It Gives Us the Other - Nottingham Contemporary, April 28

The Nottingham Contemporary is a wonderful place, and despite having been open for 18 months or so this was my first visit. I read with Emily Hasler and Helene Fromen. The reading was the closing event of 'It Gives Us the Other,' a conference about poetry in translation. So I opened by reading my poem, 'At Her Grandmother's Table' which features a little Greek. This poem will also be featured in the forthcoming edition of 'Staple' magazine. Despite having arguably one of the most common English surnames, I'm actually Greek Cypriot, my full maiden name was Maria Dimitri Orthodoxou, I just married into Englishness. Anyhow, what a remarkable venue, having read at a great many open mic events at pubs and back rooms and so forth, this was a room where even the quietest whisper could travel to the furthest corners.
The event was hosted by Eireann Lorsung, who works tirelessly arranging such events for the Nottingham Poetry Series. After I read we heard Emily Hasler, who is a very striking young poet who read an excellent selection of work. Emily's poetry was really enjoyable, I was particularly taken with 'St. Jerome and the Chaffinch,' a delicately written piece. The main reader was Helene Fromen, who not surprisingly for such a day, read in French, with Eireann reading the English translation afterwards.



 Now, translating poetry is a notable skill. Not only must a translator cope with idioms and turns of phrase native to a particular language, but also produce something which still 'sings' in a different tongue. Translators have to be poets themselves. I have a copy of Cavafy's poems, Greek on one side and English on the other and it's fascinating to compare similarities and differences. Helene's work sounded fresh, alive and spontaneous, so someone did a great job there. I'm afraid I'm not sure who, but perhaps it was Eireann?
Afterwards a lovely meal and a chance to take a breath for a month before my next reading. Thank you ever so much the Nottingham Poetry Series. I should also add that Eireann produces the most wonderful posters for the NPS, (featured above), I framed mine, a thing of beauty is a joy forever, n'est c'est pas?

The news, breaking not broken.

I have been pretty lucky publication wise this year. There's quite a bit to look forward to in terms of magazines. I have work either publsihed or forthcoming in Staple, Tears in the Fence, Obsessed with Pipework, The Coffee House, Ink, Sweat and Tears and The North. Here's a link for the Ink, Sweat and Tears webzine:

http://www.ink-sweat-and-tears.com/

Plus readings a plenty Leicester Shindig on April 18th avec moi, Matt Merritt, Kathy Bell and Matthew Stewart. This takes place at The Western, Western Road, Leicester at 7:30pm and it won't cost you a penny, gentle reader, but obviosly your drinks will. I also read with the Nottingham Poetry series with Hélène Fromen and Emily Hasler, from 7:30 at the Nottingham Contemporary, Weekday Cross - again free. The strange one coming up next Monday is a reading at my old school (!), no not one I was a pupil at - they demolished that one, honest- they really did - but one I worked at as an English teacher, Beauchamp college in Oadby, Leicester. That should be interesting, I'll try and remember it's a reading and not Year 13 revision.

The best events I never went to: Jan, 2011

Hello again. This is a special blog post dedicated to being absent. Last week the Nottingham Poetry Series hosted a evening with Matthew Welton, Carol Rowntree Jones and Simon Turner. Would have gone but twins off colour.
I'm very interested in Matthew Welton's work, he puts a lot of emphasis on metre in a sort of arithmetic driven way. He makes the form work hard and it's quite a unique style. At a previous reading he was telling us (the audience) about it all, whilst concentrating very hard. The result is lines like this:

Vodka, she likes. Whisky also. And plums. And limes.
And lemon-peel. Fried fruit. Dry beans. Deep soup. Warm cream.

I find myself over the dishes with this in my head sometimes, creeping in. Also wanted to hear Simon Turner as I find his work very interesting too, I'm very partial to a poem of his called 'The Ruined Chapel' on Hand and Star.

I should also say that I'm reading with the Nottingham Poetry Series in April. I will be going to that one.

There was also the Spoken Word All Stars which looked like a jolly evening too, with Andrew Graves and Lydia Towsey.

Signing off now.