tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-108511272024-03-16T01:12:21.923+00:00Pagesa blogzine of investigative, exploratory, avant-garde, innovative poetry and poetics edited by Robert SheppardRobert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comBlogger1411125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-45229460514031289042024-03-08T10:43:00.003+00:002024-03-15T10:07:51.402+00:00Online reading for the Runnymede International Literature Festival (set list)<p><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Runnymede International Literature Festival 13–22 March 2024</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/RoyalHollowayPoetics/?locale%3Den_GB&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw0Orxq0KI2XYfezqUBA4xsz" href="https://www.facebook.com/RoyalHollowayPoetics/?locale=en_GB" id="m_4095634494301056345OWA2a2f812d-f8d9-2073-853e-13097e2aaa3f" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">This year’s festival</a> </span><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;">began with an online event curated by Robert Hampson, with readings by</span><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://linktr.ee/catchong&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw1VjukyhXCWZdy63h5Xkr6R" fg_scanned="1" href="https://linktr.ee/catchong" id="m_4095634494301056345OWA2d7b2b8e-d0d4-6ec4-749c-1e693e972287" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Cat Chong</a><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;">, and the Liverpool-based poets </span><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://freeversethejournal.org/issue-32-2021-sarah-crewe/&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw3bhTpbptGICg2dFN6wyYba" fg_scanned="1" href="https://freeversethejournal.org/issue-32-2021-sarah-crewe/" id="m_4095634494301056345OWAfdcd90f6-8123-4db2-baee-f9523ab153c8" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Sarah Crewe</a><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> and</span><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://robertsheppard.weebly.com/&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw019qk-lrYCpsDjsErx0b0x" fg_scanned="1" href="https://robertsheppard.weebly.com/" id="m_4095634494301056345OWAaaf2f0f1-bb4b-cdcd-953a-6ffa0cd38ae5" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Robert Sheppard</a><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> on Wednesday 13 March.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: times;">I enjoyed reading, and enjoyed Cat's and Sarah's reading, but I would have enjoyed a live reading more, but no matter. Here's some notes I made for my part.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #222222;">I have been working on transpositions of canonical
English sonnets for some years (I’ve finished now) and they have been published
as <i>The English Strain (</i>See here: </span></span></span><a href="https://www.shearsman.com/store/Robert-Sheppard-The-English-Strain-p277847129" style="background-color: transparent;">Robert Sheppard - The English Strain (shearsman.com)</a> <span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #222222;">and <i>Bad Idea</i>. A third volume of versions of Romantic
sonnets (see here: </span></span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/06/an-overdub-of-dancing-girl-by-letitia.html" style="background-color: transparent;">Pages: ‘An overdub of The Dancing Girl by Letitia Elizabeth Landon’ from British Standards is published online in The Nest issue of A) Glimpse) Of) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a> <span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>will be published by Shearsman (that's breaking news by the way)</b>, but I going to read from the middle book </span></span><i style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222;">BAD
Idea </i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222;">where I took Michael Drayton’s 1619 sonnet sequence<i> Idea</i> (Idea is the
ideal woman of the sequence) and used it to pay homage to Drayton, but also to
tell the parliamentary story of brexit. Here’s Drayton’s most famous sonnet undone
and redone by me! Bo is Johnson and The Cum is Cummings…</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I then read 'Since there’s no help…'</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: times;">As you can hear (I continued) I was in danger of running out of
poems, so I added a coda. Written in a different mode, but now spoken by Idea
herself, 'Idea’s Mirror' utilizes some of the sonnets Drayton dumped along his
way to his final version. There’s 14 of them, written around and during the
2019 election, '</span></span><span style="font-family: times;">Idea’s Mirror' (These are both from <i>Bad Idea </i>which I wrote about here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/01/robert-sheppard-links-to-all-six-bad.html">Pages: Robert Sheppard: links to all SIX Bad Idea poems (Drayton versions) on Stride (with Drayton's originals)</a> <span style="font-family: times;">and you may buy here: </span><a href="https://www.knivesforksandspoonspress.co.uk/product-page/bad-idea-by-robert-sheppard-102-pages">'Bad Idea' by Robert Sheppard (102 pages) | Knives Forks and Spo (knivesforksandspoonspress.co.uk)</a><span style="font-family: times;">)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dVOQQJU9ahr08OAqaLBsrd1HM4GvXz9bi5jbtB1famfD1HViMqHpPIa8l8Q9N-qlsIUV0AazG5L0PcXeod5WE4C-Vlk2fmuqjQ225L1LGF7soueypyo03En11w5cVGf0LW1mofmVPBg_p8zsoRtmI1tXKEClLXfNrX4z0vytXUCthOgNC4uQqA/s594/Bad%20idea%20actual%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="419" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dVOQQJU9ahr08OAqaLBsrd1HM4GvXz9bi5jbtB1famfD1HViMqHpPIa8l8Q9N-qlsIUV0AazG5L0PcXeod5WE4C-Vlk2fmuqjQ225L1LGF7soueypyo03En11w5cVGf0LW1mofmVPBg_p8zsoRtmI1tXKEClLXfNrX4z0vytXUCthOgNC4uQqA/s320/Bad%20idea%20actual%20cover.jpg" width="226" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: times;">Now for more recent work, I said. This is a poem I wrote in November: I read '</span></span><span style="font-family: times;">Pretend-sleep'.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Here’s another short one, a response to a wartime
photograph by Lee Miller. Both photograph and poem are called ‘Revenge on
Culture’.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US">Staying
with photographs: this long poem was published in <i>The Long Poem Magazine</i>
and is </span>based
on the photographs that Tricia Porter took of ‘the area’ called then Liverpool
8. I’ve since been in touch with Tricia Porter and was interested that when
the photos were originally exhibited, they were accompanied by poetic prose texts
(which she sent me). I saw them in an exhibition at the Bluecoat. And I’ve used
the catalogue… <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">I write about this piece in some detail, with one of the photos, here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/11/my-poem-area-is-published-in-long-poem.html" style="text-align: left;">Pages: My poem THE AREA is published in The Long Poem Magazine number 30 (background and links) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I'm going to finish with something different. I’m
assembling poems about music and this is a new one. It came out of the
experience of having radiotherapy to the accompaniment of a music radio
station. This piece of music was a surprise! I read the poem 'Radio Therapy' (two
words, I emphasised, since the audience could not see the text.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">*</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The rest of the festival features poets from Royal Holloway’s Poetic Practice programme and Poetics Research Centre and themes related to the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/the-library/the-exhibition-space-at-the-emily-wilding-davison-building/words-from-the-wild/&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw0rpzVuGDWmzwpjylZ4YpLz" fg_scanned="1" href="https://royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/the-library/the-exhibition-space-at-the-emily-wilding-davison-building/words-from-the-wild/" id="m_4095634494301056345OWAe5a2278c-f893-33b0-6849-acfd551a94c1" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Words from the Wild exhibition</a>. For record, here are the details posted. </span></p><div><span style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;">There are also two in-person events at Royal Holloway’s Egham campus, curated by Caroline Harris and Briony Hughes . An evening of poetry film and sound art on Monday 18 March in the Event Space (next to the Exhibition Gallery in the Davison Building; 6.30pm) features premieres from</span><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://susiecampbellwrites.wordpress.com/about/&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw1ub4HjbQ_QMmPw-8KdUU-5" fg_scanned="1" href="https://susiecampbellwrites.wordpress.com/about/" id="m_4095634494301056345OWAc8677c72-6067-8b73-b30c-52cefeeca3ed" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Susie Campbell</a><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> and Hen Campbell and</span><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.taniciapratt.com/&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw38D6GRKwiTa5Azp__rHz0H" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.taniciapratt.com/" id="m_4095634494301056345OWA54dca1c8-a19c-1a81-6006-c05b91e91445" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Tanicia Pratt</a><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;">, sound from</span><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.rowan-evans.com/&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw2Bi0nFHRRYSYPU-S9Z28Hx" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.rowan-evans.com/" id="m_4095634494301056345OWAa1fed053-96dc-00d8-1c72-9e98fa89e7cc" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Rowan Evans</a><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> and</span><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://selvageflame.com/&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw2-_ouRT-PucjzAXD9IL7kT" fg_scanned="1" href="https://selvageflame.com/" id="m_4095634494301056345OWA81a9be12-0608-5a06-f4c8-d60a8ac963c3" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Will Montgomery</a><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black;">, plus Zakia Carpenter-Hall and Hannah Harding. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium;">On Friday 22 March, there will be readings in the exhibition itself, linked to its different sections, including by <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.singingapplepress.com/new-page-1&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw1gFvYFUKl6lhzI-sBvf2wh" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.singingapplepress.com/new-page-1" id="m_4095634494301056345OWA323d410d-8048-9b59-d65e-45cdbddbca25" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Camilla Nelson</a> and <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.smallbirdspress.co.uk/&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw1YasHHtsxX9C5PlXoVYKHA" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.smallbirdspress.co.uk/" id="m_4095634494301056345OWA8127f689-b529-462f-7379-1fa5ded7b1f7" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">Caroline Harris</a>, from 6.30pm.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; margin: 0cm;"><span face="Aptos, sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">These two events are not ticketed – all are welcome to come along on the day. See <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/the-library/the-exhibition-space-at-the-emily-wilding-davison-building/words-from-the-wild/&source=gmail&ust=1709980708164000&usg=AOvVaw0rpzVuGDWmzwpjylZ4YpLz" fg_scanned="1" href="https://royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/the-library/the-exhibition-space-at-the-emily-wilding-davison-building/words-from-the-wild/" id="m_4095634494301056345OWA5b85852b-7c9a-f070-9cdc-c6feb2baad43" style="color: #1155cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">here for location and access</a>. Feel free to arrive early and browse the exhibition beforehand.</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; direction: ltr; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-36275831172041372722024-02-26T12:29:00.000+00:002024-02-26T12:29:13.125+00:00Robert Sheppard: an 'Empty Diary' poem in the Broken Sleep MASCULINITY anthology<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I’m pleased to say that I have a poem in the new
