Words with music

Just about now the announcements and readings for the Troubadour Prize run by Coffee House Poetry, will be taking place. And one of them will be mine. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the trip down to London to do the reading myself, so that’s the usual disappointment, but I’m really pleased to have been selected, even if, once again, it’s a Commendation and £20 rather than a big prize. However, the poem, “The Price of Chocolate”, will appear on their website.

This is another poem to come from my Women and Warfare project. So far, six poems from it have acheived some form of publication, and three have been commended in competitions.

The Aesthetica Creative Works Annual 2010 arrived today, and a beautiful object it is, too.

I’ve not read much of it yet, but what I have is absolutely excellent. And the images within the artists’ competition are wonderful, too.

I only know a couple of the other authors in it. I’d supposed with 3500 entries there’d be a few more. But, anyway, congratulations to Julia Deakin, whose work I know and who is well worth seeking out, and to Matt Spence, who is not in the volume, but commended (and was also shortlisted in the Bridport) – a young poet to watch, I think.

Just heard I was shortlisted for the Off the Shelf “Birthday Letters” competition (one of nine), but didn’t quite make it to the top grade. This seems to be a habit. Have had another commended, too, with a small prize, but I’m not allowed to say where, just yet. And am excited by the Aesthetica Annual which should arrive soon, too.

The small successes continue, the big ones elude me.

The Tuesday Poets had their first public outing on the 30th, and now have their first review, at: http://www.forgetoday.com/page1084/Review-Friday-Nightwith-The-Tuesday-Poets

It’s a really positive review, which is great for all of us, though it would’ve been nice if all the poets could’ve had a mention: every set was a strong one, so to single out any of us seems a little unfair. Nevertheless, I’m really pleased.

On Friday the Tuesday Poets gav etheir first public reading as a group. We had:

Jenny Hockey

Margaret Lewis  

Beverley Nadin

Cora Greenhill

Sally Goldsmith

Fay Musselwhite

Lisa Wallace

Val Binney

Seni Seneviratne

me

We held it at the Fusion Cafe on Arundel Street Sheffield, which has just won an award for the best Cafe in Sheffield (which I’d confidently agree with). It was a spectacularly successful night, combining really lovely food with some marvellous poetry from everyone, including also two moving songs, from Sally and Seni.

Everyone seemed to have a good time. Even Melvyn and his staff running the place seemed to get some pleasure out of our work, and we felt we really felt we’d done a good job.

There’s no telling if we’ll do it again – but I hope we do. We had to disappoint over 30 people this time who couldn’t get tickets, so that in itself suggests we need a repeat performance.