Stuck for a Stocking Filler? Make someone’s day with Poetry!

Only ten shopping days left to Christmas. But don’t despair! Salvation is only a brief mouse-click away.

Why not buy that poetry-loving, special someone a copy of Genius Floored: Notes While Waiting? All proceeds from the sale are donated to Caris Camden, which administers Camden cold-weather shelters for the homeless.

The anthology contains work by poetry big-hitters such as Fleur Adcock, Elaine Feinstein, Matthew Hollis, Fiona Sampson and George Szirtes, plus contributions from some of the many open-mic contributors at Lumen and Camden poetry evenings in London. These include Connie Bensley, Claire Booker, Greg Byrne, Nancy Charley, Annemarie Cooper, Gillian Henchley, Hilaire, Racheal Joseph and Caroline Vero.

Edited by award-winning poet, Ruth O’Callaghan, it’s an incredible snip at £4.99 per copy. To purchase a copy of Genius Floored:Notes While Waiting please click on the following link http://www.soaringpenguinpress.com

To find out more about Camden and Lumen poetry events check out:  http://www.camdenlumen.wordpress.com

Smoking Can Seriously Help the Homeless

Or more specifically, Genius Floored: Whispers in Smoke can seriously help keep homeless men and women off the streets this winter, and give them real hope in 2015.

A fistful of famous poets, together with regulars at the Camden and Lumen monthly poetry series events, have donated poems which are included in this year’s anthology, edited by Ruth O’Callaghan and published by Soaring Penguin.

Yes, POETRY does make things happen!

Featured poets include Dannie Abse, Fleur Adcock, Alison Brackenbury, Ruth O’Callaghan, Fiona Sampson, Anne Stevenson and George Szirtes,  as well as RV Bailey, Claire Booker, Josh Ekroy, Daphne Gloag, Barry Jones,  Jeremy Kingston and Caroline Smith.

All proceeds from the sale of this year’s anthology will be donated to Caris Camden, which administers Camden cold-weather shelters for the homeless.

To purchase a copy of Genius Floored:Whispers in Smoke please click on the following link http://www.soaringpenguinpress.com

To find out more about Camden and Lumen poetry events check out:  http://www.camdenlumen.wordpress.com

Magma’s out! 69 fresh poems for summer

Totally thrilled to have another poem in Magma, which meant I got to read my work at the launch last Friday alongside guest poets Lorraine Mariner and Colette Bryce and some delightful fellow contributors, including Alison Brackenbury, Katie Byford, Rowena Knight, Abigail Morley, Ruth O’Callaghan and Mathew Paul.

More than 100 people squeezed into The London Review Bookshop to celebrate Magma 59‘s fresh new take on the theme of ‘Breaks’ by a wide range of poets including Mimi Khalvati and Penelope Shuttle.  The issue crackles with originality. Titles alone make your mouth water, including: ‘Apartment Hunting With the Lady Who Lives in A Shoe’, ‘The Half-Litre Messiah’, ‘The Doll With a Hole in its Hand’ and ‘Mal de Cou-Cou’.

“After poems of great delicacy and eggshells come others of metal and grind,” write editors Roberta James and Alex Pryce. “Already familiar with powerful lines like Sylvia Plath’s “Now I break up in pieces that fly about like clubs” and Tennyson’s rending elegy Break, Break, Break, we were all the same surprised by the extraordinary range of tone and far-reaching subject matter [in this issue].”

My own poem ‘Model in Love’ was written during a workshop at Tate Modern, inspiringly led by Pascale Petit. We were allowed to handle (with cotton gloves!) a number of sculptures, including a beautiful work by Alberto Giacometti entitled Walking Woman.

Magma 59 is available from www.magmapoetry.com  or from selected book stores. Indulge yourself in poetry heaven and enjoy features such as John Humphrys on Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est, Colette Bryce interviewed about her poem The Brits, and Andrew Neilson’s view of poetry on e-readers. Plus reviews by Laurie Smith, George Szirtes and Jennifer Wong.  A steal at £8.60 including p&p!

 

Provençal Crosses published in South Poetry Magazine

Pizza with friend in Maidenhead then round the corner to the launch of South (issue 48) where I read my poem ‘Provençal Crosses’ to the winking eye of a video recorder and appreciative audience (or so I like to hope!)

One of the joys of going to launches is hearing poems performed by their authors. It was therefore delightful to hear other contributors to South get up and declaim, including Andy Hickmott (Footsteps of Dancing Giants), Kitty Coles (A Soul), Patricia Griffin (Father) and Jennie Christian (Down Under).   

With 60 sparkling poems, plus incisive reviews of the latest poetry collections, including ‘The Silence Unheard’ by Ruth O’Callaghan, and ‘Bloodhound’ by Lisa Kelly, South is  a must at £7 incl p&p.  Or go wild and subscribe for a year’s worth of magazines at £12 incl. P&P.

To order a copy of issue 48 or submit your own work, please visit: http://www.southpoetry.org

The deadline for submissions is 30th November 2013.

For more information about the poetry and plays of Claire Booker, please visit: http://www.bookerplays.co.uk

Poetry anthology funds cold-weather shelters

Frost, snow, sleet, biting wind – they’re just words now, but in a matter of months hundreds of homeless people will be turning to cold-weather shelters funded by poetry just to keep alive.  Yes, POETRY does make things happen!

This year’s anthology from Camden and Lumen Poetry Series is edited by internationally acclaimed poet Ruth O’Callaghan and published by Soaring Penguin.  It includes poems by Fleur Adcock, Gillian Allnut, Mimi Khalvati and Fiona Sampson, as well as work from regular contributors to the poetry evenings such as Anne Ballard, Claire Booker, Annemarie Cooper, Josh Ekroy, Kaye Lee and Caroline Vero.

All proceeds from the sale of this year’s anthology will be donated to Caris Camden, which administers Camden cold-weather shelters for the homeless.

To purchase a copy of Genius Floored:Uncurtained Window please click on the following link http://www.soaringpenguinpress.com

To find out more about Camden and Lumen poetry events check out:  http://www.camdenlumen.wordpress.com

Genius Floored – a Turning Point for Claire Booker

For the second year running, I have a poem in the Genius Floored Anthology published by Soaring Penguin Press and supported by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy.

Edited by Ruth O’Callaghan, the anthology raises money for cold weather shelters in London and this year offers another great spread of poets, including Mimi Khalvati, Maureen Duffy, and Anne Stevenson.  My poem ‘Turning Point’, is a modern sonnet about emotional survival set in a garden centre.

As well as work by Claire Booker, Genius Floored: Alphabet of Days contains poems by fellow members of the Poets Scratching Heads collective – Barry Jones and  Caroline Vero.