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World Poetry Day
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 8:12 am
by Macavity
Re: World Poetry Day
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 11:05 pm
by Leaf
A very happy World Poetry Day to you, MacPhil
I saw this article via Twitter earlier; Tristan RT'd a link. What do you reckon to Simon Armitage's poem?
Bw,
Fliss
Re: World Poetry Day
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 5:57 am
by Macavity
I rather like the poem Fliss. I thought it was inventive. Particularly liked the lip-gloss petals. I went to a reading by Armitage at the Ledbury festival. He engaged with the audience, entertained, certainly earnest about the environment. What did you feel about the poem?
Bw
Phil
Re: World Poetry Day
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 11:06 pm
by Leaf
I'm glad you liked it, MacPhil; I did too. I'm going to copy-and-paste a bit of it, why not. Here we are:
Plum Tree Among the Skyscrapers by Simon Armitage [excerpt]
But sheβs here to stay -
plum in the middle -
and today sheβs fizzing
with light and colour,
outshining the smug sculptures
and blubbering fountains.
Scented and powdered
sheβs staging
a one-tree show
with hi-viz blossoms
and lip-gloss petals;
sheβll season the pavements
and polished stones
with something like snow.
- - -
Now, I'd have suggested en-dashes where necessary in place of hyphens, just to be useful, you know. Also, perhaps 'hi-vis'? The 's' would've found a pleasant echo in the sss of blossoms, just trying to help, as usual. I love the idea of a travelling tree and my highlight is the 'mistle thrush beak' (^v^) (Word-Bird is pleased)
I've never been to a reading by Simon Armitage, but I've enjoyed a couple of episodes of 'The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed', which is on Radio 4. He always sounds very natural, which is great. Most recently, I listened to his chat with Chris Packham; the environment featured a lot there, as you'd expect.
Bw,
Fliss
Re: World Poetry Day
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:34 am
by Macavity
Not sure there is a copyright issue in quoting the whole poem Fliss? Liked your tweaks
I do have a Selected edition of his poems, which I occasionally dip into for a read. He can be a bit dour.
Bw
Phil
Re: World Poetry Day
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 6:35 am
by Leaf
I don't know either, MacPhil; would you like me to delete it? Hooray for tweakage! Some folks enjoy being dour, I think. I have a pretty cynical side, but it's rarely seen in my poems
Bw,
Fliss
Re: World Poetry Day
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 7:29 am
by Macavity
cynical Fliss. Happily never at the
.
Perhaps just quote the sections with your tweaks?
Bw
MacPhil
Re: World Poetry Day
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 8:05 am
by Leaf
Well, the cynicism is mostly directed at politics, MacPhil, and I'm not sure whether there's much call for that across the poetry journal-scape, ho hum...
I've edited the post and now it's time for breakfast, hooray! Porridge made up with tea, with bran flakes and apricots, apple juice, dark chocolate tablet, two mugs of tea and a bottle of water to wash it all down
Re: World Poetry Day
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 8:16 am
by Macavity
Re: World Poetry Day
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 6:17 pm
by Leaf