Broken Sleep anthology, <i>Masculinity</i>, edited by Rick Dove, Aaron Kent and
Stuart McPherson, to whom, many thanks. It is one of the more egregious examples from the egregious ‘sequence’,
‘Empty Diaries’, ‘Gooner, Going, Gone: Empty Diary 2022’. I read it at my recent <i>Peter Barlow’s
Cigarette </i>reading (See here for the reaction to it: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/11/robert-sheppard-and-two-others-at-peter.html">Pages:
Robert Sheppard and two others at Peter Barlow's Cigarette 24th October 2023
(set list)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">) Usually narrated from the point of view of a woman,
each of these now-annual 'Empty Diary' poems focusses on sexual politics (though sometimes just sex and
sometimes just politics, occasionally neither), I write about the sequence (1901-1990, which first appeared in a
1992 book of that title, and later as the ‘spine’ of <i>Twentieth Century Blues</i>)
here: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/10/robert-sheppard-last-two-empty-diary.html">Pages:
Robert Sheppard: The last two Empty Diary poems are published on Stride</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
: and I include links to earlier poems, and videos of the 2019 and 2020 poems which
precede this one. This poem is unusual in being narrated by a man. And what a man, a gooner no less.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpFvH0cFWrmMs1fPdNzSpliAdJ6OQtPQ9NLRTGucmVOjC5NQtPrXC8Zyo188i8dLg1_Kw1m88fHS-5kUMPwm6uMwi6syrerJjZgnhHjZTJ7Zauqsf1ed_TT8u-7YS95W_mrufxUmUche6ACbCsJrWyQAG90n4Nj81_BDDQTl6PU6itHFnXYADUQ/s850/Masculinity.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpFvH0cFWrmMs1fPdNzSpliAdJ6OQtPQ9NLRTGucmVOjC5NQtPrXC8Zyo188i8dLg1_Kw1m88fHS-5kUMPwm6uMwi6syrerJjZgnhHjZTJ7Zauqsf1ed_TT8u-7YS95W_mrufxUmUche6ACbCsJrWyQAG90n4Nj81_BDDQTl6PU6itHFnXYADUQ/w414-h640/Masculinity.jpg" width="414" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This anthology (there are too many contributors to
list here, may be purchased at:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page/masculinity-an-anthology-of-modern-voices"><span style="font-size: large;">Masculinity,
an anthology of modern voices | Broken Sleep Books</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘<i>Masculinity:
an anthology of modern voices’</i>, the publisher says, ‘is a book of poetry
which aims to showcase the diversity of what it means to be a man and what it
means to embrace its multitudes. These poems emphasise that masculinity is not
a monolithic concept, but a dynamic, evolving force that can be shaped by culture,
society, and personal experiences. Including poetry from Andrew McMillan, Ian
Duhig, Michael Pedersen, Andre Bagoo, Pádraig Ó Tuama and [many] more, [and it's good to see friends like Andrew, Daniele Pantano, David Ward, Gregory Woods and others there] this is
a powerful, visceral reminder that masculinity is so much more than the sum of
its parts, and a call to open up a dialogue about masculinity that is
inclusive, progressive, and affirming.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I approve
of this, though I’m pretty sure my poem, which is about </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">super-</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">toxic incel
masculinity, which I (suppose I) satirise, is not at all 'affirming', and shouldn't be. My narrator rather literally plays
with the ‘sum of his parts’! (The 'Empty Diary' for 2023 is about a conspiracy theorist;
what shall I ‘do’ this year? No answers on a postcard please: something will
offer itself, I don’t doubt!)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">If you are wondering about the 2021 'Empty Diary', it was published in <i>Tears in the Fence: </i></span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/08/two-new-poems-published-in-tears-in.html">Pages: Two new poems published in Tears In the Fence 78 (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-22525391741698259502024-02-15T09:23:00.000+00:002024-02-15T09:23:18.789+00:0019 Years of Blogging: links to the last year's best posts and comments on the year<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I’ve been blogging for 19 years (today). In recent
years, on this anniversary, I have looked back at the posts that have enlivened me, have been looked
at a lot, and (even) have not been looked at all! I started this mode of
reviewing on the tenth anniversary, and all those posts (and the annual posts
in the last ten years of blogging) were presented as links, in last year’s 18</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
year post. I think this year, I’ll simply point to that post as a guide to all
the others. Do have a look, but don’t get lost in the labyrinth.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/02/eighteen-years-of-blogging-today.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Eighteen Years of Blogging
today! (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZGKSL9uICglRlSKnWPszzEy0kfMQSHRbNwR_QW1tLVO1DN34Yj47Z11eVeS0oX57XuexFMPVynORk3bTd_2KQO2qEF1CmzVsr86II8Fq_A6HOZGktR4jtPU61m8Ew_pQGBH5gLIo8tYNE-H9BxvaCHqHiYaPV31X1IGvk1KbkfXsvV99rkyQGQ/s2723/Robert%20Sheppard%20nov%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2723" data-original-width="1908" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZGKSL9uICglRlSKnWPszzEy0kfMQSHRbNwR_QW1tLVO1DN34Yj47Z11eVeS0oX57XuexFMPVynORk3bTd_2KQO2qEF1CmzVsr86II8Fq_A6HOZGktR4jtPU61m8Ew_pQGBH5gLIo8tYNE-H9BxvaCHqHiYaPV31X1IGvk1KbkfXsvV99rkyQGQ/w280-h400/Robert%20Sheppard%20nov%202023.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Blogging is meant to be a posting of the instant, but
I’ve never thought of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Pages </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">as ephemeral, as Twitter or X are, for
example. As those posts will indicate I set this blog up in 2005 as an attempt
to continue my print magazine </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Pages </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">as a ‘blogzine’, but gradually it
turned into a blog, but with the proviso that I see many of the posts as of
permanent import (I can’t say ‘importance’, for only others may judge that).
But the various posts on Iain Sinclair, for example, add up to something,
critically speaking. Or those that led up to my book </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The Meaning of Form. </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Some
posts are essays, some a spattering of links to other posts, and (during the
writing and temporary blogging of the poems of ‘The English Strain’) I learnt to
delete posts or to edit them after posting for a short time only. The writing of
those poems (but not of others, note) was very public (because the poems were
public, and demanded an immediate audience). </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Nineteen</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> is an odd number, in all
sorts of ways. Maybe the 20<sup>th</sup> year will be an occasion of looking
back at the WHOLE blog, so I am going to limit myself to this past year to
point out posts I would suggest readers re-visit or visit for the first time.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This blog (and some other blogspot blogs) seem not to
be favoured by my Norton security. I look at <i>my own </i>blog and it warns
me: ‘Dangerous Web Page Blocked!’ I just ignore it, because it doesn’t make
sense to me. I’ve not noted interference or strange changes – except via the
strange bot hits that catapult random posts into thousands of supposed ‘hits’;
I suspect they are Russian, because of the sheer number of hits that derived
from there (though Blogger no longer provides that sort of geographical information).
I’ve always suspected my mention of Pussy Riot started that off. But that’s a
different animal to the Norton warning. Clearly it doesn’t stop people looking
at the blog, and people with other security systems are not affected. One
friend said he received the warning on his phone but not on his laptop. If
anyone can explain this (in simple terms) do let me know!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I intend to pick out the best of last year’s posts,
but first I should say a few things about the last year. Last year’s post
mentions the radiotherapy and hormone treatment I’d been receiving, the one
intense and quick, the second distributive and slow. It’s gone pretty well, and
I’m as active as I used to be. The following posts will confirm readings, music
performances, and some travel. If you meet me you’ll note that I’m often
wearing the little Man of Men design that Prostate UK sports. (I think it is a
design masterpiece: I’ve even got the socks and beanie!) See here for their
work and their warnings and their wonders: </span><a href="https://prostatecanceruk.org/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Prostate
Cancer UK | Prostate Cancer UK</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. Men, here’s the Risk
Checker:</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><a href="https://prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Check
your risk in 30 seconds | Prostate Cancer UK</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenNB7yeFa2nQqI4Sd53DDdnZfDPCb3pYKHQIKW0nn_DiKYJwvqf1aIJc6LIahDBmy15kgeIc1a8xwA3tBPOtyojJNgPoJ9cnvVvvVT_AkRYkOVagL4o6AW25EoZ5lg3ktvN77kXrpJOlDfpHrVdkUaw4e93ZoykdOYXhk0y7WoT_tyF6O2NRSBA/s2625/dsf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2625" data-original-width="1654" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenNB7yeFa2nQqI4Sd53DDdnZfDPCb3pYKHQIKW0nn_DiKYJwvqf1aIJc6LIahDBmy15kgeIc1a8xwA3tBPOtyojJNgPoJ9cnvVvvVT_AkRYkOVagL4o6AW25EoZ5lg3ktvN77kXrpJOlDfpHrVdkUaw4e93ZoykdOYXhk0y7WoT_tyF6O2NRSBA/s320/dsf.jpg" width="202" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the last year I published a book, <i>Doubly Stolen
Fire</i>, and, of course, I posted about it, </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/doubly-stolen-fire-new-book-of-hybrid.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Doubly Stolen Fire (a new
book of hybrid texts) is now OUT (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
and about its two launches (so far), </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/launch-of-doubly-stolen-fire-at-lowry.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Launch of Doubly Stolen Fire
at the Lowry Lounge 2023, Liverpool (set list) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
and </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/11/performance-of-ern-malley-orchestra-and.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Performance of the Ern
Malley Orchestra and launch of Doubly Stolen Fire (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">.
