The Crowd Without Launch

So, the Flax018 launch came and went. Just like that. It was a great night. Download the anthology on the Flax page, and you can follow links to audio recordings and other content.

The other 5 poets were awesome and I was fully in awe of the confidence and the sheer performance. I just got up, read and sat down. This was however, my first time. In fact a lot of firsts: first time I'd ever submitted anything for publication, therefore first time I have been accepted, and first time to air it to the general public. I've only been writing for about a year, a bit less in fact, so all told it wasn't a bad job, but I still felt very conspicuous. I realised quite soon after the event, that it is not my destiny to be a performance poet. I write to be read but I would happily just read it and then leave. I'm not good at the drama, and the body language. I also feel happier letting the audience read their own meaning. I don't like explaining things outside the safe boundaries of the poem itself. I wonder if this is okay?

So what actually happened: well, I was third in line (of 6) and read four poems. Three from the anthology and one short one from no where in particular. It was exciting to see the promo postcards and I took some away for posterity. I also put my fourth poem on to travel tags and left them on tables for people to take away (see photo). These were fun to make but I didn't hang around until the end to see if they all got left on the table. I just ran for the pub.

As soon as I stepped down, I thought 'never again'. It was as painful as science presentations which I am well used to now, but that used to terrify me. When all you can hope for is a poker face. But this morning, I am more philosophical and I think I would embrace the opportunity to read some newer work. I have already begun to detatch from the anthology poems, mainly because they are older, or should I say earlier, and therefore are not typical of what I am writing now. It is a brilliant learning curve and while sat in the pub after I had the beginnings of a new idea, so inspiring were the friends that came to support me, and the other poets reading last night.

No More Sleeps

Just a quick note to self: think of the words, think of the words, think of the words.

I perhaps should have thought twice about printing poems on brown paper but they looked nice in my very bright office. Now I wonder if I'll be able to read them come this evening. They are, however, on some very pretty postcards. I'm really looking forward to seeing the publicity postcards. Hopefully get to bring a few away for family, posterity etc.

The butterflies have taken residence again. But only little ones. No atlas moths here.

I can just see everyone with their books for sale, and their long list of publications, exciting poems and dynamic reading...at some point I will then be invited to take the mic. Hmmm.

Anyway, T minus one hour. Should really be getting ready and having a drink.

Read around the Fear

If you go to the Litfest website, you can follow some links to information on the new Poetry Anthology (The Crowd Without) by Flax, being launched in June. This will be the new home for three of my poems: Reclamation, Bay Rock and Square Metres for Acreage. They will be very happy there.

Here is a little blurb from the web by editor Sarah Hymas;

"The Crowd Without is the latest of our poetry anthologies. It contains poems that twist through relationships, the sky and memory. While these topics are well populated, the narrators of the poems are outsiders, or at the least, objective witnesses to what unfolds around them.

Sensual, political and, at times, wry, these poems herald some of the strongest voices in the North West, from both new and established poets"

I not sure if I am terrified or excited. Actually I do know. Terrified. Due in most part to the great line up of other poets that, by rights, I should really not be a part of.