THE WEST MIDLANDS READERS’
NETWORK
& Poetry on Loan
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July is Killing Time, by Simon Armitage. Simon was born in West Yorkshire in 1963. Formerly a probation officer, he works as a freelance writer and broadcaster, has written extensively for radio and television, and lectures in creative writing at Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Iowa. In 1999 the Poetry Society appointed Simon Armitage as poet in residence with the New Millenium Experience Company, which commissioned the writing of a 1000-line poem. Killing Time is the result of that commission.
Read on....
‘Meanwhile, because more people worship the sun these days
than God, millions flock
to England’s toe-end, to see for themselves the great blaze
turning a blind eye,
to stand in the shade of a satellite moon as it casts
a shadow of doubt
over the South West, over modern lives. The spectacle lasts
no more than a minute
or two, but St Ives is Bethlehem at census time, and the Lizard
is Glastonbury all over again,
its hedgerows crawling with druids and witches and wizards
and other occult sects,
and on Goonhilly Downs the tracking devices are one and the same
with the city
of tents, marquees, and every make and type of canvas home
to have mushroomed overnight,
and the surfers on Fistral Beach are gathered in praise
of the tide,
and bandwagons - from banana buses to brewer’s drays –
are coming along for the ride.’from Killing Time by Simon Armitage
Here are some comments from Killing Times' readers:-
‘This one is there to be
enjoyed. It is very cleverly written and manages to cover all the major issues of the
modern world. Put it on your ‘must read’ list!’
‘Fascinating. I found myself still thinking of these poems before I fell asleep that night. Then before the kettle boiled for the first cup of coffee next morning, I had my head back in the book again.’
‘I don’t, as a rule,
much like poetry, but I like this very much. Some of it is serious and thought-provoking.
Some of it made me laugh out loud. I liked the juxtaposition of historical with new:
Chaucer with a laptop; James Watt fiddling the ‘leckie’!’
‘News is all image and trivialisation in this witty, savage, and ultimately sad poem. Gary, aged 13, will make you smile on page 42. Then turn to the Lyre Bird, and weep.’
‘As you read it, you
think “I remember that”: the London Eye, the eclipse, the castaways on Taransay
– but remembering them through Armitage’s relentless, compelling verse gives you
a whole new perspective on them.’
Readers from Redditch.
Want More....
If you haven’t read Simon Armitage’s other collections, starting with Zoom!, you have a treat in store. Poets who were bracketed with Armitage in an influential and far-reaching promotion back in 1994, New Generation Poets, include Glyn Maxwell and Michael Hofmann. Although very different in style to Armitage, they have cited several shared influences such as Robert Lowell and W.H. Auden.
More Faber poets reviewed by our readers…..
Jackstraws by Charles Simic
‘Snippets of life;
polaroid images; vivid encapsulations of particular moments or feelings; all written with
immediacy and urgency by one of America’s most celebrated contemporary poets.’
‘As a non-poetry person,
I warmed to these poems. My favourite was Scott’s Arks, a moving account of the heroism of Scott’s ill-fated
expedition. I can recommend this book to other non-poetry readers!’
‘When you open this
collection, turn to page 39 straightaway. This is the title poem, and you’ll see on
reading it why it is an award-winning poem. The book is full of astute observations of the
commonplace – car journeys, disappointing holidays, snow – and, less
commonplace, of illicit love.’
Selected Poems by Yehudi Amichai
‘A great collection to
dip in and out of. I unearthed all sorts of riches. I was immediately grabbed by I
Walked Past a House Where I Lived Once, about the hidden
secrets we’ve all wondered about regarding our own homes – if only walls had
voices.’
Live from the Hong Kong Nile Club by August
Kleinzahler
‘An upbeat collection of poems that made me smile. I liked The Last Big Snow with its evocative description of the quietness that comes with a snowfall.’
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.
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 (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.
Click Poetry Book
Of The Month to return to Main Page
For more details about Poetry Book Of The Month & Poetry On Loan
e-mail Christine Bridgwood at handinhand@cwcom.net