One of the texts from the book ‘Circling the City’ was published online, close
to the publication of the book, so it served as an advert:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/07/circle-of-city-published-now-on.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Circle of the City published
now on Osmosis/New book coming soon (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a> Here's the first review: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2024/02/reviews-of-my-book-doubly-stolen-fire.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pages: Reviews of my book DOUBLY STOLEN FIRE (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I looked back at my other published books and found most of them
still in print (</span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/03/robert-sheppard-seeing-whats-in-print.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: seeing
what's in print and what's not!</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">) and in the process found
that my poetics piece, <i>The Anti-Orpheus </i>, is available as a download (</span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/02/robert-sheppard-anti-orpheus-pdf.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard The
Anti-Orpheus (pdf available online)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Here's a bit from an unpublished book, my 'verse-novel', <i>Elle </i>published in Shuddhashar 37 in Norway: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2024/02/my-verse-novel-elle-is-excerpted-in.html">Pages: My Verse Novel ELLE is excerpted in Shuddhashar 37: Surrealist Poetry edition (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-jzMom5X35r7WHG_dyk1fwKXV2auLOlM_JpabLE7JMlCVdSlTZsqhwLW82v2TDNq6eEnkiiH3knE6kYBzfU0fQh4yE4okOd9C60avxokx0wBH8rNCUJ20pZg48wk7FWDEUQ7gn-HqERc6NyrZfa03G4VpJLc-OIvHVC4OH8c4qNQ5Vxpu1S0Rw/s679/Lee%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-jzMom5X35r7WHG_dyk1fwKXV2auLOlM_JpabLE7JMlCVdSlTZsqhwLW82v2TDNq6eEnkiiH3knE6kYBzfU0fQh4yE4okOd9C60avxokx0wBH8rNCUJ20pZg48wk7FWDEUQ7gn-HqERc6NyrZfa03G4VpJLc-OIvHVC4OH8c4qNQ5Vxpu1S0Rw/s320/Lee%20cover.jpg" width="207" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the last year, I looked back only a little to consider the <i>New
Collected Poems </i>of Lee Harwood, that I co-edited with Kelvin Corcoran, and
noted a couple of online reviews: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/08/two-online-reviews-of-new-collected.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Two online reviews of New
Collected Poems by Lee Harwood: links and comments
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As soon as the Harwood book was finished I moved on to
the very different editing required for a <i>Selected Poems of Mary Robinson</i>,
and there are a number of posts about the process of editing that book,
beginning with the first and hub post, here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/04/selecting-for-selected-poems-of-mary.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Selecting for a Selected:
The Poems of Mary Robinson 1 (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I like to indicate recent creative publications, and
where that has been online it means I can link directly to the poem(s)/prose. Two
poems in <i>Stride </i>also get the short video treatment too: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/03/two-new-poems-published-on-stride.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Two new poems published on
Stride (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. Four in <i>Shearsman
</i>(one video this time):</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/09/four-poems-from-british-standards.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Four poems from British
Standards published in Shearsman 137/138 (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">.
My long poem ‘The Area’ appeared in <i>The Long Poem Magazine</i> and I posted
about it (too long for a short video!): </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/11/my-poem-area-is-published-in-long-poem.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: My poem THE AREA is
published in The Long Poem Magazine number 30 (background and links)
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. Two more in <i>Tears in the
Fence: </i></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/08/two-new-poems-published-in-tears-in.html"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Two new poems published in
Tears In the Fence 78 (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Two
poems on </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Anthropocene
</i>(short enough for vids): </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/12/two-british-standard-sonnets-are.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Two British Standard sonnets
are published in Anthropocene - notes, links and a video
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">My</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
collaboration with Sarah-Clare Conlon appeared in <i>Blackbox Manifold </i>and
I predictably blogged: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2024/01/untitled-by-sarah-clare-conlon-and.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: UNTITLED by Sarah-Clare
Conlon and Robert Sheppard is published in Blackbox Manifold 31</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That last poem came about via a reading, and I have
listed readings on the blog:</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-liverpool-camarade-at-open-eye_13.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: The Liverpool Camarade at
Open Eye Gallery : May 2023: the videos of my collaboration with Sarah-Clare
Conlon (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/11/robert-sheppard-and-two-others-at-peter.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard and two
others at Peter Barlow's Cigarette 24th October 2023 (set list)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">.
(This doesn’t include the launches, listed above!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFt5wuI2dq1w1r4rpxderqLDMEoCHCKwHIbYG-K9_JubFkzHusBv3J3-dtiS-sq7JTGE58mM3_gEqmt5Fj5tnVF7n0VCrhKiGPBofjzKsTIvXzbLRwVOQ_3mOsLZVeD4mY_B1m2xXxP6RK87VlgmkzJO_yc6lpbKapJ44DS0yoxMnHBDTWCx1now/s680/Iain%20Sinclair%20at%2080.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFt5wuI2dq1w1r4rpxderqLDMEoCHCKwHIbYG-K9_JubFkzHusBv3J3-dtiS-sq7JTGE58mM3_gEqmt5Fj5tnVF7n0VCrhKiGPBofjzKsTIvXzbLRwVOQ_3mOsLZVeD4mY_B1m2xXxP6RK87VlgmkzJO_yc6lpbKapJ44DS0yoxMnHBDTWCx1now/s320/Iain%20Sinclair%20at%2080.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I published a poem for Iain Sinclair’s 80th birthday, </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/06/im-in-is80-book-for-iain-sinclair-at.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: I'm in IS80 a book for Iain
Sinclair at Eighty (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">, and an
essay on Caroline Bergvall’s work (my only critical piece this year; in the post,
I partly explain why; of course, I’m also <i>editing </i>more these days
than critiquing). </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2024/01/my-essay-inventive-re-workings-included.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: My essay 'Inventive
Re-workings' included in 'Caroline Bergvall's Medievalist Poetics'
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">However, I did rise to the challenge of writing a new
POETICS of my work, ‘My Own Crisis’, which was published by <i>FUTCH</i>: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/12/my-poetics-piece-my-own-crisis-is.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: My poetics piece 'My Own
Crisis' is published by Futch (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">,
possibly my most important piece this year!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">MUSIC. I wrote about performing with the Ern Malley
Orchestra (duo): </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/11/performance-of-ern-malley-orchestra-and.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Performance of the Ern
Malley Orchestra and launch of Doubly Stolen Fire (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
and about more fun music (with thoughts about writing <i>about</i> music, too;
I’ve plans for a book of poem <i>on </i>music, or round and about music):<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2024/01/more-returns-of-little-albert-music-i.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: More returns of Little
Albert - the music I play, the music I listen to, the music I write about
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘Cocaine Hippos’ was a Stride project that I
documented with a kind of index: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-project-and-my-part-in.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Cocaine Hippos Project (and
my part in it): posts and updates (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
My contribution, ‘A Kink in the Anthropocene’, possibly my only ‘animal poem’, may be read here: </span><a href="https://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-11-kink-in-anthropocene.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Cocaine Hippos 11: A Kink in the
Anthropocene | Stride magazine</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Three poems from the 1980s were recovered over
Christmas 2022, and the (3) posts of them begin here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/06/recovered-poems-from-1980s-part-one.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Recovered poems from the
1980s - part one (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This year, and sadly, I remembered the late Gavin
Selerie and his laugh:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/08/remembering-gavin-selerie-and-his-laugh.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Remembering Gavin Selerie
and his laugh (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. And I remembered my UEA friend Colin Scott in a long and 'linky' post: <o:p></o:p></span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2024/01/a-positive-virtue-memories-of-colin.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pages: A Positive Virtue: memories of Colin Scott, a friend from UEA days rediscovered (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">*</span></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(don’t use the Edge Hill email); website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter
(or <i>X</i>): </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span lang="EN-US">; latest
blogpost: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-46866589339972911452024-02-03T12:34:00.000+00:002024-02-03T12:34:15.858+00:00My Verse Novel ELLE is excerpted in Shuddhashar 37: Surrealist Poetry edition <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I am
pleased to say that guest editor David Spittle has selected some work of mine
for the special ‘Surrealist’ edition of the Bangladeshi magazine </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Shuddhashar. </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Or is it called <i>FreeVoice - </i></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">one word, like that?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFPX56uKfHgXEX-O2oTFQ8D8Oap6G-F-6bGxSA48ZOUR0tz3yi-YiRnJhTg0Be_3hQSVHidTDyqp8hXT0WpCAqooPcyHf2D9PNLRPf32Gc3WOlJYVv2a0YE8x0KuBmfgPtg6wtWH4RoW3B0BX_QiBSDb8hbBCc4oq72UVlWhf_YYgkIuVKKfxEg/s2400/Shuddhashar%20Surrealist%20Issue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1920" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFPX56uKfHgXEX-O2oTFQ8D8Oap6G-F-6bGxSA48ZOUR0tz3yi-YiRnJhTg0Be_3hQSVHidTDyqp8hXT0WpCAqooPcyHf2D9PNLRPf32Gc3WOlJYVv2a0YE8x0KuBmfgPtg6wtWH4RoW3B0BX_QiBSDb8hbBCc4oq72UVlWhf_YYgkIuVKKfxEg/w512-h640/Shuddhashar%20Surrealist%20Issue.jpg" width="512" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Explore
this issue, number 37 in full: </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=d465488646&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Surrealist
Poetry</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">. Or follow
the links below. <br /> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">It is a
long time since I’ve thought about surrealism, but then again it isn’t. By
that, I mean that, although I haven’t pronounced on the subject much, it’s
never gone away. (Not quite tru</span><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">e either, see </span><a href="https://www.lincolnreview.org/rsheppardpoetics">Poetics, Robert Sheppard (lincolnreview.org)</a> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">In any case</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, it came back with a mighty thud, when I started to
write </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Elle</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyway,
the first four chapters of <i>Elle</i> may be read HERE: </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=4680c1885b&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Elle: a
verse novel</span></i></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Other
contributors include a brief description of their allegiance/connection to
surrealism and I thought that my ‘introduction’ to my excerpt (it’s a long
excerpt) which I’d sent would suffice (it <i>is </i>a long introduction!). It’s
not there on the magazine. In fact, it is the intended ‘afterward’ of the verse-novel.
