Scott Thurston's third collection, Internal Rhyme (Shearsman, 2010), brings together eighty poems that are meant to be read vertically as well as horizontally. Earlier this month, on the Occasional Reading Series at Furzeacres not far from Plymouth, I found it most interesting to hear him read sets of five first horizontally, then vertically, for the changes of sound and sense thus invoked. Here are two (clicking on the first image will enlarge it in a new window; why the second is recalcitrant I don't know).
What is the Occasional Reading Series? Co-organiser Philip Kuhn describes it thus: "the occasional reading series was initiated in june 2003 and is hosted by rosie musgrave and philip kuhn. Due to the nature of the terrain and the uncertain climate on the Moor the events are only held during the spring and summer months. The aim of the series is to create an alternative to the more conventional poetry readings which usually tend to encourage two or more poets to present short readings from their works. In contrast the occasional reading series invites a single poet to offer (to an invited audience) an extended reading (or performance) from the whole of a long work, or from extended extracts from a long work which might be published or simply work in progress. The readings are followed by light refreshments an occasion which offers audience and poet a chance to socialise renew contacts and re-meet old acquaintances.
To date there have been 21 readings. The last event for this year was Scott Thurston reading Internal Rhyme (Shearsman 2010). It is hoped that the 22nd reading will take place in early Spring 2011."
