Paul Muldoon Readings....Pat Boran Poetry Programmes

Paul Muldoon Poem recordings

Pat Boran Poetry Programmes A great selection of programmes to listen again to.

Best New Poets 2007 Review

Best New Poets 2007 Book Description from Amazon

Praise for earlier editions:"Unlike novelists and bad-boy memoirists, emerging poets are unlikely to sprawl on Oprah's couch, date starlets, or rouse bidding wars. With an alert ear for new voices, this anthology offers a different kind of validation: that of being well heard. The result is a vibrant smorgasbord.... [ Best New Poets] bears evidence of the insistent inquiries of self and the world that drive poetry."-- Foreword "[One] comes to realize that the adjectives 'new' and 'emerging' are mere technicalities in this instance. Although none of the poets included here have published a full-length book of poetry, many are MFA students or graduates, and chapbook authors, and most have already seen some of their poems published in the most renowned and exclusive journals in North America.... The result is a remarkably diverse mix of poems."-- BookPleasures"It's a nervy thing for an anthology to label itself Best New Poets, but once again this collection lives up to its name. It's a rich and readable selection, reflecting no party-line aesthetic, and attesting to the formidable promise of the emerging generation."--David WojahnIn just three years Best New Poets has established itself as a crucial venue for rising poets and a valuable resource for poetry lovers. The only publication of its kind, this annual anthology is made up exclusively of work by writers who have not yet published a full-length book. The poems included in this eclectic sampling represent the best from the many that have been nominated by the country's top literary magazines and writing programs, as well as some two thousand additional poems submitted through an open online competition. The work of the fifty writers represented here provides the best perspective available on the continuing vitality of poetry as it's being practiced today.

About the Author

Natasha Trethewey is Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Emory University. Her most recent book, Native Guard, received the Pultizer Prize. Her work has appeared in American Poetry Review, Kenyon Review, and Best American Poetry, and has been honored with the Cave Canem Poetry Prize and the Lillian Smith Award for Poetry.

**I just got mine in the post plus the $200 : ) I really want to spend this money on all things related to poetry - especially poetry books. Any recommendations??

Shadow ...Páidi's Eyes

Giving the Eye....Imprisoned Within

Foothills Publishing and Cold Feet!

I just got news yesterday that my manuscript Deposits in the Heart Region was accepted by Foothills Publishing I am real pleased about this but maybe due to my sneezing fits I can only see a rocky road ahead as regards promoting it! I know its early days yet but at this stage I have to forward Foothills a list of e-mails of those interested in knowing about it (?!) and they mentioned radio shows and a whole heap of media outlets that have me caving in at the stomack - I have never read a poem of mine aloud but I think I could manage that part with some dutch courage tucked up my sleeve : ) But I don't know of any local radio shows etc who would want to know about the chapbook....here in the Canaries there is zilcho in the way of Arts in English so I think I may be flogging a dead horse. My only hope could be planning something in Ireland but even that would take a lot of organising and I won't be back there for another few months. The chapbook idea sounded lovely in theory and I am knee-deep in art ideas for the cover! but the whole business end will probably just sink out of sight for me! If anybody has any advice on what to do, I would be really thankful ...oh and should I share all these worries with the publisher or would that most likely scare them off?¿¿ Thanks : )

A Sneezing Takeover

Since Saturday I have been sneezing like a wild woman. I've never had such fits that just completely take over my body for a minute or so and I'm left a shivering wreck afterwards - puss just makes for the door, darting me 'if looks could kill' looks! Vladi keeps his palms pressed tightly over his ears. I really feel as if some gluttonous monster has taken over my body. I had never thought about how these involuntary body acts make the actual person feel like a right twat for being so invaded ...I'm having some minutes of respite now before it starts again. The laptop has been in mid-bounce from my knees on more than one occasion. Just hope it doesn't last too long - am keeping to my bed today so eyes will be totally zonked from too much internet by 6 pm!! ; )