Here’s a shortened version of it:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span>‘</span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Sharp gas lips under her flesh
suddenly white in the hallway </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Watching
the early films of Jeff Keen, see </span><a href="https://www.jeffkeen.co.uk/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Jeff
Keen aka Dr Gaz | Jeff Keen</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">. I noted the repeated appearance of what I
thought of as ‘the pink auto’; I had read somewhere that this Pontiac
Parisienne belonged to a nightclub owner in Brighton in the UK. Keen continued
to use footage of this automobile throughout the 1960s, though I think he only
borrowed its gangsterish gleam for an afternoon’s shoot, to make the 11-minute
black and white silent 8 mm film </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Breakout </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(1962). (This isn’t it, but is a useful sample of Keen's approach:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fs_mFoCSnFI" width="320" youtube-src-id="fs_mFoCSnFI"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9RzZahLvig">Jeff Keen: Instant Cinema
(1962/2007) - YouTube</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">)The
incongruity of seeing this mammoth American car on film squeezing past the
familiar Clock Tower in Brighton (my local South Coast city as I remember it
vaguely from the early 1960s) was most impressive, if uncanny. It was not until
I read Richard Davenport Hines’ </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">An English Affair </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(2013), about the
nefarious goings-on of cabinet minister John Profumo, that I linked the car,
which was mentioned in passing, and the films of Jeff Keen, which I knew, with
a precursor scandal of the Profumo debacle, <i>and</i> its Brighton setting. It was a
sordid story concerning a Conservative MP and washing machine importer, John
Bloom, and Christine Holford, the wife of the nightclub and Pontiac owner. The
result was that, in 1963, a jealous and taunted Harvey Holford murdered
Christine Holford, spitefully shooting her in the genitals. The subsequent
trial and the minimal sentence Holford received – before an all-male jury –
leaves a bad taste in any aesthetic appetite that desires to utilise this
material.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">But I </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">did</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
want to utilise this material and I </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">did</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> want to make the link to the
extraordinary films made by Jeff Keen, who I met on a couple of occasions, even
visiting his Brighton flat with Lee Harwood; I remember a column – no other
word for it, it reached the high ceiling – of Marvel comics, which he used as
raw material in his later </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Blatz! </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">movies. I felt that </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">my</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> raw
material would have to include Keen’s work, the car, its murderous owner, his
victim wife, as well as a favourite and iconic film of the era, Luis Buñuel’s </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Belle
de Jour </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(1967), presented here in visual summary, as it were:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnYA6mj9hDU"></a></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnYA6mj9hDU"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dnYA6mj9hDU" width="320" youtube-src-id="dnYA6mj9hDU"></iframe></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnYA6mj9hDU"><br />Belle de Jour - official
rerelease trailer (youtube.com)</a> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnYA6mj9hDU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnYA6mj9hDU</a><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Notably,
this surrealist masterpiece of the sixties is based upon realist pulp from
1928: Buñuel hated Joseph Kessel’s moralistic and misogynist novel of that
title, in which a woman is condemned for her secret sexual desires (as was
Christine Holford with her more public affairs and flirtations). The film is
not a parody or pastiche of its model; it’s perversely faithful to its twisted
but conventional morality. The novel was perfect material for post-surrealist
transformation. In 1969, an English translation by Geoffrey Wagner from 1962
was rushed into a second paperback edition with a picture of a simpering
Catherine Deneuve on the cover, a 75p charity shop purchase. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Uncertain
how I would approach and proceed with these materials, I decided to work on my
copy of the novel with an analogous disrespect to that shown by Buñuel: I
treated </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Belle de Jour</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> using the technique I have always called ‘Tom
Phillipsing’, finding new linguistic content in this old novel, as Phillips had
with </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">A Human Monument</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, as he transformed it into the bubble texts of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The
Humument </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(ignoring for a moment the brilliant visual side of the work!).
There is something of gentle gathering, enclosing, about the method, which is
absent from the tearing violations of the superficially similar cut-up
technique. Both are versions of collage, or montage, of course. '</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Here's the book, and here's the method,' as I say on this 5 second video! </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzyA3kecofGH-ppzKixs6hDshEqwVWWTJgg30seR8xycZTZvDfXTZRTtu0CA8Uxzf5jclIzbKa8uk4' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">At some
point during this slow process (one page Tom Phillipsed a day, 140 pages), I
watched Daniel Farson’s British ATV television programme </span><i>Living for Kicks </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(1960)
which partly took as its theme the teenage clientele of the Whiskey a Go-Go
milk bar (such pre-</span><i>Clockwork Orange </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">innocence!) near The Clock Tower in
Brighton. Watch it here:</span></p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nvA1MSk3K2A" width="320" youtube-src-id="nvA1MSk3K2A"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvA1MSk3K2A">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvA1MSk3K2A</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I already
knew that this establishment was part of the entertainment complex run by
Harvey Holford: upstairs lay the more exclusive Blue Gardenia and Calypso clubs
(where alcohol was served). Farson’s documentary (the old Soho soak feigns
shock at teenagers snogging and disdaining marriage) features an intelligent
and knowing interview with a proto-Beat poet called Royston Ellis, whose name
was familiar to me, but </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">not</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> from my knowledge of British underground
poetry of the 1960s, which I’d foolishly thought comprehensive. In fact, the
name was literally floating before me in Ye Cracke pub where, after lockdown, I
regularly met a group of Liverpool friends (the informal 1955 Committee). On
the mirror under which we often sat is an engraved commemoration of a joint
poetry-music gig by Royston Ellis and John Lennon in Liverpool in 1960.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnx4mJYiBJ34m9QqZTop6rIt4EfgxV91ib15l3Q5dw-1FRE4t7JgDutKNw1hfRiaxALJWkMFTx9i7cc_SZ_A_X_YfiQgi4rfxUaznI69mlJYEau7SXBqjFjzF-Y4x7qGEcdzABw6hCEhYOUne2Bnt_BjivlT059ms0i593qxIDU-E1eAuiMIa6g/s615/Royston%20Ellis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="615" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnx4mJYiBJ34m9QqZTop6rIt4EfgxV91ib15l3Q5dw-1FRE4t7JgDutKNw1hfRiaxALJWkMFTx9i7cc_SZ_A_X_YfiQgi4rfxUaznI69mlJYEau7SXBqjFjzF-Y4x7qGEcdzABw6hCEhYOUne2Bnt_BjivlT059ms0i593qxIDU-E1eAuiMIa6g/w640-h426/Royston%20Ellis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">One
afternoon I suddenly noticed the memorial to this performance, seen above. (It's disputed whether Ellis is the 'Paperback Writer' of the song, but he did write books on pre-Beatles music.) Something was
happening here, I felt, to speed this project along; I conceived of
superimposing the shadowy Brighton reality upon my distorted version of
Buñuel’s </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Ur</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">-text. Both narratives involve a jealous murderer. I replaced
Kessel’s names, Buñuel’s </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">dramatis personae</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, with the names of the
participants in the Brighton tragedy: acquaintances and lovers of the fatal
couple (Thatcher, Hatcher, Bloom, Cresteef), and employees and habitués of the
night clubs (Corvell and Bubbles and Squeak), with the addition of the artist
figures Jeff Keen and Royston Ellis, and a few necessary others. (Not all of
them appear in this first extract, of course.) ‘Elle’ was the Tom Phillipsed ‘Belle’
persona of Kessel’s anti-heroine, the titular haunting (but </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">who</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> is
‘she’?). I transposed place names from Paris to Brighton without irony. The text passed through many stages of transformation (‘states’ an
engraver might have called them), both mechanical – I made use of the ‘dictate’
and ‘read as’ functions on my laptop – and deliberative: my choices were quite
conscious, though guided by procedure. The process was my old friend, the stochastic.
