Scott Devon and Neo Poetry-Matrix of Neoartists have made a friendly, caring, supportive and fun space for poets with the NEO:LIVE event in Bolton. I heartily recommend it. Nat and Paul Blackburn were excellent, well-organised hosts and will be guest poets at the next one in June. I'll be going to cheer them on.
Bolton is easier to get to from Manchester than Manchester folk might think, a few quid return on a train that takes just a few minutes.
It is dead hard setting up and running an event, it takes a bucket load of work (recalling Bang Said The Gun: Manchester and Freed Up) and I know the effort Scott and co have put into making this splendid event.
I was impressed by the variety and quality of the open mic. There was a lot of comedy that proper made me laugh but never did it get to the point where poets with quieter, subtler, more serious work were not able to make the space their own. The audience laughed and listened in equal measures and, speaking as someone who often feels music and spoken word do not work well at the same event, the balance of guitar and voice throughout the night was spot on. Who can resist a chorus of 'Common People'?
Nat is a stunning poet, I am dead jealous of his 'Half' poem and his songs are exceptional. Both he and Paul have great comic timing and were so generous and giving in their hosting - I'm really looking forward to seeing them guest.
Well done all involved. NEO:LIVE is a special event.
Comment is about Dominic Berry (poet profile)
Original item by Dominic Berry
Oh dear! There's trouble at 't mill
Comment is about It's happened again: new poet unmasked as serial plagiarist (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Hi Richard
you're nearly right - I'm on at Cadence on 18th July - it is my book launch event (book is titled 'A Step Towards Winter')but it isn;t really baseds around Poe - although 'That Which Autumn Leaves' is in the collection and a couple of the other poems are quite dark. Hope your reading of 'In The Belly Of The Whale' went down well :-) look forward to meeting you at Cadence
Ian
Comment is about Richard Alfred (poet profile)
Original item by Richard Alfred
In the Guardian story Ira Lightman is quoted as saying: "Everything online by David R Morgan that I could find since Jan 2011 I could trace 90% of to another person's poem."
Comment is about It's happened again: new poet unmasked as serial plagiarist (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
NO worries Alex - you can't force poetry, it has to be inside you wanting to come out. I'm glad to hear that this particular theme isn't :) x
Comment is about 52 Hertz (blog)
Original item by Isobel
Did you ever go to Danes Dyke John
Sail on the Flamborean or the Bridlington queen The Yorkshire bell,,,its nuts they just stick in your mind like toffee, did you ever meet the guy who used to play the fiddle on those boats?
Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)
Original item by John Coopey
Thanks Alex it is a poem which is very much meant to be performed and I give the lines the right weight internation etc
Its kind of about an opinion held by one person for another, and if you like the opinion is so dark and wrong and the victim of this opinion is just sending out a reaction questioning those opinions held in the darkest exaggerated way.
Basicly saying your wrong, I am not this bad person you say I am
Not really higher level more a Stream of consciousness
Thanks hun
Comment is about I AM (blog)
Original item by Richard Alfred
When does allusion, quotation or inspiration become plagiarism? To what extent did this poet plagiarise? Whole works? Fragments, Odd lines? David Bowie has described a songwriting process which begins with an existing song. Then he modifies the melody and the lyric repeatedly until a 'new' work emerges. Plagiarism. There was a big controversy a few years back alleging that Dylan plagiarised songs on the album Love & Theft. Well of course there's a clue in the title. I looked into this a bit and you could find inspiration from previous works or thematic similarities but nothing I'd call plagiarism... musically it was a different matter. But then he's always taken other people's melodies!
Comment is about It's happened again: new poet unmasked as serial plagiarist (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
It's the democratic ethos of Write Out Loud, Tim. We all take our turn in posing next to the lead story, whatever it may happen to be. A new pic with every click. No one hangs around there for long!
Comment is about It's happened again: new poet unmasked as serial plagiarist (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Glad you liked "Filey" Richard. You're right about so many of those other Yorkshire coast towns (I'm not so sure about Brid, though!). The attraction of Filey for me personally is its memories rather than any intrinsic character.
Comment is about Richard Alfred (poet profile)
Original item by Richard Alfred
What ho, the Old Devonian! I think Torbay outshines Filey in just about every aspect I can think of!
Comment is about M.C. Newberry (poet profile)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
Glad you liked "Filey", Yvonne. Next time I catch you there you can have a lick of my lolly.
