Another lovely review of The Son

To cover as many pamphlets as he can in a limited word count, David Morley reviews in Twitter-style in his largely appreciative review of pamphlets from Happenstance, Oystercatcher, Rack, Donut, Knives, Forks and Spoons, and Smith/Doorstop presses. Hence I think I can get away with quoting Morley's entire review of The Son (Oystercatcher, 2009) here without violating fair use: "Carrie Etter's sparkling, serious beating-out of prose poetry and catechism continues in a finely judged sequence, grieving and honouring and surprising on every page. 'It is time' (Etter quotes Celan) 'the stone made an effort to flower'. And so this fine book, its respect, sadness and subject." 

As The Son is the basis of my third collection, Imagined Sons, yet another positive review heartens me that much more. 

i.m. Henry Ross Etter, 26 September 1940-13 March 2009

I'm listening to Billy Joel's Glass Houses (1980), which we listened to and loved together. Every day is less than it could have been since you've been gone. 

100,000 Poets for Change in Bath on Saturday, 29 September

Here is the final schedule for Bath's day of readings as part of the international 100,000 Poets for Change, this Saturday, 29 September at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute on Queen Square, with all money raised going to support Julian House, Bath's charity for the homeless. We'll be in the large Elwin room. Here's the schedule:

2:30-3 p.m. Bath Poetry Cafe, with readings from David Cohen, Teresa Davey, Rose Flint, Rosie Jackson, Jill Sharp and Sue Sims

3:10-3:40 p.m. A Pamphlet Party, with poets reading from their pamphlets: Seren Adams (Small History, Shearsman), David Hale (The Last Walking Stick Factory, Happenstance), Dikra Ridha (There Are No Americans in Baghdad's Bird Market, Tall Lighthouse), and Robert Walton (Waiting for the Wave, Pighog)

3:50-4:20 p.m. Bath Spa University MA Poets Past and Present: Graham Allison, Daisy Behagg, Matthew Haw, Caroline Heaton, Alan Summers, Natasha Underwood, John Wheway and Andy Wright 

4:30-5 p.m. Swindon Artswords Presents, with readings from William Bedford, Emily Harrison, Cristina Newton, Bethany Pope and Hilda Sheehan

5:10-5:40 p.m. Bath Spa University Undergraduates

Dinner break

7:30-8:05 p.m. David Briggs and Kelvin Corcoran

8:20-8:55 p.m. Claire Crowther and Tim Liardet 


There will be drinks and books tables throughout the event (manned by Bath Spa student volunteers), and donations will be requested for Julian House. There is no entry fee as such. I am most grateful to Bath Spa University for its support--paying for the room, readers' travel expenses, etc.--so that all donations can go directly to Julian House.

'one thought galore' from Daniel O'Donnell-Smith's cOdes (Leafe, 2012)

Leafe Press has a new pamphlet series, beginning with the first collection of young poet Daniel O'Donnell-Smith, cOdes, which effectively combines heightened, vernacular and computer languages. This poem has less of the latter, so you'll have to pick up the pamphlet yourself to get a better idea of the extent of O'Donnell-Smith's project, so to speak.












one thought galore


that first spark
at sleeping
where
great thinkers
are vitamin supplements
for things that a slow boy learnt

the sum born from giants
is
trickle down

a pool hall of ideas

                                             [multiple user content]

and there i was reading this:

the mind automaton.


Daniel O'Donnell-Smith
cOdes (Leafe, 2012)


If you buy cOdes directly from the publisher, it's £4.50 with free shipping.

Here's Daniel O'Donnell-Smith's account of himself: "Daniel O'Donnell-Smith lives in Leicester but will soon be moving to London to begin a PhD and make electronic mistakes with his dark pop collective @MoscowYouthCult. He loves synths, trashy horror/sci-fi, VHS wonk & cat lick. His first poetry collection is currently available from Leafe Press, entitled 'cOdes'."

100,000 Poets for Change day of readings in Bath

As part of the international 100,000 Poets for Change, I've organized a day of readings on Saturday, 29 September at Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute on Queen Square, with all money raised going to support Julian House, Bath's charity for the homeless. We'll be in the large Elwin room. Here's the schedule:

2:30-3 p.m. Bath Poetry Cafe, with readings from David Cohen, Teresa Davey, Rose Flint, Rosie Jackson, Jill Sharp and Sue Sims

3:10-3:40 p.m. A Pamphlet Party, with poets reading from their pamphlets: Seren Adams (Small History, Shearsman), David Hale (The Last Walking Stick Factory, Happenstance), Dikra Ridha (There Are No Americans in Baghdad's Bird Market, Tall Lighthouse), and Robert Walton (Waiting for the Wave, Pighog)

3:50-4:20 p.m. Bath Spa University MA Poets Past and Present: Graham Allison, Laura Burns, Matthew Haw, Caroline Heaton, Alan Summers, Natasha Underwood, Andy Wright and several others

4:30-5 p.m. Swindon Artswords Presents, with readings from William Bedford, Emily Harrison, Cristina Newton, Bethany Pope and Hilda Sheehan

5:10-5:40 p.m. Bath Spa University Undergraduates, with readers to be confirmed

Dinner break

7:30-8:15 p.m. Emerging Poets, with readings from David Briggs, Rory Waterman and possibly one other poet to be confirmed

8:30-9:15 p.m. Kelvin Corcoran, Claire Crowther and Tim Liardet 


There will be drinks and books tables throughout the event (manned by Bath Spa student volunteers), and donations will be requested for Julian House. There is no entry fee as such. I am most grateful to Bath Spa University for its support--paying for the room, readers' travel expenses, etc.--so that all donations can go directly to Julian House.

I Don't Call Myself a Poet: Interviews with Contemporary Poets Living & Working in Britain

As part of her teaching at the University of Middlesex, Sophie Mayer has done a wonderful thing, creating a compendium of interviews with a wide range of UK poets, including, happily, myself. It includes Andrea Brady, Vahni Capildeo, Mimi Khalvati, John Kinsella, Ira Lightman, Chris McCabe, Daljit Nagra, Shazea Quraishi and Jane Yeh--and many more! Apparently the 68 interviews are just the beginning, with more forthcoming. It looks to become a valuable resource for readers and students alike.