Then I revised the text in an intuitive way, unrecognisable in this latest (and
perhaps not yet completed) form on <i>Shuddhashar</i>. </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">I did not
want to repeat the grim and ghastly scenarios that documentary sources had laid
before me; (e.g </span><a href="http://www.pulpinternational.com/pulp/entry/Cover-of-the-National-Insider-with-Harvey-and-Christine-Holford.html" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">www.pulpinternational.com/pulp/entry/Cover-of-the-National-Insider-with-Harvey-and-Christine-Holford.html</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10458357.falling-from-grace/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Falling
from grace | The Argus</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10458357.falling-from-grace/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10458357.falling-from-grace/</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-crime-murder-christine-holford-april-1963-her-husband-harvey-holford-20233713.html" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Crime
Murder Christine Holford April 1963 Her husband Harvey Holford their baby and
Heather Thatcher taken the summer before she died Stock Photo - Alamy</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/peter-corvell-manager-of-the-blue-gardenia-club-brighton-owned-by-harvey-holford-holford-is-charged-with-the-murder-of-his-wife-christine-which-was-reduced-to-a-verdict-of-manslaughter-box-760-530051713-ajpg-9130220a" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/peter-corvell-manager-of-the-blue-gardenia-club-brighton-owned-by-harvey-holford-holford-is-charged-with-the-murder-of-his-wife-christine-which-was-reduced-to-a-verdict-of-manslaughter-box-760-530051713-ajpg-9130220a</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/topics/1950s/1950s-personal-memories/where-to-go-for-a-good-time" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Memories
of 1950s Brighton | 1950s personal memories | My Brighton and Hove</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/topics/1950s/1950s-personal-memories/where-to-go-for-a-good-time" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/topics/1950s/1950s-personal-memories/where-to-go-for-a-good-time</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/places/clubs/clubs-3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/places/clubs/clubs-3</a>)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> I sought to introduce the main actors into a drama not quite theirs,
and not quite mine, either. I wished to liberate them, albeit imaginatively,
from history. I like to think that Keen and Ellis become the positive creative
energies to transform this loathsome narrative towards different endings – or
none. Those transformations are not just a matter of form, but of a forming of
its matters, its matters of fact, and its matters of fiction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The turn
to the ‘verse-novel’, however ironical, reflects yet another, late, act of
transformation, the sudden switch to ‘verse’, a term I seldom use…</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span>’</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">So back to today. Just as
Bunuel hated Kessel’s work I think I disapprove of the ‘verse-novel' – and,
like Bunuel using Kessel, that’s just why I’ve 'written' one. I was somewhat relieved, when I witnessed
Jen Calleja reading </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Vehicle: a verse novel</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> to discover that it wasn’t,
in fact, a ‘verse-novel’. (I did enjoy, though, Bernadine Evaristo’s </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The
Emperor’s Babe</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, so maybe it’s the <i>idea</i> of the verse-novel that trips me up;
I don’t like the term ‘prose-poetry’ either, but I'm a big fan of Ian Seed!).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Here’s a full
list of the articles/poems/prose/images in this wonderful edition, with links to each:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
1.Note from Guest Editor </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=0ab5f07267&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Note from
Guest Editor</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
2.Simon Perril </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=1d79251984&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Sun Deck Set Cogitation</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
3.Lisa Samuels </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=7ff2345d4d&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">lodge in
the zing of</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
4.Ali Graham </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=8d8a841654&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">My
appetite wears metallic facepaint</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
5.James Byrne </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=f78fafcd12&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Apparitions</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
6.Geraldine Monk </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=f02e249dd0&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Let fly
the unquiet tongue</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
7.Will Alexander </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=839aa6ead5&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Sand
Genie</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
8.Aase Berg </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=9daaa7be63&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Monday in
the Mariana Trench</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
9.Tom Jenks </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=d445dbb6cc&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Broccoli
and chunky relish</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
10.Julia Rose Lewis </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=1fe47f1a8f&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">through
and through and through and through</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
11.Harry Man </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=ff60ad6430&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
Airborne Gooseberry Boy</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
12.Sascha Akther </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=9908a17b64&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Anatomy of
a Car Crash</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
13.Robert Sheppard: from </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=4680c1885b&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Elle: a
verse novel</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><a href="http://14.sj/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">14.SJ</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> Fowler </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=ea847c6979&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The Parts
of the Body that Stink</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
15.Lila Matsumoto </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=2c359e1a1a&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">the saws
and hammers</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
16.Aaron Kent </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=6d0fd42984&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">It is the
most natural thing in the world to leave</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
17.David Spittle </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=1adb13eae1&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">from
HALLUCIGENIA</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
18.Stephen Sunderland </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=dd1952276f&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Notes for
a Revolution</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
19.James Knight </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=35ec61ca49&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Disappearing
Subject</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
20.Joseph Turrnt </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=925fd30789&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">In the
fifteenth year I bought you crystals</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
21.Vik Shirley </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=48758a2190&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">https://shuddhashar.com/hmm-sweetie/</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
22.W.N. Herbert </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=16fb115178&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A Dream of
Vending Machines</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
23<i>.</i>David Spittle </span><a href="https://shuddhashar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d19fb853ec146caee463c9d29&id=413bf3b8c6&e=fb3d3656a8" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Seeing the
Unseen: The Occult and Surrealism</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Thanks to
David and thanks to all at Shuddhashar. Shuddhashar is an <i>exiled
</i>Bangladeshi publishing house with this magazine, and is currently based in
Norway. Shuddhashar received the 2016 Jeri Laber International Freedom to
Publish Award, given to publishers outside the United States who demonstrate
courage despite restrictions on freedom of expression. They are brave people
indeed, if you follow their publishing history, which is really a testament to their </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">activism.
</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: books:</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/03/robert-sheppard-seeing-whats-in-print.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: seeing what's in print and
what's not!</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">; email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">; website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter
(or <i>X</i>): </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> ; latest
blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-12463508061613133722024-02-01T11:52:00.000+00:002024-02-01T11:52:31.241+00:00Reviews of my book DOUBLY STOLEN FIRE<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">If I found it difficult to describe my latest book, <i>Doubly
Stolen Fire</i>, hiding behind the word ‘hybrid’, have a thought for poor
reviewers (a trade I’ve indulged in to excess in the past: see bibliography: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.weebly.com/full-bibliography.html">Full
Bibliography - Robert Sheppard (weebly.com)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">). I
eventually managed to find ways of doing it (for example, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/doubly-stolen-fire-new-book-of-hybrid.html">Pages:
Doubly Stolen Fire (a new book of hybrid texts) is now OUT
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">), but it was always easier to
deal with one part of it at a time (the bit about Malcolm Lowry, here: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/launch-of-doubly-stolen-fire-at-lowry.html">Pages:
Launch of Doubly Stolen Fire at the Lowry Lounge 2023, Liverpool (set list)
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">; or the bit about the Ern
Malley Hoax, there: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/11/performance-of-ern-malley-orchestra-and.html">Pages:
Performance of the Ern Malley Orchestra and launch of Doubly Stolen Fire
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">). Tellingly, I seem to be launching it,
chapter by chapter.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvADEPpduvWydwr_tiAZLqCYLpu4O4TnwcZaO2Nc-F8wm9jJBf3LXoJCuCjIJfc8HGrqxxtihoQobrzJbnNlbYgczFkFkzinsHSx1rqInZRe2zqL2lxDHtxfBQZOe5hCVsBW-zu_xTgMT8gCbnTlJlOoimq6tyO9-Dq9OPgpnBBRGe9XP_1s76g/s680/Doubly%20Stolen%20Fire.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="680" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvADEPpduvWydwr_tiAZLqCYLpu4O4TnwcZaO2Nc-F8wm9jJBf3LXoJCuCjIJfc8HGrqxxtihoQobrzJbnNlbYgczFkFkzinsHSx1rqInZRe2zqL2lxDHtxfBQZOe5hCVsBW-zu_xTgMT8gCbnTlJlOoimq6tyO9-Dq9OPgpnBBRGe9XP_1s76g/s320/Doubly%20Stolen%20Fire.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Buy the
book straight from the publisher: HERE: <a href="https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/w/8459/robert-sheppard-doubly-stolen-fire/">Robert
Sheppard: Doubly Stolen Fire – Glasfryn Project</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lVHyvABWG8cxW1m48o2vVlfD9Du4N2YPtEhKX0_M6YIzjk7jOFr6lRCuM6R9Ui1JOnLSutclm-F8UX0ONm4moofWmByNCzAjeSGr6S2r8thQsVvPIZAJtxoULVitLPlgx_LoNypaM_YwII_NymBGxJPorzBWx8vNiOJdrNfIa1KT3nRXU7lQKg/s2625/dsf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2625" data-original-width="1654" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lVHyvABWG8cxW1m48o2vVlfD9Du4N2YPtEhKX0_M6YIzjk7jOFr6lRCuM6R9Ui1JOnLSutclm-F8UX0ONm4moofWmByNCzAjeSGr6S2r8thQsVvPIZAJtxoULVitLPlgx_LoNypaM_YwII_NymBGxJPorzBWx8vNiOJdrNfIa1KT3nRXU7lQKg/w253-h400/dsf.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Billy Mills is the first off the blocks, as so often,
on <i>his </i>excellent blog. I link to it on my blog roll (whoever thought of
that term?); see to the right of this post.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Beginning, and offering links (you may have noticed
how much I like links, a habit from the days of assembling <i>Twentieth Century
Blues</i>), he notes ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Robert
Sheppard’s <i>Doubly Spoken Fire </i>is, in part at least, the third
and final part of his ‘fictional poetry project’, the first two parts of which
I reviewed <a href="https://ellipticalmovements.wordpress.com/2015/11/01/three-shearsman-books-by-mark-weiss-robert-sheppard-and-peter-philpott-a-review/">here</a> and <a href="https://ellipticalmovements.wordpress.com/2018/05/13/poetry-after-brexit-some-recent-reading/">here</a> (In
hindsight, I was far too dismissive of this book at the time).’ I liked his
harsh treatment of those volumes, and I like his ‘in part at least’, which is
true: this may have run the ‘fictional poetry project’ into the ground (or it
may not, I’ll cheekily hint, perhaps falsely) but there are lots of other bits.