Comment is about Yvonne Brunton (poet profile)
Original item by Yvonne Brunton
Thanks for your thoughts on "Filey", Harry. I have to confess it's a little more down-beat than I paint it.
Comment is about Harry O`N eill (poet profile)
Original item by Harry O`N eill
Thanks for your thoughts on "Filey", Ian. The first time we went there in the in-law's caravan some 30 years ago, we decided to go the week after Easter. We thought it would be packed for Easter week. When we got there it was shut.
Comment is about Ian Whiteley (poet profile)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
That's really made my day, you saying that! Glad you are enjoying my work : )
Comment is about Ian Whiteley (poet profile)
Original item by Ian Whiteley
<Deleted User> (5508)
Wed 22nd May 2013 22:14
This bleeds beautifully. Kudos.
Comment is about The Candy Train (blog)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
Thanks Steve. Glad you like it.
David.
Comment is about IS THIS POETRY? (blog)
Original item by David Subacchi
I doubt my friend Felix is going to be too happy if he notices his photo posted right beside this headline on your home page...
Comment is about It's happened again: new poet unmasked as serial plagiarist (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Love this, Dorinda, very enjoyable.
Comment is about Upside Down In The Sink (blog)
Original item by Dorinda MacDowell
Good one, Dorinda, gave me a chuckle too.
Comment is about Parking (blog)
Original item by Dorinda MacDowell
Hi Marksy, as a fellow part time misfit, I really enjoyed this poem :-)
Comment is about The Misfits (going awol) (blog)
Original item by Marksy
thanks for commenting on 'in the belly of the whale' Cynthia - it approaches Isobels brilliant conceptual introduction at a slightly different angle - but hopefully carries the spirit of the topic
cheers
Ian
Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
thanks for your kind comments on 'in the belly of the whale' rachel - i'm so pleased that you picked up on the title - which just dropped into my mind as i wrote it ( the original title was to be 'the lonely call of mankind' but i was so pleased when a lightbulb went on and that title surfaced (whoops, mixed metaphor there - but you know what I mean). I love your 52 hertz effort as well by the way - very image rich and loving the quasi-religious angle to it. I love poetry that tells a story in a more oblique way, using image and suggestion rather than direct reporting - and yours ticks all the right boxes on that score - well done :-)
Ian
Comment is about Rachel Bond (poet profile)
Original item by Rachel Bond
thanks for commenting on 'in the belly of the whale' isobel - i'm quite pleased with it as there are a lot of subtle references in there - including the title. I was interested in the discussion going on at the moment about forced deadlines and topics - I love the challenge - and as your conceptual intro was already fully formed i thought i'd go for a less obvious slant on it. no doubt this would dissapoint whale lovers everywhere :-)
Ian
Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)
Original item by Isobel
thanks for commenting on 'noticed' John - I know what you mean about life/wife/knife/strife - but like to think you can be creative with adjacent words to give them a bit more of a unique slant - hopefully that worked. Glad you enjoyed it
Ian
Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)
Original item by John Coopey
thanks once again for your comments on 'noticed' Yvonne - I'm glad you like the 'flag' words earlier in the poem - I had an exchange of views with Harry on this - I wrote them in early because this man lived like a ghost when he was alive - he was a ghost when he died. So you got it spot on regarding what I intended. Very perceptive as always :-)
Ian
Comment is about Yvonne Brunton (poet profile)
Original item by Yvonne Brunton
I'm just glad it seems to have worked and that some people have liked it. I was a little unsure as to whether it would work or not. It's a little different stylistically for me, but I wanted to take a chance with something.
The Garden Gray - why not if the weather is kind - thx for the great support! Not sure I can live up to such high praise, but your generosity of spirit and support of my poetry is something that is really helpful!
Hey Pete, yea I was trying to turn the poem around on the listener, it seems to have worked to some degree - so that's nice. :). Hopefully I can make Rochdale for your Sunday night - I'll try. I'd like to hear your set.
Hi Isobel, again really glad you like the poem. I'll certainly perform it at Wigan. I guess it does reflect a little of the good, the bad and the envy hehe. That could be a poem title right there!
Thx for the positive feedback - V much appreciated and thx for reading...
Best of
Chris
Comment is about The Spectacle (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
Liked this very much I think if you know the place you love the place.
for me the ne coast is full of magic
Whitby
Robin hoods
Scarborough
brid Flamborough Head the light house
and maybe for me best of all cpt cooks village or staithes thanks for this poem
Comment is about Filey (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Loving it..
