November Quote of the Month

"Terror is incredibly pedantic."

From 'Utterance Shared Only with the Dishwasher She Sinks Her Hands Into' by Momtaza Mehri

in The Poetry Review Volume 113:2, Summer 2023.

20+ Poetry Things You Could Do Today

1) Firstly check out poets reading their poems at: Bob and Poetry.com: Short poetry clips - YouTube

For longer readings and films see: Bob and Poetry.com: Readings On YouTube - YouTube

I add to these playlists all the time so do keep checking.

2) (From Plume | Online Poetry Magazine)

November Edition Issue no. 147 Available

'In brief, Plume is a magazine dedicated to publishing the very best of contemporary poetry. To that end, we will be highly selective, offering twelve poems per monthly issue.'

There is an extensive archive to enjoy, too

For this edition see Issue #147 November 2023 Archives - Plume (plumepoetry.com)

3) (From Bad Lilies)

October 2023 Issue 16

'Bad Lilies is published six times a year and is edited by Kathryn Gray and Andrew Neilson.

We aim to showcase the finest poetry, ranging in technique and subject matter.'

See the new issue here: Issue sixteen — Bad Lilies

4) (From Of Poetry Podcast – Kitchen table conversations with poets)

Episode 37: Lauren Camp (Of Mystery, Agnes Martin, and Silence as Bounty) – Of Poetry Podcast

Lauren Mukamal Camp, New Mexico Poet Laureate, is the author of seven poetry collections, most recently An Eye in Each Square (River River Books, 2023) and Worn Smooth Between Devourings (NYQ Books, 2023).

See Episode 37: Lauren Camp (Of Mystery, Agnes Martin, and Silence as Bounty) – Of Poetry Podcast

5) (From Carol Rumens's poem of the week | Books | The Guardian website page)

Carol Rumens' Poem of the Week

A faultlessly consistent article in a national newspaper, and always available online, too.

See Poem of the week: Poem of the week: Down Here You’re With the Possible by Ruth Padel | Ruth Padel

6) (From Our Content — Home Stage website)

Meet the Poet: Lewis Buxton - YouTube

Meet Lewis Buxton: Norfolk-based poet, performer and co-director of Norwich’s largest regular poetry night, TOAST. In this episode of Meet the Poet Lewis discusses his debut poetry collection Boy in Various Poses. This collection explores the complexity of gender and boyhood with tenderness, humour and punch - and, in following the ever curious and changing figure of ‘Boy’, Lewis questions what it means to become a man.

First available to watch on Facebook and YouTube on Wednesday, 26 July 2023.

Go to Meet the Poet: Lewis Buxton - YouTube

Once you have watched this episode there is 38 more to watch at Meet the Poet - YouTube

For further Home Stage videos see: Home Stage - YouTube

7) (From Poetry Non-Stop (poetrynonstop.com) website)

Poetry Month at Poetry Non-Stop

Stuart Webb from Cromer published his debut chapbook, Notes from Hysteria Island, in 2023 with Backroom Poetry. On his Poetry Non-Stop debut he shares a selection of poems which are sharp, witty and political with a few local references.

Go to News – Poetry Non-Stop (poetrynonstop.com)

Here all the poems at NaPoWriMo Poetry Non-Stop (soundcloud.com)

8) (From Tin House website)

Between The Covers

Between the covers is a literary radio show and podcast hosted by David Naimon, is brought to you by Tin House. These long-form in-depth conversations have been singled out by the Guardian, Book Riot, the Financial Times, and BuzzFeed as one of the most notable book podcasts for writers and readers around.

For Between the Covers Podcasts visit Between the Covers Podcast - Tin House

For the most recent poetry podcast see: Bhanu Kapil : Incubation : A Space for Monsters - Tin House

9) (From AngelHousePress website)

Small Machine Talks: Episode 110: Writing into Health Trauma with Christine McNair and Elee Kraljii Gardiner

"I speak with Christine and Elee about our writing on our personal health traumas and the intersection of art and health. We also read from our works: Elee – Trauma Head; Christine – Toxemia and me – Beast Body Epic."