Billy is forced to be descriptive as well as evaluative. I’ll say no more about
it, but simply thank Billy (I know how much work is involved in reviewing,
which may be the reason I do less of it), and give you the link to it:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://ellipticalmovements.wordpress.com/2024/01/29/recent-reading-january-2024-a-review/">Recent
Reading January 2024: A Review – Elliptical Movements (wordpress.com)</a></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’ll add some more reviews, if there are any. In the
meantime, here’s an X feed tweeting the sayings of a talking mongoose, highly relevant
to my ‘Rectophonic Monologue’! Billy found this too. I guess I’ll have to
follow: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/gefbot">(4) Gef the Mongoose (@gefbot) / X
(twitter.com)</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: books:</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/03/robert-sheppard-seeing-whats-in-print.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: seeing what's in print and
what's not!</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">; email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">; website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter
(or <i>X</i>): </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> ; latest
blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /></span><p></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-36721731410635402772024-01-31T08:00:00.028+00:002024-02-01T11:54:19.969+00:00A Positive Virtue: memories of Colin Scott, a friend from UEA days rediscovered<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Nearly everybody had long hair at the University of
East Anglia in 1974, even (or especially) the men, and Colin Scott was no different. (Here we are in my contemporary hand.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje20ZsTq-0sncFw0KIjJUll3wKE8LxfGZT8K0o3y34CRvL_I4aOkZS1_hH9tEpyy-lBs8JOib322lE6Gia1ZNp7atXuMBdY7YoznbOuO6onK2orD2kfLaxotGspgKO4nb4U6X3m1rZBlKWmglx6D64Dhy2blCq1oie9UEMDi1Y8bDMYYwQNLiwcg/s1280/Me%20and%20Colin%20and%20Me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje20ZsTq-0sncFw0KIjJUll3wKE8LxfGZT8K0o3y34CRvL_I4aOkZS1_hH9tEpyy-lBs8JOib322lE6Gia1ZNp7atXuMBdY7YoznbOuO6onK2orD2kfLaxotGspgKO4nb4U6X3m1rZBlKWmglx6D64Dhy2blCq1oie9UEMDi1Y8bDMYYwQNLiwcg/w640-h360/Me%20and%20Colin%20and%20Me.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">He </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>was </i><span>different, though, in that he was older than the regular dishevelled
bunch (myself included), and had worked in the library service and (I think)
was quite content with the thought of returning to that noble profession after
studying History for three years. He was serious without being super-studious,
liked music, and we certainly attended some of the rock bands that toured the
campuses. </span></span></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">Before I move on from that reference to UEA concerts, I'd like to share an uncollected poem I wrote in 1976, and revised recently. I have dedicated it to Colin's memory because a. he might have been there (my diary mentions a mutual friend, and b. both the poem and Colin were lost (to me, not to themselves, of course) between the 1970s and now(ish). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Midnight
Air:</span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">John
Martyn with Danny Thompson, June 12th 1976<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> i.m. Colin Scott, who may have been
there<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ocean
music flows over you<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">wailing
where waves break <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">back upon the
water’s edge<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They
strike up on form<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Full moon
rises to face you<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">accepting
droning chants and spells<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that drown
the sense in magic<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Somebody
slides through the windowpane<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">having
flown through the night<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cannabis
spiral cracks open the sound<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and its diamond
shatters <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">each
shimmering fragment <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">a swirling
seawave at the end of unseen fingers<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You rise
from the waters<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">in the midnight
air<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_bi8uRmFKTY" width="320" youtube-src-id="_bi8uRmFKTY"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1976/2021 (Of course, in the late 1970s, and later, Tony Parsons and I would sing 'May You Never', by John Martyn, a song that curiously leaves no space to breathe. Above is a video of JM and DT, as in the poem, and at the concert.) </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"><span>I re-read my copious diaries during Covid lockdowns and was surprised
how much time I spent with Colin, going to concerts, drinking real ale,
throwing snowballs (those Norfolk winters!) and smoking perfumed cigarettes (!),
during my first year. I think he maturely organized the transportation of my
drunken form from the pub back to my room on my 19</span><sup>th</sup><span> birthday. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span>By
our second year Colin moved to a house near a pub called The Boundary with his
friend Jan. (It was he who is mentioned in my diary entry about the Martyn gig.) Whilst another UEA friend Trev Eales and I attended parties there
(somebody had a dog called ‘Dog’, I remember, which is emblematic of the
household, I think) we both saw less of Colin on a day-to-day basis. Trev remembers meeting Colin a lot on the bus to campus. Of course,
he also had a settled life in his native Swindon, friends would come to visit
him – and he returned to that (I think) after we’d all graduated. We kept in
touch for a while but, like so many, lost contact, through the moving of
addresses and the vicissitudes of life. He lost </span><span>contact with Jan as well. (I kept in touch with Trev, as may be seen from this post: </span></span><span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2016/03/trev-eales-photography-and-friendship.html">Pages: Trev Eales - photography and friendship (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a> (And here is a post about my slightly later UEA studies in Creative Writing: <a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/03/robert-sheppard-some-memories-of.html">Pages: Robert Sheppard: Some memories of the Creative Writing MA (cohort 1978-1979) at the University of East Anglia</a> )</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">I never forgot Colin – and always wondered where he was.
There was a barman in Liverpool (where I had moved in 1997) of whom I remember
remarking to my wife, Patricia, ‘See that man? I reckon that’s what Colin Scott
looks like today!’ (The memory is interesting for the fact I didn’t need to
explain to Patricia who Colin was.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He obviously hadn’t forgotten me either. At one of his
Positive Images meetings with the poet Leanne Bridgewater, probably in 2016, Colin
asked, giving it a long shot, whether she knew a poet called Rob Sheppard that
he was at university with. Leanne answered that she did. She and I had met a
number of times; she had been taught Creative Writing at Salford by my
ex-student Scott Thurston, and was part of the burgeoning creative and
experimental excitement that surrounded The Other Room readings in Manchester.
And so was I, from my outpost in Liverpool. (See one of her publications, here: <o:p></o:p></span></span><a href="https://www.knivesforksandspoonspress.co.uk/product-page/addictionary-by-leanne-bridgewater-670-pages"><span style="font-size: medium;">'adDICTIONARY' by Leanne Bridgewater (670 pages) | Knives Forks and Spo (knivesforksandspoonspress.co.uk)</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">The highlight of my evening at the North by North-West
Enemies reading in February 2017 in Leeds was supposed to be my co-performing my
collaboration with Ian McMillan. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ouxaFZKyDeg" width="320" youtube-src-id="ouxaFZKyDeg"></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">That was terrific (or a terrific experience, see the video above), but I left the evening more
overwhelmed by the fact that Leanne (who was also on the bill</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RLdFc1qXblY" width="320" youtube-src-id="RLdFc1qXblY"></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">see the video) led a small
dapper man from the shadows and introduced him as Colin. (He didn’t in the
least look like the man from the pub!) After a gap of 40 years, I don’t know
what we spoke about, ‘catch up and conversations’ my diary relates unhelpfully.
That wasn’t really the point: we were now in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">contact</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> again, and I thank
Leanne for engineering this meeting, which proved so fruitful, meaningful, and
ultimately poignant. </span><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(On that evening, here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2017/02/ian-mcmillan-and-robert-sheppard.html">Pages: Ian McMillan and Robert Sheppard: Simultaneous Performance: Leeds Enemies (photo, video, set list and thoughts)</a>)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_PJ8Y4bsYPI" width="320" youtube-src-id="_PJ8Y4bsYPI"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our next meeting was also at a poetry reading and performance, but in
June 2017 – as part of Positive Images, co-organised by Colin. Patricia read as
well, Leanne compared, and I read too. I didn’t think Patricia and I went down
particularly well (I should have read my skits on Boris Johnson), but Leanne
was wonderful, playing the ukelele (and editing the video of the evening, which you may view above, and here's a post from nearer the time: </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2017/06/robert-sheppard-and-patricia-farrell.html">Pages: Robert Sheppard and Patricia Farrell: Poetry from the Stage (Coventry) Saturday night</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> ).</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">
Colin was much in demand as an organiser (I’d yet to fully register the amount
of work he put into this vital community arts event) but we did get to talk
after, at least about Coventry, which was new to me. Here is Colin introducing the results of a poetry competition: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQFbGquwO88" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium;">Positive Images Peace Festival Poetry Competition
Awards 2018. (youtube.com)</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xQFbGquwO88" width="320" youtube-src-id="xQFbGquwO88"></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">From then on, we corresponded regularly and he visited
a number of times, once briefly before a beer festival. He was also deeply into
CAMRA organisation, so real ale remained a (shared) constant among the decades
of change. (He liked dark beers, I like light ones. He liked folk music; I like jazz!) We went on to Lancaster to meet Trev one day, and also all three
convened around the time of my birthday, with Michelle (purveyor of fine chutneys, among other things.)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I found Colin contemplative and calm, after a busy
career in librarianship, and he was full of quaint anecdotes. (One time he told me about a library book that disappeared from the shelves for years, then suddenly re-appeared; another time, he announced he'd just read in <i>The Guardian </i>that the reason older people can't retain new facts is that their brains are literally full!) He is the only
person I know to have read Burton’s <i>The Anatomy of Melancholy</i>, he always
had a copy of the latest Positive Images poetry anthology from Coventry, but
otherwise our conversations were not literary. He kept up his interest in
history, visiting battle sites, for example. We were leisurely and relaxed. He
never pushed an issue (though he must have been an effective committee man). He
remained an enthusiast for the railways (he was from Swindon, after all) and
sent me links about steam train excursions: I never got to show him Edge Hill
station, the oldest in England. The leisureliness of our meetings meant we left
whole areas of our lives unshared, unexplored, and possibly there was an
unexplained reticence on his part. Of course, Leanne was a constant
reference-point, our common factor, and his grief at her death was palpable and
deep. Here he is introducing the Positive Images memorial reading for Leanne (and you can watch the tribute readings that follow): </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z_clPgl0kH0" width="320" youtube-src-id="Z_clPgl0kH0"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Late last year, just before Colin died, although he
was tired after a busy summer itinerary of travel, he was thinking about
another trip to Liverpool. That meet-up would have been an opportunity perhaps
to have explored new themes or to have examined his quirky memories afresh. (He
claimed there was a student called Jeff who lived on Trev’s corridor at UEA, a
guitarist in the Al Kooper mode; since nobody else could recall him, he became
a character of myth and mirth, reiterated in our frequent emails.) </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Herein lies
my chief regret: I was really only <i>starting</i> to know him well, when he
was taken so suddenly from us. I’m glad I got to know him again, and I treasure
those meetings that redeemed time, collapsed decades, and reinforced friendship
and kindness as the only positive virtue in our somewhat dark times. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></span></span></p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: books:</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/03/robert-sheppard-seeing-whats-in-print.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: seeing what's in print and
what's not!</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">; email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">; website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter
(or <i>X</i>): </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> ; latest
blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /></span></span></span><p></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-53974980590610497702024-01-19T12:11:00.002+00:002024-01-19T12:16:42.778+00:00UNTITLED by Sarah-Clare Conlon and Robert Sheppard is published in Blackbox Manifold 31<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">UNTITLED by Sarah-Clare Conlon and Robert Sheppard is
published in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Blackbox Manifold</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> 31. We’d like to thank the editors for
taking our fugitive piece in from the cold salt-spray.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sarah-Clare and I collaborated as part of the special <i>Eurovision</i>
European Poetry Festival in Liverpool, about which I wrote here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-liverpool-camarade-at-open-eye_13.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: The Liverpool Camarade at
Open Eye Gallery : May 2023: the videos of my collaboration with Sarah-Clare
Conlon (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. There’s a
video of our original performance there too, but I include it below too.) That
post describes the evening, and links to previous events in the series, in
which both of us have played our separate and earlier parts.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’m pleased to say that the text of ‘Untitled’ (I
know!) is now published in the latest edition of <i>Blackbox Manifold. </i>This
is a magazine I have been published in before, and you will find excerpts from
the series ‘Flight Risk’ as well as most of my re-versions of the sonnets of
Mary Robinson, but I don’t want to overload this post with links, so here’s just
one to the Robinson: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/01/my-tabitha-and-thunderer-is-published.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: My 'Tabitha and Thunderer'
is published in Blackbox Manifold (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here is the link to our ‘Untitled’: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/issues/issue-31/conlonsheppardbm31">Blackbox
Manifold - ConlonSheppardBM31 (sheffield.ac.uk)</a></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here is the video of Clare and I reading the poem at
the Open Eye Gallery, down on the docks in Liverpool, a venue which almost
forced upon us the theme of ‘Riverine Thoughts’ or ‘Riparian Observation’, to
use two quotations from the poem that we might have used as titles. I’m glad we
didn’t! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8smowx2SvBc" width="320" youtube-src-id="8smowx2SvBc"></iframe></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Here's the video: </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8smowx2SvBc"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Robert Sheppard and Sarah-Claire Conlon : EPF 2023 -
Liverpool Camarade at Open Eye - YouTube</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Set up your machine to follow the text and watch the
video. WE may get the chance to perform it again, and will, we’ve agreed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Just to repeat, there are lots of links to other
collaborations and to my critical writings on collaboration, via that first
link above.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The
editors of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Blackbox Manifold</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> are pleased to announce the
launch of the 31</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> issue of the journal:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/" target="_blank">https://blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium;">featuring
poems by Kyle Booten, Daragh Breen, Mark Byers, Sarah-Clare Conlon & Robert
Sheppard, Hannah Copley, Michael Farrell, Adam Flint, Charlotte Geater, Paul A.
