Tuesday, April 29, 2008

With one day left to go, well done to all those who napowrimo'd all through April!

Two weeks of it was more than enough for me! I did think about joining in for the last week or so but I'd lost the momentum with the circumstantial interruption and when I tried writing again I was boring myself senseless with what I was coming up with and didn't see the point in inflicting it on you.

However I'm more than pleased with the 14 poems I've now got to work on and the whole thing made me realise how much more I can squeeze out of a temporary muse if I force myself to.

Though I live in a beautiful place it's practically impossible for me to make it to any poetry readings. Living on a peninsula and not being able to drive means I'm dependant on ferries.
I'd love to go to The Great Grog poetry readings run by Rob MacKenzie which always has a good line up of poets but being held in Edinburgh in the evenings makes it impossible for me.
Also, even though I'm not really that far from Glasgow I can't even make it to the vitalsynz poetry readings because they are always held on a week night and there are no late ferries during the week. Tonight they have Andrew Greig speaking 'the unofficial Poet Laureate of the mountaineering community' whom I would have loved to have heard.

Going to StAnza 2008 really made me realise how important it is for my own writing to be part of the poetry scene beyond the computer screen. Unless they start holding poetry reading during daytime it looks like I'll need to learn to drive!

9 comments:

Rachel Fox said...

Either that or organise poetry events near your home and get the other poets to come to you. You might be surprised how many other people nearby are interested (or not, of course).
I don't drive either. I did...then I didn't again (long story). It's awkward with kids sometimes ('why can't i go?' 'because there's no bus there') but overall it's probably safer (in my case).

Dave King said...

I didn't quite make it all through April, I'm afraid - unless you count the fact that there were days when I managed two, to make up for the blanks. (I don't count them, by the way.)
rachel's idea sounds good to me. Is that something you could try?

Marion McCready said...

I don't really feel 'qualified' enough to set up my own, also my home town (Dunoon) is so out of the way (and the ferry is costly) that I don't see that I could convince many poets to come. Though I wonder if there's much poetry interest across the water (Greenock, hometown of W.S. Graham which would be a better place to hold readings.

Rachel Fox said...

What qualification do you need...you love poetry, that much is obvious...just pick people you like and ask them to come. I think you might be surprised how far poets are prepared to travel to promote their work. Plus going somewhere different is always exciting and/or something to write about at least. Plus you get to read your own as the warm-up poet...get a band in...and you're away!
Bingo and stovies optional extras, depending on local tastes. Round here you can't go anywhere without a raffle!

Marion McCready said...

well the only poetry readings I've ever been to were at StAnza so I'd like have more experience of them before I'd dream of setting up my own never mind read my own stuff!! Feels a bit like a catch 22 situation though!

swiss said...

finished! was too knackered to do the type out the last two last night. thin i;ve ended up with about 35 new poems what with the bonus poems and all. hadn't thought about faves.mine, i think is the found poem on the heart. just want a rest and some prose writing now!

you should do a reading. people would come and readers'll turn up if you give them a bit of notice. all you need is a decent venue. i think t is going to organise something here later in the year. rachel's totally right - bit of music, few folk, you can't go wrong

Marion McCready said...

well you never know!

Marion McCready said...

35 poems??? and you called me a show off! lol

Rob said...

You might find this story interesting from a guest-blogger on the Blue Blog.

This guy, without contacts or funding, didn’t just arrange a reading, but an entire poetry festival!