Hear the episode first published on 29 October 2023 at Episode 110

Visit the website at : The Small Machine Talks

10) (From Poetry Extra webpage )

In The Studio - Sharon Olds: Poetry Coming Down My Arm.

Daljit Nagra revisits the BBC's poetry archive.

The American poet Sharon Olds has been one of the leading voices in contemporary poetry since her first book was published in 1980. She won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013 for Stag’s Leap, her extraordinary collection of poems chronicling the breakup of her marriage, with its themes of love, family, sorrow, desire and memory, which have echoed throughout her work. But her career as a poet nearly didn’t happen.

Her first poems were dismissed by some editors who saw them as not literary enough, perhaps objecting to the intense way she wrote about sexual love and the minutiae of being a woman. But it’s precisely those qualities that have won her new generations of fans and critical praise across the world. After a period of long isolation due to the pandemic, Sharon talks to Emma Kingsley about her work and how lockdown has affected her perception of the world.

She describes how she creates new poems and how the words and images travel down her arm and out through the pen.

Presented and produced by Emma Kingsley. From October 2020.

See: Poetry Extra - In The Studio - Sharon Olds: Poetry Coming Down My Arm - BBC Sounds

11) (From The Buzz – The Hive Poetry Collective Website)

The Hive Poetry Collective: S5:E36 Ruba Ahmed Chats with Julie Murphy

The Hive radio show is broadcast on KSQD, 90.7 FM Community Radio in Santa Cruz on Sunday nights from 8pm-9pm. The Hive Poetry Collective is a buzz of poets in Santa Cruz, California— a swarm of radio conversations, public readings, and writing workshops.

Hear the most recent podcast posted 14 November, 2023.

See S5:E36 Ruba Ahmed Chats with Julie Murphy – The Hive Poetry Collective

12) (From West Wilts Radio)

The Poetry Place (Click for archive)

The Poetry Place is a monthly poetry magazine programme bringing you news, views, readings and interviews from today’s poetry community, both locally and further afield. Presented by Dawn Gorman and Peter O’Grady, it brings inspiration and food for thought for everyone, from those who enjoy listening to the occasional poem, to people writing and publishing their own work.

There's a new episode on the last Sunday of every month, with repeats from the archive on the other Sundays of the month. Repeated every Sunday, @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Hear the most recent new edition first broadcast on 29 October, 2023 at : The Poetry Place with Lesley Saunders & Ben Banyard #46-29/10/23

13) (From Rattle: Poetry)

Critique of the Week: A Live Video Workshop

"The critiquing workshop is a valuable part of the MFA experience—it’s hard to find honest feedback about your work, but knowing how your poems are actually landing is more useful than any other advice a poet can get. Not everyone has access to an MFA program, though, so we’d like to extend that experience to anyone who is interested.

With Critique of the Week, we’ll workshop several poems publicly each week, via Facebook and YouTube. Participants will get a chance to hear how the Rattle editors would encounter a poem if it were a submission and offer suggestions for improvement. Everyone is then welcome to join in the discussion in the video’s comments section, providing their own thoughts and feedback. Even if you don’t want to share your own poems, it should be an excellent learning opportunity for everyone who watches.

To participate, just use the Critique of the Week category on Submittable. Every active submission there will automatically be entered into a live drawing at the end of each month for the next round of participants. In the meantime, be sure to follow us on Facebook and/or subscribe to our YouTube Channel so that you don’t miss any of the critiques."

For more information see: Critique of the Week | Rattle: Poetry

Or see the latest live streamed event at : Rattlecast

Or read the latest daily poem at: Rattle: Poetry

(I sign up to the email daily post and strongly recommend it.)

14) (From Eat The Storms website)

Eat the Storms – The Podcast Podcast – Episode 14 – Season 7

Podcast available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, OverCast, Player FM, Radio Public, PocketCast, CastBox, iTunes, Podbean, Podcast Addicts and many more platforms.