The Workman Who Came to Stay

What do you do when you’ve got a workman in your house and you can’t get rid of him? He said it would take 2 days, and it is now on what seems like the 202nd day. He’s kind, he’s nice. Got a great smile. Laughed a lot when the husband said that making sure the new toilet lid would stay upright with no-hands was a major priority. He’s always got a cigarette in his mouth. Every day since he started – way, way back – he always jumps up from something he is doing to say that he must dash to the haberdashery store – there is always a screw, a top, a what-ever missing. This is one of the reasons we rarely take home renovations upon ourselves. We try to do all the preliminaries – seek out the right person, pin them down to a time period and price and then things just get out of hand and our budget ends up doubling. I know he’s doing a great job – and a long overdue one at that but having a long period of spending mornings with this workman is taking its toil! The funny thing is the bathroom is tiny –we are talking not enough room to ring one’s hands in peace : )

The Plot Thickens

(Dick about to tackle a bone, in preparation for his possible-hunting days!)

Do you know something...this Dick story is never-ending and it amuses and amazes me no end the turns and twists that his adventures keep taking.

Well, as I mentioned in my rather distraugh last message referring to Dick, he has impregnated a first class hunting dog of which there is only one other on the Island! Yesterday I met Carlos (the owner of said pure bred dog) and I was being totally apologetic again and what have you...I mentioned to Carlos that when they pups arrive we should try and get them adopted in Germany as they apparently have waiting lists there for puppies, he said to me, 'Liz, no way, within the last 2 days I have had 3 people asking me for the pups...it looks as if we are going to have a waiting list here never mind in Germay!' I, of course, was left open-mouthed and mumbled something about this being a joke...he said no that his friends are all for the mix of this pure bred with the handsome agile Jack Russel-ish Dick, he said that years ago the likes of Dick were used for hunting and it is coming back into 'fashion' again to have Dick-look-alikes out hunting! Carlos is quite excited about the prospect now. I then totally innocently mentioned that we were going to get
Dick 'done' and he looked at me and said 'But what happens if the mix turns out to be really good, how do I let folk know that Dick is no longer 'active'?' I nearly died laughing when he said that...he also hinted that he would be quite interested in keeping Dick and training him to hunt. I said that I didn't mind him being taken on hunting trips but that I would look after Dick. I didn't realise I was so fond of him and wouldn't like to see the back end of him, I know Vladi would though so the jury is out on that one! ; ) But isn't it incredible the turn of events - instead of Dick being a pest, he may be the next great hunting experiment with orders flowing in for his pups!! : )

Keeping Distracted by Submitting

I haven't submitted anything in about 5 months so this weekend I made myself sit down and do some sifting and sorting. I ended up getting totally absorbed in it and have sent off 3 submissions!! This opened armed window says it all about what I'd like to happen. : )

Dick is Missing

Since last mentioning how Dick was mooching around where he shouldn't have been, we've had to keep him fenced in more. Needless to say he hasn't liked it much and has been making a big racket to get his way. This morning at 4 am he was hollering a lot and by 6 am the noise had quietened down, I went to look and he was gone. That was about 14 hours ago...he is either having a whale of a time or something has happened to him!!

A half an hour later...

P.S. Dick has turned up....the neighbour is fierce angry, he reckons Dick has impregnated his pure bred hunting dog and he says we will have to take care of the puppies when they arrive!!! Help! This Dick saga is driving me stark, raving mad.

Longlisted for the Bridport Prize for Poetry

We just called to Lencho, the sweetie-shop man that keeps our mail, we usually go there on a Sunday lunch time to have an aperitivo in the local bar next door. Within the heap of bank letters and bills I found a letter from the Bridport Prize people to say that my poem
A Bruising on the Bone made it into the longlist. I don't get a prize or anything but I'm sure happy to be longlisted. : ) I'm not too sure if longlisting means publication...the full judge's report will be posted on the website from the 20th of November. Meanwhile I'm treating it as a cause for celebrating, even if only slightly ...here's to wine bottles/a bottle emptying. ; )

Crossing Everything for Dad

My dad is in hospital again and will be having a fairly major operation on Tuesday. It will be his 7th or 8th time 'on the table'...he's feeling nervous ...and me too. Hope everything will be ok.