We were talking about the Ted Hughes film after the Marsden poetry jam yesterday, Cynthia. I've just watched it tonight on catch-up. Fascinating programme. I didn't realise what a hard time it was for him in the 70s particularly. And Frieda Hughes recounting how she got the syllabus for her O-level, and found both her parents on it. I don't know if you saw this wonderful piece that Cathy Bryant wrote on the 50th anniversary of Sylvia Plath's death two years ago http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/blogentry.php?blogentryid=34328. Write Out Loud remains very proud to have published it.
Comment is about Biography of Ted Hughes shortlisted for £20,000 prize (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Although talking of value in a broader sense this did remind me of Wendy Cope's 'Engineers' Corner'
https://tuitalk.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/tuesday-poem-engineers-corner-by-wendy-cope/
Comment is about Don't Pay The Poets (blog)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
Good piece Ian. Could be edited down a bit but then again my attention span is incredibly short :-) There is money in performance, more so than in the published word. I know several people who make a meagre living from it, usually supplemented by other related work such as running workshops in schools, prisons etc.. These may be Arts Council funded and we all know the financial squeeze in that area. I don't think anybody expects to be paid for an open mic spot, that would be ridiculous, but where an event is making money of course the performers should be paid. After all, there wouldn't be an event without the poets.
Comment is about Don't Pay The Poets (blog)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
I enjoyed this very much. And only an idiot would saunter through water in a lightening storm. IMO, braveness should not be equated with stupidity, or necessity.
Comment is about Sway (blog)
Original item by JD DeHart
Oh, Graham, you sweetheart, you really did put the cat among the pigeons! And probably, not intentionally. I wish I had read this set before the Wigan Slam where I ignobly flunked out.
I'm not sure that 'judges' could ever express the 'interest factors' that might influence their opinion/judgement in poetry competitions. I am going to give 'judges' full marks for really doing their best with their given skills to plough through the hundreds of entries they must assess. Before I wring them out, I think I should pass one day in their shoes. It must be tense! Maybe they even quarrel. Because their 'poetical' values may be entirely contradictory.
A great poem finely performed is a joy indeed. A fine poem can be wrecked by a poor performance. A poor poem is never rescued by a fine performance, although it can come close. Such is personal magnetism apart from good poetry.
And this input is now going nowhere, so I'm stopping.
I lie. IMO, 'boozy crowds' in no way elevate poetry to levels of excellence, usually beyond the obvious sexual titillating or deliberate political bombing. But real sentimentality can also be a strong contender. And I never knock that; it's greatly under-rated.
Comment is about Poetry Review editor Maurice Riordan urges prize judges to declare any interests (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Did anyone else see the BBC programme about Ted Hughes, Saturday night, I think? The coverage was broad and very enlightening, presumably well-sourced. It filled in a lot of vague spaces for me on many fronts, but especially concerning the 'Sylvia Plathe 'syndrome' that I've always found hard to understand.
Comment is about Biography of Ted Hughes shortlisted for £20,000 prize (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Plenty of reaction on this, Ian and rightly so. As a pro musician for forty years I can only talk for that but have found that "he who pays the piper calls the tune". Jazz never pays and that's largely where the inventiveness lies. As for poetry unless you want to write for the greetings card world perhaps we should be happy with our freedoms and unrestraint. Is that not fulfilment enough?
Comment is about Don't Pay The Poets (blog)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
All very true, MC. But a word to the wise - don't put it quite like that to ladyfriends. We'll never know whether Andrew Marvell was successful with his exhortation to "give it up for your man".
Comment is about LUST (blog)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
To borrow again...Ooh you are awful - but I like you!
Comment is about YESTERDAY ONCE MORE - a re-post (blog)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
Graham - you do if you ask for it and are worth it, ime, but if you don't ask, most of the time it won't be offered upfront. I always ask these days - you have to have a thick skin but I reckon I've served enough time, and my act is good enough, to do so. I wouldn't have dreamed of asking in the early days, was just happy to get the gigs.
Like the saying goes, you wouldn't ask a plumber to fix stuff for free, so why expect to be entertained for nowt? We put in countless hours in the creation, the learning, and the performance of our poems, not to mention travel costs. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for some payment for crafting a memorable performance. I've moved people to tears, to laughter, to deep sadness, and invoked personal and poignant memories for loads of folk.
No - I never started all this to make money. Didn't even occur to me. But you reach a critical mass of gigs and there comes a point where you can end up paying to perform, which is not a great place to be in, especially given so many of us are skint to begin with.
Comment is about Don't Pay The Poets (blog)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
Stockport Art Gallery says a big thank you to the group for the poems that they put on The Poetry of Enchantment display.
The theme for tonight is shades.
Comment is about Write Out Loud at Stockport art gallery tonight (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
I think that last quote owes a little to something Mae West said. (You remember Mae West - you probably dated her!)
