
Hi Carrie,
ReplyDeleteI'm a poet and journalist living and working near Leicester. I'm enjoying your blog.
Matt
Thanks so much, everyone! This is great.
ReplyDeleteLeslie, thanks for the cats invite--I may take you up on it!
Kristen, I haven't forgotten you. I'm looking forward to your Tundra chapbook. We should meet up at the AWP...you'll be there, yes?
Gerald, thanks for the information about the word verification--I didn't realise that was ticked, so I've turned it off now.
Susana, thanks for including me on your blog roll. I need to update mine, but every time I go to do it, I end up posting instead.... I will do it!
Michelle, it's kind of you to ask for more of my poems. There's a couple on The Tethers page, but I'll see about setting up links to some online. Cheers.
Hi, Colin. I'm going to try to make it to Stanza in '09--it all comes down to time and finances, but I suppose that's true for everyone. I'm keen to go.
Dana, Rob, Matt, Jen, Andrew--you all read other poetry blogs--what keeps you coming back? What kind of post particularly gets your attention? I'd love to start an engaging conversation on here and have tried throwing down a rather light gauntlet a few times without much success....
Thanks, everyone! 2009 will be busy for the blog, I expect, because it will be busy for me with The Tethers coming out and my doing readings in the US, UK, and a few European countries tba. I hope to get a chance to meet more of you along the way.
Hello, Carrie-
ReplyDeleteEnjoy reading your blog (? found via Facebook?). Especially value poems, and discussions of poetry issues, general or detailed. (I've just had one of those surprise poems in the TLS. That was just a pleasure, as I knew that one hadn't gone elsewhere. But I do duplicate titles, and have just realised that for years I have been responding to students' enquiries about a poem in a textbook with a solemn discussion of.. the wrong poem.)
Cats are also always most welcome blog guests- A very Happy Christmas, look forward to your poem in 'Poetry London' in 2009,
Very best wishes,
Alison
Wow, You're popular. I'm dead impressed, like.
ReplyDeleteI've stopped over to demonstrate, once again, my skills at public speaking. Cos I'm obviously geet mint, how.
Merry Christmas by the way, and congrats on yet more published poems :D
Nik
I think what brought me here was a Google Alert for "bradford on avon". You'd be amazed how much stuff that turns up.
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie,
ReplyDeleteIt was very nice to meet you the other night, and I enjoyed the readings, was sorry I had to dash off at the end...looking forward to the next event in that series.
Also looking forward to trying some of Bath's other poetry events; I've had bad luck so far with timetable clashes.
Stephen
Hi Carrie
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you already know that I read your blog, but I thought I'd add my name here anyway. Looking forward to reading - and perhaps even reviewing - The Tethers when it's published.
Ben
Hi Carrie - We met a couple of times at BSU and on Facebook. I published a small collection of poetry some years ago, Dance of the Sheet, and also four works of nonfiction, but very little recently. Except yesterday I had an extract of my memoir accepted for Tears in the Fence! Delighted. I'm working in Greta Stoddart's group in Exeter and have signed down for yours in the Spring. My cat, Harry, though elderly, is an avid reader and sends you his regards. Hetty, Hope and Mabel, the hens, are not, alas, into poetry. I am a slow learner when it comes to technology and am only just exploring blogs - yours is one of the first and it's great!
ReplyDeleteDiana
Dear Carrie
ReplyDeleteI read your blog because I enjoy your thoughts and following your work - as I do in the non-virtual world!
It's interesting. When blog culture first took off, comments did seem to correspond to the amount of people who 'meaningfully' read a blog (i.e. visited, read posts and returned for more). Now, it seems to me (given the records you can keep as a blogger of the amount of people who visit you regularly and read entire posts through sitemeter etc) that it often seems the opposite. People tend to read more blogs, very regularly, but generally comment less. Or so it would seem.
Best as ever,
K
Hello, I'm Simon. You know me. Possibly too well.
ReplyDeleteI hope it's not insulting to say that I often use this page to find links - you are so well connected! And I'm impressed by how much you know about all the various poetry journals/magazines. How do you find the time?
Have you posted me a copy of 'Yet' yet? I'm looking forward to reading it.
Thought I should say hello via this too - for everyone else, I was lucky enough to have Carrie as my tutor this year on the MA at Bath Spa - she is as generous a tutor as she is a blogger.
ReplyDeleteI don't read many blogs - they're too time consuming - in fact, yours is the only one I read regularly because it is poetry related and also of course I know you and so I'm interested in how you are getting on and I find it inspiring.
I realise now I just don't think to leave a comment - however, if it was my blog I would love people to comment so I will do so in future. :-)
Tracy x
I've known Carrie in different guises. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe first met back in 2001 as part of a London Japan2001 event, and through the Internet. Then a few years later we found out, thanks to Annie McGann, that we were living in the same block of flats in Bradford on Avon!
Carrie has been a steadfast friend, mentor, and recently M.A. tutor and we both share an interest in poetry; haiku; and Grand Heron. :-)
all my best,
Alan