Green, Oli Hazzard, Nicki Heinen, Doug Jones, Joshua Jones, Jee Leong Koh,
Jazmine Linklater, Steve Noyes, Simon Perril, Flo Ray, Rahul Santhanam, Geoff
Sawers, Kashif Sharma-Patel, Gary Sloboda, Jedediah Smith, Adam Stokell, Kenny
Tanemura, John Wilkinson. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Adam
Piette reviews Kelvin Corcoran and V.R. "Bunny" Lang. Zoë Skoulding
reviews Ágnes Lehóczky. John Wilkinson reviews David Grundy & Sabeen
Chaudhry.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sarah-Clare Conlon:
Freelance Writer & Editor: </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/wordsnfixtures" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">@wordsnfixtures</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> | </span></span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarahclareconlon/" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">@sarahclareconlon</span></span></a> . <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Her latest poetry
pamphlet </span><a href="https://www.theredceilingspress.co.uk/product-page/lune-sarah-clare-conlon" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lune</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> is now available. See her books here: </span><a href="https://www.contrabandbooks.co.uk/product/cache-cache-sarah-clare-conlon/" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">cache-cache</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> & </span><a href="https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page/sarah-clare-conlon-marine-drive" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Marine Drive</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"> & </span><a href="https://invisiblehandpress.com/2023/04/01/using-language-by-sarah-clare-conlon/" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Using Language</span></i></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. Locating Robert
Sheppard: email: </span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> (don’t use the Edge Hill email); website: </span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter
(or <i>X</i>): </span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">.</span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-70180395493259674472024-01-18T08:00:00.072+00:002024-01-18T08:00:00.131+00:00My essay 'Inventive Re-workings' included in 'Caroline Bergvall's Medievalist Poetics' <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I have an
essay in this interesting book, <b>Caroline Bergvall’s Medievalist Poetics: </b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Migratory
Texts and Transhistorical Methods, </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">whose
focus is described as ‘Bergvall’s celebrated trilogy of interdisciplinary
medievalist texts and projects—<i>Meddle English</i> (2011), <i>Drift</i> (2014),
and <i>Alisoun Sings </i>(2019)—documents methods of reading and
making that are poetically and politically alert, critically and culturally
aware, linguistically attuned, and historically engaged.’ (I hadn’t quite
caught up with the last book of her trilogy, though I have written in detail on
the first, and I saw a Liverpool performance of the second, to which I make
reference.)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHuuEaL5Wu4EbQ7dI7aqsiP6CEe4i_f0zYVwnAj7qzVsWg3a8dm1KFMbW4C4V-btzEULeEQPq2K8ZBsOKdUOaiR-n3tKwTe8aOlasctm0pN050IjEyOkaE1LYpfZqdYA5TRjvV12nAHDhcDXmCr9h9fHwbF8jFgSvEbQqF2tnLcaS3SYagW6oZQ/s1200/Bergvall%20medieval.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHuuEaL5Wu4EbQ7dI7aqsiP6CEe4i_f0zYVwnAj7qzVsWg3a8dm1KFMbW4C4V-btzEULeEQPq2K8ZBsOKdUOaiR-n3tKwTe8aOlasctm0pN050IjEyOkaE1LYpfZqdYA5TRjvV12nAHDhcDXmCr9h9fHwbF8jFgSvEbQqF2tnLcaS3SYagW6oZQ/w640-h360/Bergvall%20medieval.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">‘Drawing
on the wide-ranging body of criticism dedicated to Bergvall’s work and material
from Bergvall’s archive,’ the editors say, ‘together with newly commissioned
texts by scholars, theorists, linguists, translators, and poets, this book
situates the trilogy in relation to key themes including mixed temporalities;
interdisciplinarity and performance; art and activism; and the geopolitical,
psychosexual, and social complexities of subjectivity. It follows routes laid
down by the trilogy to move between the medieval past and our contemporary
moment to uncover new forms of encounter and exchange.’ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Of course,
such summaries are only summaries, and the list of contents on the webpage, may
be accessed HERE:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://www.arc-humanities.org/9781802700015/caroline-bergvalls-medievalist-poetics/">Caroline
Bergvall’s Medievalist Poetics - Arc Humanities Press (arc-humanities.org)</a></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 7.5pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">My
contribution is entitled ‘</span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.4pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Inventive Reworkings: Transformation and Translation in
Caroline Bergvall’s <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Meddle English</em>’
and relates to work first began on this blog, which may be found here, </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2014/02/robert-sheppard-caroline-bergvall-and.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;">Pages:
Robert Sheppard: Caroline Bergvall and Chaucer</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.4pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">, which
developed, taking the work in one direction, into a half-chapter in my <i>Meaning
of Form¸</i> see here, </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2016/09/robert-sheppard-meaning-of-form_25.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;">Pages:
Robert Sheppard: The Meaning of Form Bergvall and Moure</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.4pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">, and pointing
towards this new, related, piece that appears in this book.</span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 7.5pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.4pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">It's always
good to see an essay appearing in a recondite source, but it fills me with
chagrin to realise the price of the book, and my bewilderment at finding, yet
again, that if I want a hard copy of the book, I’ll have to buy one. If you are
wondering why I write less literary criticism than I used to, here’s two major
reasons. But at least my early thinking is alive in a rude and ruddy state, and
freely available, on this blog.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 7.5pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.4pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I have just finished reading Marion Turner’s huge and recent <i>Chaucer: a European Life</i>, which is a magisterial,
if slightly repetitive, life of Chaucer as a European agent, thinker and
writer (and land agent and customs officer), and this put right some of my ignorance about Chaucer (too late
for this piece, or the poem I mention below, of course). It cost me £4 in the Roy Castle
Cancer Shop. A very fine account of Chaucer's writing, the European influences on it, and his position as a professional administrator and diplomat (in modern terms). A great sense of the demotic, popular, and rooted (geographically) nature of <i>The Canterbury Tales. </i>(Turner sees Chaucer in spatial terms.) Chaucer as an apostle of unfinish (in my terms). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here, in
another article, I am demonstrating what I took from Petrarch in my ‘English
Strain’ project, a parallel jump into the middle ages. While I was working on
Bergvall, I read a lot of Chaucer: it rubbed off in the sonnet I wrote for the ‘Petrarch
3’ part of <i>The English Strain</i>, which is yet another version of his
sonnet 3, this time into Middle English. </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/09/practice-led-piece-on-petrarch-3-from.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages:
Practice-Led piece on 'Petrarch 3' from The English Strain published in
Translating Petrarch's Poetry (Legenda) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
takes you to my account of that book, AND a video reading of the sonnet,
performed in my best Neville Coghill! If my new book <i>Doubly Stolen Fire </i>plays
around with literary history, so does this poem. <i>I </i>claim to have written
the first sonnet in English in 1401 (i.e. just <i>after</i> Chaucer’s death).