Comment is about YESTERDAY ONCE MORE - a re-post (blog)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
I think this is the difference between worth and price. Poetry may be worthy but it's price is determined by how much someone is prepared to pay for it.
Comment is about Don't Pay The Poets (blog)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
This is an interesting piece Ian and I will undoubtedly show my igonrance of the performance poetry scene when I say I didn't realize that PP's got paid anyway. I thought one had to have something to sell (pamphlet/book etc) as an inducement.
I worked in a salaried job for 33 years and then took early retirement and started working for myself. A good friend then said to me "now you'll know what you're really worth".
I guess none of us poets really set our stall out to make any money in the first place.
.........let them carry their bags
of paper passions.........
These are my favourite words.
Comment is about Don't Pay The Poets (blog)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
BTW I have retweeted the link to your article on Twitter :)
Comment is about Poetry and Mental Health (blog)
Original item by Stuart Buck
This is a really good article Stu, and thank you for introducing me to Under the Fable, they look like a very promising young magazine!
People tread as lightly as possible around mental health issues and it is great to see you openly discussing this sensitive area. Thank you.
Comment is about Poetry and Mental Health (blog)
Original item by Stuart Buck
Hahaa - brrrr, it has gone a bit nippy eh?!
Comment is about ray pool (poet profile)
Original item by ray pool
Aye - tell me about it!!
There's this weird division of perception regarding poets, I've found. On the one hand, everyone thinks 'wooo, POETRY, how special, how moving, how high culture darlings', and then you turn up and find you've been shoved into the arse-end-of-nowhere-venue, no mic because why would poets possibly need amplification ffs, and sorry - what? Payment? For poetry? But ANYONE could do that! It's only an hour each way to get here too - what do you mean, expenses? For poetry?!
Cracking piece Ian - my favourite verse is the third one. Bang on!!!
Comment is about Don't Pay The Poets (blog)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
<Deleted User> (8659)
Mon 12th Oct 2015 09:51
As Robert Graves once said-There is no money in poetry. But then, there is no poetry in money either.
Which is all very well Robert-but you didn't know what it was to be continually asked to perform your work for free when everybody else involved with the gig was getting paid. (I shall shut up at this point or I'll go on for hours!)
Good poem Ian.
Comment is about Don't Pay The Poets (blog)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
Loved this fast paced read Ian. A good way to start my day. Now I'm fired up! ;)
Comment is about Don't Pay The Poets (blog)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
Ah, Tamara Press with her sister Irina. What fun I could have had with those two! We would have played "Guess how many bollocks we've got between us".
Even today our quiz team gets accused of being on drugs when we do well.
Comment is about THOSE HOTTIES FROM THE GDR (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
I am newly reminded of a passing ambush game in the
1950s days of buttoned shorts, which, in retrospect,
might be called "Fly tipping".
Careless unobservant lads were at risk of having
buttoned flies ripped open by some passing mischief
maker if they weren't quick enough to evade the oncoming attack.
Discomfort was exacerbated if any of the buttons in question were pulled off thereby subjecting the
unfortunate victim to visible signs of his embarrassing
experience. There were undoubtedly sighs of relief
when the arrival of the zip fastener rendered those
japes obsolete.
No wonder the enemies of the British Empire stood no
chance when faced with such devious underhand
behaviour!! I don't know about the playing fields of
Eton. The lot I recall would have brought victory
to Blighty anywhere...any time.
Comment is about WE-WON-THE-WAR-IN-1954 (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
That was when Yuri Vlasov was heavyweight champion
of the world in weightlifting: in those far-off "innocent"
days. And Doug Anderson in the USA was lifting 1000lbs
off the deck via a specially designed body harness.
As for Tamara Press - what a great name for a shot-putter!
Comment is about THOSE HOTTIES FROM THE GDR (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
JC - this was written (in my mind at least) soon after
placing my bum on a bench overlooking Preston (Devon)
sands to watch holiday makers having fun one glorious summer afternoon some years ago.
Getting old? I'll plead to that, with mitigation known
as "the passing of the years". But, hey, I've known folk
who were old when they were thirty! I recall a pithy
observation elsewhere "It's the life in your years, not
the years in your life that matter."
Comment is about YESTERDAY ONCE MORE - a re-post (blog)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
*clicks tongue*
http://vocaroo.com/i/s00ZXOHXOVQq
it's bad.
Comment is about Scott Peterson 0000 (09/24/2015) (blog)
Original item by Zach Dafoe
thanks for the kind words on 'On The Slag Heap' MC - once again I've been away too long and let the kind supportive comments go uncommented upon. You are right about the foreign ownership - whilst this government offers contracts for Power Stations to the Chinese, we break our own industry and let it die for want of Brtish ownership - a crying shame for all the families affected in that area and other 'northern' power(less) houses *ouch*
Comment is about M.C. Newberry (poet profile)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
Thanks for the kind words on 'On The Slag Heap' Ray - it's heartbreaking to see the demise of northern towns under Tory governments - whilst they feed the rich City firms. T'was ever thus
Ian
Comment is about ray pool (poet profile)
Original item by ray pool
oh and if you like it and feel like sharing it PLEASE do. I have 20 odd facebook friends so sharing it on my timeline is akin to informing next to no one. plug it. thanks.