Comment is about Would You Not Prefer a Chair Mrs Atwood? (blog)
Original item by David Lindsay
I love this Chris - you'll have to perform it in Wigan!
I like the undercurrent of jealousy that I can sense running through this - the page poets real assessment of 'the spectacle' maybe :)
Comment is about The Spectacle (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
Thanks Julian - that's praise indeed!
I find commas a mine field. The structure of the poem is an issue for me. Often words that should hang together are carved up to make it look like a poem. The commas are my way of differentiating what should be separate, where the pauses should go - though I probably only started to do that properly half way through this cos I don't like an overly punctuated poem.
I think when you are a performance poet, you hear the voice in your head reading it - the pauses matter - though they may not necessarily follow a pattern someone else would see. Perhaps it would be simpler just to take them all out!
Thanks for your very generous comment - I shall make some enquiries with Gregory :)
Comment is about The Lonely Whale (blog)
Original item by Isobel
Hya Chris.
Gray posted this on Facebook, rightly so. So I thought I would chip in. Enjoyed the reading of it at the Brooklyn. I like the idea of turning the poem round and aiming at the listener directly. Keep transpiring, perspiring and beguiling.
Cheers
Pete the Bus Driving Poet.
Comment is about The Spectacle (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
Hi Chris (mate)...you are a true star you are!
You are one of those special Poets who write special words covering special things and subjects that only special people see...
You have not disappointed in your above Poem...
Really enjoyed Gallaghers Pub n barbers?? lol
It will be great in The Summer (if we get one) as maybe you could hold the event in The Garden?...
Thank you for putting together a good night!
Thank you for being you!
My Bests Mate - Gray
Comment is about The Spectacle (blog)
Original item by Chris Co
This has a lovely insistent rhythm, Cynthia. Very moving.
Comment is about The Candy Train (blog)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
Hey Harry,
Just really glad that you and Yvonne enjoyed the evening. Hopefully we'll have many more good nights to come.
Best of
from me - and the two ladies in charge.
Chris
Comment is about Harry O`N eill (poet profile)
Original item by Harry O`N eill
As ever Cynthia you are way too kind. I think I saw somewhere on WOL that you had a good reading. Congrats!
Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
Hello Cynthia
Why thank you kind lady for your comment on an idea. It gave me an idea which I may share with others when it matures .... and the vodka wears off.
Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
tony sheridan
Wed 22nd May 2013 09:28
I think it stands as it is. Nice one!
Comment is about call (blog)
Isobel, this is a wonderful poem. Indeed, as Cynthia says (and she should know), a masterpiece. Tidal flowing rhythm, subtle use of assonance, alliteration too.
Now, get it sent off to a suitable magazine pronto, though you might want to reflect on your inconsistency in use of commas.
And it is a cracker. Wasn't there a nature poem competition recently announced in Greg's news columns?
Comment is about The Lonely Whale (blog)
Original item by Isobel
Almost forgot. The other thing that struck me was your signature at the end of the poem... cbt. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.... pretty much the opposite approach to psychoanalysis! Sorry for going off at tangents!
Comment is about it (blog)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
I'm not sure Freud really was a clever bloke. See Jeffrey Masson's 'Against Therapy'. Freud was the pseudo scientist extraordinaire! Though you do capture the essence of what he asserted. It's inspired me. Expect a Freud sceptical piece sometime around 2017! I work at a snail's pace.
Comment is about it (blog)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
Sometimes stars shouldn't listen to the management or the PR department. I guess you could write about Charlotte Church in a similar way... The repetition of 'over' and commenting 'mis' is especially effective. I'm shocked people don't know who she is.
Comment is about Dear Katherine (blog)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
Hi Cynthia,
You were up late commenting on poems! Thanks for your comment on 'The Poem Fails' ~ That's an impressive back catalogue you've got. I'll start reading and commenting soon.
Very best wishes~ Jonnie
Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
Thanks for your comment Cynthia - I'm glad you liked it! Sorry I missed your spot at Sale - let me know when you're on again - not been there in ages. x
Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)
Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas
Nigel Astell
Thu 23rd May 2013 15:47
Old Oak
is your
protected shelter.
Golden leaves
turn brown
then crumble.
Love sunset
wishing hard
eyes open.
Comment is about The Oak Tree III (blog)
Original item by Katy Megan