pretty stumped for blog ideas. Therefore I am afraid you are mainly going to be subjected to a list of my poetry related activity over the past fortnight.
I have been reading Method Men by David Briggs, published by Salt. I had never heard of Briggs before, and was sent his first collection as part of my subscription to the Salt’s Poetry Bank. From the very first poem I was enjoying his work. I particular admire his ability to simply, but effectively writing from the point of view of his younger self, perfectly capturing family life.
I have also been reading Sylvia Plath’s journals. An American feminist press, Fat Gold Watch, currently has a call for submissions for an anthology in response to Plath’s life and work. However it is with the strict caveat that it must not be about her suicide. This means that Fat Gold Watch will hopefully do justice to Plath the woman, mother, poet, wife and daughter, seeing her as a whole person, rather than just the sum of one action.
I have been listening to the last two Scottish Poetry Library Podcasts, in which there is some great modern folk and a brilliant rendition of the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner (not all of it!).