Comment is about Poetry and Mental Health (blog)
Original item by Stuart Buck
thanks guys! im enjoying branching out from my usually rambling. this actually started out as just the left hand poem, but i felt it needed more. at the same time as writing it, i was writing a blog linking poetry with mental health and it just sort of came from there. its a schizophrenic poem i suppose.
Comment is about the split (blog)
Original item by Stuart Buck
Lynn Hamilton
Sun 11th Oct 2015 20:12
Oh wow! I'm really pleased you played with my words. I have just carried out the same exercise and re-saved in that format. Thank you so much for your comments.
Comment is about Stuart Buck (poet profile)
Original item by Stuart Buck
Thanks for your comments guys. I have to say that I was thinking of the same advert but have also worked with people who have had a problem with the old white powder and have felt that they are invincible at times as a result, though thankfully not with the result described above.
Comment is about Superman (blog)
Original item by Martin Elder
Lynn Hamilton
Sun 11th Oct 2015 20:03
Thanks for reading and commenting chuck. Much appreciated. x
Comment is about Ria Richardson (poet profile)
Original item by Ria Richardson
Lynn Hamilton
Sun 11th Oct 2015 19:51
I totally agree with Ray. This is wonderful.
Comment is about the split (blog)
Original item by Stuart Buck
Lynn Hamilton
Sun 11th Oct 2015 19:48
Thanks for reading and commenting on Warrior, Martin. Was a tad worried about posting his one!
Comment is about Martin Elder (poet profile)
Original item by Martin Elder
Lynn Hamilton
Sun 11th Oct 2015 19:40
Lynn Hamilton
Sun 11th Oct 2015 19:36
Once again brilliant. Love all the lines but especially the first.
Comment is about to drown (10/10/2015) (blog)
Original item by Zach Dafoe
Maybe
Running drips have ceased
Tissue box is empty
Handkerchiefs are all full
Red nose feels better
No more enormous blows
Heavy cold is over
Performance bug still strong
Maybe see you tomorrow - - -
Just not the same
When you're not there.
Comment is about Stockport WoL (group profile)
Original item by Stockport WoL
Lynn Hamilton
Sun 11th Oct 2015 19:08
Hi Ria
I love this piece and this comment is not made because I, subject to change, fall into one of your categories. ;) xx
Comment is about Cancer (blog)
Original item by Ria Richardson
How intriguing and affecting this is, with a lingering of spirit in a small everyday context with the shadows of words left hanging as afterthoughts. Got my attention yes sir. The power of words I salute you.
Ray
Comment is about the split (blog)
Original item by Stuart Buck
Graham - yes indeed, Heike was a class bird.
Stu - glad you enjoyed. Those girls gave me plenty of enjoyment.
Comment is about THOSE HOTTIES FROM THE GDR (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Well really, thanks so much Stu. I'm always fond of your comments and I hope to please. I am trying to précis my thoughts more and more into a sort of dreamscape without overdoing the words. A skill that's worth trying for. Cheers.
Comment is about SWEEPING THE YARD (blog)
Original item by ray pool
there is so much in this to enjoy i can't even begin. but;
Some, of course, had butch-er looks
But compensated, like Ruth Fuchs;
is definitely my favourite.
as far from my kind of poetry as you can get (it rhymes, its funny, its lighthearted, it hasnt a hint of pretension and i have no idea who any of them are) but i'm enchanted.
bravo.
Comment is about THOSE HOTTIES FROM THE GDR (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Very possibly the finest words on WOL in 2015 to date:
"The vegetation of her pits.
As though beneath the wings of swans
Were two small rodents clinging on"
Actually Heike was a good looking girl with or without the fuzz, but as thrower I was always entranced by Tamara Press!!
Comment is about THOSE HOTTIES FROM THE GDR (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
this is excellent. its important to ensure we dont forget the identity of those we label with illnesses, be they the big c or any. i have experience both myself and with my partner of labeling and it isn't a pleasant experience, so i can only imagine how annoying it must be when coupled with something so awful. this is powerful and intelligent. i love it.
Comment is about Cancer (blog)
Original item by Ria Richardson
John Bastard
Tue 13th Oct 2015 01:18
stu,
thank you for writing this.
we suffer the same maladies. all artists are hyper-sensitive to the turmoil happening all around the everything, and through our compulsion to create we reach out in our condition to discover others. it's the cycle of 'read, be read, connect, reconnect' in love, in hate, forever and ever amen.
i'll be sharing this.
Comment is about Poetry and Mental Health (blog)
Original item by Stuart Buck