This episode of Season 7 aired first on Saturday 16th September 2023, produced and hosted by Damien B. Donnelly. Below are details and links to the guest stars… Linda Drattell

Visit: Eat the Storms – The Podcast Podcast – Episode 14 – Season 7 – Storm Shelter

15) (From Seren Books newsletter)

Alternative Stories and Fake Realities: Whatever you do, just don't! Talking poetry with Matthew Stewart

"Thank you for listening to this edition of the Alternative Stories and Fake Realities Podcast in which we chat with poet Matthew Stewart about his new Happenstance collection “Whatever you do, just don’t”

You can order a copy of the collection via Happenstance here:

https://www.happenstancepress.com/index.php/shop/product/47818-whatever-you-do-just-don-t/category_pathway-64"

See Whatever you do, just don't! Talking poetry with Matthew Stewart (buzzsprout.com)

First published on 10 November 2023.

See all the podcasts at Alternative Stories and Fake Realities (buzzsprout.com)

16) (From Verse Ottawa )

VerseFest 2023

'MISS ANY OF VERSEFEST 2023 in March? Catch the things you missed in our videos'

See Videos of Past Events (verseottawa.ca)

17) (From BBC Radio 3 - The Verb Website)

Colm Tóibín

Ian McMillan presents a special extended interview with acclaimed Irish novelist, essayist, playwright, and poet Colm Tóibín, who's been described as one of Ireland's finest writers. Colm Tóibín is the author of eleven novels including Brooklyn, which won the 2009 Costa novel award, and The Magician, winner of the Rathbones Folio Prize; as well as two short story collections. Three times shortlisted for the Booker Prize Tóibín was made the Laureate for Irish Fiction for 2022–2024. In 2022, he published his first collection of poems, Vinegar Hill.

Presenter: Ian McMillan

Broadcast on 17 November, 2023.

See : The Verb - Colm Tóibín - BBC Sounds

Though this has slipped quite far down my list for no particular reason, The Verb is one of my favourite shows on radio and is available in podcast form. There is an archive of 214 episodes available: BBC Radio 3 - The Verb - Available now

18) (From New York Times website)

Reading poetry with the poem column

In this edition of our series on learning with New York Times columns, we’re inviting you to read and emulate The New York Times Magazine’s Poem column. Every week, the magazine publishes a new poem, which is chosen and introduced by a poet-editor, like Victoria Chang, Reginald Dwayne Betts or Naomi Shihab Nye.

In this lesson, you’ll read a poem from the column and see how the editors make their choices, as well as how they analyse and make connections to each poem. Then, you’ll choose your own poem to read and write a paragraph explaining what it means to you.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/28/learning/lesson-plans/reading-poetry-with-the-poem-column.html

The New York Times also does a poem a week - which can be seen without subscribing at: Poem - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

19) (From Ó Bhéal website)

Enter the 2023/2024 (11th) competition, which will run for 42 weeks.

The 2023/2024 (11th) competition will run for 42 weeks.

Every Tuesday at 12pm (Irish time) from 11th April 2023 – 30th January 2024, five words will be posted on this competition page. Entrants will have one week to compose and submit one or more poems which include all five words given for that week.

A prize of 750 euros will be awarded to the winner, plus 500 euros for second place and 250 euros for third place. These three, if available will be invited to read at Ó Bhéal’s seventeenth anniversary (hybrid) event, on Monday the 8th of April 2024. Should winners be able to attend in person, then an additional travel fee of 100 euro plus B&B accommodation will be provided for this. The overall winner also receives a physical award, hand-crafted by acclaimed glass artist (and poet) Michael Ray.

The shortlisted poems and winning entry will also be published in Five Words Vol XVII – the anthology of five word poems to be launched at the same event. A shortlist of twelve poems including the overall winner will be announced by the first week of March 2024.

Entry is open to all countries. Poems cannot exceed 50 lines in length (including line breaks), and must include all five words listed for the week.

A modicum of poetic license is acceptable. As long as the original spelling is intact, you’re welcome to extend, pluralise or even split any word to appear across two adjacent words, even if its original meaning becomes altered.

Poems should be newly written, during this 7-day period. There is no limit to volume of entries, although each payment and submission should be made separately.

