THE WEST MIDLANDS READERS’ NETWORK
& Poetry on Loan

February is Billy Collins' Taking Off Emily Dickinson's Clothes. Well known in the States, this is Billy's first collection published here. Read on....

On Turning Ten

The whole idea of it makes me feel
like I’m coming down with something,
something worse than any stomach ache
or the headaches I get from reading in a bad light –
a kind of measles of the spirit,
a mumps of the psyche,
a disfiguring chicken pox of the soul.

You tell me it is too early to be looking back,
but that is because you have forgotten
the perfect simplicity of being one
and the beautiful complexity introduced by two.

But I can lie on my bed and remember every digit.
At four I was an Arabian wizard.
I could make myself invisible
by drinking a glass of milk in a certain way.
At seven I was a soldier, at nine a prince.

But now I am mostly at the window
watching the late afternoon light.
Back then it never fell so solemnly
against the side of my tree house,
and my bicycle never leaned against the garage
as it does today,
all the dark blue speed drained out of it….

This is the beginning of sadness, I say to myself,
as I walk through the universe in my sneakers.
It is time to say goodbye to imaginary friends,
Time to turn the first big number.

It seems only yesterday I used to believe
there was nothing under my skin but light.
If you cut me I would shine.
But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life,
I skin my knees. I bleed.

This is what Billy said:-

"Last year I enjoyed a distinct benchmark in my career as a poet, if you can call years of secretive note-taking a career. Picador UK published a selection of my poems, and Taking Off Emily Dickinson's Clothes became my first book to be published in Britain. I don't mind telling you that I chose the title, which is the title of one of the poems inside, to make up for the fact that my name would mean nothing to most readers on your side of the pond. I hoped the prospect of witnessing the disrobing of a major nineteenth-century American female poet might provoke a hand or two to pull the item down from the bookstore shelf.

Here's what his readers said:-

‘You must read these poems. Unfussy, easy, but so clever in their ease. Start with page 3, then try page 105. If you happen to have had your cat put down recently, turn straight to page 17’.  

‘To be perfectly honest, after reading one page of anything I find it too tiring to go on. But I couldn’t put this book down!’

 ‘ I never read something and laugh out loud, even if I find it funny. So imagine how astonished I was to to hear myself laughing uncontrollably after reading Purity’.

 ‘What joy to discover a new poet, most of whose poems I understand and love. He writes either about the commonplace in a dangerous way, or the dangerous in a commonplace way. My book of the year, already!’

 'I personally was moved by The Wires of the Night, although all of the poems are striking and funny’

 ‘I didn’t understand the title of this book until I had read a good many of the poems in it – then, little by little, I began to chuckle as the humour of it emerged – its absurdity, its odd image, its askew vision of the world.’

 ‘Reading this book is like holding a tuning fork to your soul. If you read only one book of poetry, make it this one.'

Especial Thanks To: Don Abbey, Jill Abbey, Philip Benjamin-Coker, Geoff Bolton, Alun Evans,
Paul Anthony Jones, Chris Morgan, June Paddock, Mike Reed.

Want More....

If you enjoy this book, you could try poets Ian McMillan, Simon Armitage or Carol Ann Duffy. All of them use a slightly offbeat, surreal approach to everyday subjects, and swing from the comic to the tragic.

More Picador poets reviewed by our readers…..

Conjure Michael Donaghy

‘This is wonderful poetry from a master magician with superb sleight of hand – he makes you look in one direction, whilst pulling a coin from your ear!’

‘5.00/5.10/5.15 is one of the most poignant, passionate and intimate love poems I have read’.

Jizzen Kathleen Jamie

‘Everyday life with a twist – a joy’.

‘Written with a Scots' voice, full of pride, power, compassion and love.’

The Heel of Bernadette Colette Bryce

‘Wow, so much energy leaps off the page that I felt tired just reading it!’

‘Don’t start at the beginning but just dip in anywhere. You won’t be disappointed, it is full of gems.’

The Twelfth of Never Ciaran Carson

‘A must for everyone who says modern poetry doesn’t rhyme: 77 sonnets which take you across time, continents and imagination. The best way to travel without leaving your chair.’

The Red-Funnelled Boat Peter Armstrong

‘A very masculine collection, dripping testosterone and angst, ranging through mania, loss, desolate landscapes and movie images.’

‘Here is a whistle-stop tour of America by a lad from the North East of England who not only hears the sound but has learned to read between the tracks.’

Destination: Further…..

Reading groups: Many of the reactions to the poetry in this leaflet were written by members of reading groups. Reading groups are a way of sharing the pleasure you get from reading. They offer you the chance to meet with other readers who also enjoy talking about the book they’ve read. Most groups are free, meet monthly, and have up to fifteen members. Group members decide what they want to read and talk about – meetings are informal and everyone’s opinion counts.

If you are interested in joining or starting a reading group, ask at your local library or bookshop. They may already run a reading group. If they don’t they should be able to give you information on your nearest group, or advice on starting one yourself. The West Midlands Readers’ Network supports readers and readers’ group in the region – check out your local library, lit-net's writers and readers page or e-mail handinhand@cwcom.net for details of your nearest group.

Lit-Net (http://www.lit-net.org) is the West Midlands’ own books and reading website. A lively, constantly changing site including book reviews, discussions, and details of events for readers and writers.(I should cocoa, Lit-Net Ed)

Poetry On Loan West Midlands is a network of 20 libraries in the region which specialise in the promotion of contemporary poetry. The six libraries participating in Poetry Book of the Month are Poetry On Loan members. All have a special Poetry Place within their libraries, with information, collections of poetry, etc. Click here for details of other Poetry On Loan libraries.

The Poetry Society helps poetry thrive by promoting it through a range of work including publications, competitions, education work, and a website (http://www. poetrysoc.com).  It is a membership organisation open to all and offers benefits to members. Contact: Membership, The Poetry Society, 22 Betterton Street, London WC2H 9BX.

The Orange Reading Groups Guide (free, Book Trust, 1997) contains everything you need to know about setting up a reading group. Phone 0973 150 720 to order a copy.

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For more details about Poetry Book Of The Month & Poetry On Loan
e-mail Christine Bridgwood at handinhand@cwcom.net