NB** Entrants should be at least 18 years of age at the date of submission.

Entries to be sent no later than 12pm on the relevant Tuesday.

Submissions carry a 5 euro entrance fee.

For more information see: Welcome to Ó Bhéal - Fáilte go dtí Ó Bhéal (obheal.ie)

20) (From Moving Poems website)

Watch the Best Poetry Videos on the Web

The latest when I looked: a beach scene from ostend by Mola Clay | Moving Poems

'On a sweltering day at the pools, monotony conspires to take us on an ethereal journey. A bored front desk attendant reads the acknowledgments of a paperback and while observing the swimmers she drifts into a daydream.'

Poet: Louise Wallace | Nationality: New Zealand | Filmmaker: Arvind Eriksson

Regularly updated there's 2187 videos (and counting) to see at Videopoems | Moving Poems

21) (From T.S. Eliot website)

T.S. Eliot Prize

The T.S. Eliot Prize shortlist for 2023 has now been announced, and videos of all the nominees will follow. Every year of the prize I have enjoyed watching the poets read from their book, and say a little about themselves.

See: Videos – The T. S. Eliot Prize 2023 (tseliot.com)

See the whole amazing archive at T. S. Eliot Prize - YouTube

22) (From London Review Bookshop website)

New Faber Poetry

"Poetry from four of the most exciting poets at work today. Declan Ryan reads from Crisis Actor, his long-awaited debut of failures and farewells, alternating (in the words of Kate Kellaway) ‘between the pugilistic and the becalmed’. Maggie Millner’s novel in verse, Couplets, is a unique story of queer desire, the couplet form beautifully embodying the narrative. Hannah Sullivan reads from her second collection, Was It for This, poems exploring different visions of home, motherhood and London. And Nick Laird reads from Up Late, the title poem of which won last year’s Forward Prize for Best Single Poem.

Subscribe to this podcast Share on Facebook Share on Twitter "

Hear this podcast at: New Faber Poetry | London Review Bookshop

For lots of past videos and podcasts (not exclusively poetry) see: Podcasts & video | London Review Bookshop

23) (From The Poetry Programme - RTÉ Radio 1 (rte.ie) website)

The Poetry Programme

Olivia O'Leary explores the diverse and vibrant world of poets and poetry. For everyone who loves poetry. And those who just don't know it yet.

The Poetry Programme Sunday 25 December 2022

Olivia O'Leary hosts the hour-long Christmas 2022 Poetry Programme.

This year's Christmas programme, presented in collaboration with Poetry Ireland, features readings and conversation with Caitríona Ní Chléirchín, Barry Devlin, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin and Andrew Bennett, and music from DCU Lumen Chorale.

Barry Devlin chooses some favourite Christmas poems to read, including one by Seamus Heaney from the poet's 1984 Christmas card. Caitríona Ní Chléirchín reads from her collection The Talk of the Town, and we hear a joint reading of the ever-popular A Christmas Childhood by Patrick Kavanagh, with Barry reading the poem in English and Caitríona reading her new translation of the poem into Irish. Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin's choices include some of her own work, as well as poems by JM Synge and her late husband, Macdara Woods. Andrew Bennet reads a selection of poems throughout the programme (by Patrick Moran, Joan McBreen, Alvy Carragher, Moya Roddy, Kevin Cowdall and Louis Mulcahy) and talks with Olivia about the his role as the foster father in the Irish language film An Cailín Ciúin.

The programme opens and closes with musical performances by members of the DCU Lumen Chorale, conducted by Róisín Blunnie.

The programme was recorded before a live audience in Belvedere House, St Patrick's, Drumcondra, part of the campus of DCU. Poetry Ireland is temporarily based at St Patrick's while works are ongoing at their city centre headquarters.

Broadcast on 25 December 2022, we are still waiting for a new episode, but there is a very large archive to explore.

Hear it at: The Poetry Programme Sunday 25 December 2022 - The Poetry Programme, Christmas Day 2022 (rte.ie)

Though the show is sadly off-air now, the immense archive is still available to listen to and is recommended.

23) Look around this site and follow some of the links you have not heard of before...