Up yours Wyatt. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlppAcGOzSzKg_zZASlvVuEZkZ98S3s8GfmZlKVt2qDtvn7DMiY0eFFZqgBLWscUHtZcpkyAN0SffYu1248NnxwKFDmLCfx3-PWis9FuQ0gYfpu8bFwFeU4a6JEROsofsaJ5oYJ-4eVzFdAA78xOssXNdsrzWaR9ZQSH-NHBW-Z7GLxB2CU9PNwg/s640/Petrarch%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlppAcGOzSzKg_zZASlvVuEZkZ98S3s8GfmZlKVt2qDtvn7DMiY0eFFZqgBLWscUHtZcpkyAN0SffYu1248NnxwKFDmLCfx3-PWis9FuQ0gYfpu8bFwFeU4a6JEROsofsaJ5oYJ-4eVzFdAA78xOssXNdsrzWaR9ZQSH-NHBW-Z7GLxB2CU9PNwg/s320/Petrarch%20cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(I handle
his versions of Petrarch too.) </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The English Strain</span></i></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">,
is available from Shearsman Books here: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span><a href="https://www.shearsman.com/store/Sheppard-Robert-c28271934?offset=6"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">https://www.shearsman.com/store/Sheppard-Robert-c28271934?offset=6</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">*</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> (don’t use the Edge Hill email); website: </span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter
(or <i>X</i>): </span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></a>.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Or you could use a courier and donkey like Chaucer did.</span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-30333079897205580082024-01-10T12:57:00.001+00:002024-01-10T16:22:21.151+00:00More returns of Little Albert - the music I play, the music I listen to, the music I write about<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jhXSycLkUJ4" width="320" youtube-src-id="jhXSycLkUJ4"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhXSycLkUJ4">(Hartington Rd) Blues
Brothers - Motherless Child Blues 2024 (youtube.com)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">That’s Steve on keyboards and myself on vocals and
harp. After a number of years off, we revived our New Year ‘concert’ at
Maggie’s party, December 2023, into 2024 by the time we recorded this. (We met
here in 2005!) This year, we had the pleasure of a keyboard in tune (which
meant I could play harp). As ever, Steve gets the phone out to film us after
we’ve been at it – hard, this year – very late, when I am vocally and
physically exhausted, and ready to stop. I stayed sitting down. (I’ll not link
to the 2016 video I’ve just found; my voice has clearly ‘gone’ on that one.)
This year we added new songs, though there are no rehearsals, including one of my favourites ever, Antonio
Carlos Jobim’s ‘Corcovada (Quiet Nights)’. Here's the recording of that: you can see that I'm battling the dance music in the adjacent room; hand over ear, I begin shakily, I can't hear the key. Again, I'm tired... </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LvFF6d8_Dbw" width="320" youtube-src-id="LvFF6d8_Dbw"></iframe></div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This last year, also, has been a return to other kinds
of singing, performing in the small-scale Ern Malley Orchestra: but no
recordings of our Cambridge gig have surfaced, but there is an account here, with a
photograph that makes it look as though there is no audience, which was far from the
truth! </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/11/performance-of-ern-malley-orchestra-and.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Performance of the Ern
Malley Orchestra and launch of Doubly Stolen Fire (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">.</span></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidlVZiL4XAWVD-KAGzBFs0KQUQHXFButACkidmBzoar7N9VmCHgnEJ3xzHHhh6E6BNcXSwD9YQofkRJq2uQgcVLvlTI-q07afazPux4IMilRsDTrYlVs-6k-aXRKBrKQMflAX5JVEqoXZtWSL_nehyi6FQIWToXCs7_bCwWMbhM-9d4HYyquwPA/s2000/Ern%20Malley%20Orch%2018%20Nove%2023%20Cambridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidlVZiL4XAWVD-KAGzBFs0KQUQHXFButACkidmBzoar7N9VmCHgnEJ3xzHHhh6E6BNcXSwD9YQofkRJq2uQgcVLvlTI-q07afazPux4IMilRsDTrYlVs-6k-aXRKBrKQMflAX5JVEqoXZtWSL_nehyi6FQIWToXCs7_bCwWMbhM-9d4HYyquwPA/s320/Ern%20Malley%20Orch%2018%20Nove%2023%20Cambridge.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I find there are other recordings on this blog from
the New Year’s Eve gigs from over the years: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2018/01/little-albert-returns-for-one-night-only.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Little Albert returns for
one night only (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">And the
same ‘Motherless Child’, whose provenance I explain, here in the text, was on my lips a
decade ago: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2013/01/singing-in-2013-motherless-child-blues.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Singing in 2013: Motherless
Child Blues (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. I had more energy left on that recording.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here I am ruining my own 60<sup>th</sup> birthday with
a snippet of a performance of me on guitar/harp/vocals (ruining it for myself I
mean; I should have been chatting to guests):</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/03/if-dylan-can-release-his-back-catalogue.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: If Dylan can release his
back-catalogue, so can I... (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’ve never quite felt I’ve been recorded at the right
moment - although there are endless cassette recordings (and a reel-to-reel from the 1970s) of Little Albert Fly
from the 1990s that are OK: too late, too tired, too little. The version of
one of the Ern Malley poems lined up by David Whyte for an album of the Ern
Malley Orchestra might be the pristine recording, as it should. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Music is important to me as something I do (intermittently), something
I listen to (not nearly enough), and something I write about (occasionally but quite a lot). Those three areas are often
overlappingly distinct. I published a group of texts about music in this fine
anthology: <i>Yesterday's Music Today</i>, edited by Mike Ferguson and Rupert Loydell:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2015/12/robert-sheppard-poems-in-yesterdays.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: Poems in
YESTERDAY'S MUSIC TODAY co-edited by Rupert Loydell & Mike Ferguson OUT</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I have a plan to assemble a book totally concerned
with music. I might assemble a sample of earlier poems, including those in <i>Yesterday's Music Today, </i>both poems <i>for</i> musicians
(e.g., Philip Jeck (that’s here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/03/philip-jeck-2022.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Philip Jeck 2022
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">)), and <i>about</i> musicians
(a Ray Charles poem, for example, 'The Hippest Man on the Planet', originally from <i>Liverpool Hugs and Kisses,</i> but now out of print).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I’ll probably include the revised texts from the ill-fated collaboration with Trev Eales (about rock music festival performances), (See here on its fated ills: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/01/whatever-happened-to-book-charms-and.html">Pages: Whatever happened to the book Charms and Glitter? (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">More
recently, in the last 10 months, I’ve been working on a long poem about the blues,
called ‘Crossing the Desert for the Blues’, which comes out of re-reading sudden-purchase
Paul Oliver’s marvellous <i>The Story of the Blues</i>, and was partly nurtured via
Tom Croft’s sessions at the Belvedere (there was one on NYE before we went to
the party to join Steve and his keyboard; it got me in the mood).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I have just written a poem about listening to Hendrix' 'Voodoo Child' during a radiotherapy session, my first poem of 2024 as it happens. This was about my treatment for prostate cancer in 2022. (Men: check yourselves: </span><a href="https://prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker">Check your risk in 30 seconds | Prostate Cancer UK</a>))</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I know I want to write about jazz,
too, but <i>new</i> jazz. When you ask folk what they like in jazz they say, for example, ‘Miles
Davis’ (so do I: poem here, also in <i>Yesterday's Music Today</i>: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2014/05/robert-sheppard-poetry-and-jazz-and.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: Poetry and
Jazz and approaching Monk (Geraldine, not Thelonious)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">)
or ‘John Coltrane’; they never say Rob Luft or Lakecia Benjamin (unless I’m
talking to my friend Jazz Ian – the clue’s in the name! – or Patricia). I want
to focus on contemporary players (possibly only women), but I don’t want to
write <i>about </i>their music, but through it, round and about it. I haven’t
found a method, for that’s what it needs, I feel. I'll probably choose a core of albums. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Likewise (see the last link above, again) I never managed to
get that critical book on poetry and jazz together. That’s a chimera haunting me. So be
it. Aldon Lynn Nielson does a fantastic job without me, and his recent book <i>The Inside Songs of Amiri Baraka </i>is a fascinating account of all of AB's recordings. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(don’t use the Edge Hill email); website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter
(or <i>X</i>): </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">; live: who knows where next? In some smoky bar on the dark side of town?</span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-27170497635228462492023-12-18T15:15:00.001+00:002023-12-18T15:25:16.997+00:00My poetics piece 'My Own Crisis' is published by Futch <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">As anybody
who knows anything about my work knows, I am keen on the writerly discourse of
poetics. This has been the subject of my academic work (see, e.g., ‘Poetics and
the Manifesto’, comparing the poetics of Pierre Joris and Adrian Clarke, here: <a href="https://jacket2.org/article/poetics-and-manifesto">Poetics and the
manifesto | Jacket2</a>), an important part of my creative writing pedagogy
(see, e.g., my manifold links that I have provided students with, via this <i>Pages
</i>post:</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/10/shop-talk-to-poetics-about-forms-of.html">Pages:
SHOP TALK (TO) POETICS: about the forms of writing - presentation to MA
Creative Writing, Edge Hill University (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a>), <i>and</i>
it is an integral part of my thinking as a writer. On occasions, I write
poetics for myself and others (while keeping a more fragmentary poetics journal going to capture
practical poetics alongside more abstract, conjectural and probing poetics). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Probably the last big piece was the poetics behind the third part of my ‘English
Strain’ project, <i>British Standards. </i>It could also be regarded as a ‘covid’
poetics, too. That piece may be read online here, <a href="http://nclacommunity.org/newdefences/2021/07/16/shifting-an-imaginary-poetics-in-anticipation/">Shifting
an Imaginary: Poetics in Anticipation – New Defences of Poetry
(nclacommunity.org)</a>.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium;">Before
that I developed the associational paragraph style I used for that piece in ‘Pulse’,
a treatise on poetic rhythm that may be read, in part, here: <a href="https://www.tentacularmag.com/issue-5a/robert-sheppard">https://www.tentacularmag.com/issue-5a/robert-sheppard</a>.
It was produced by a strange method<i>.</i> The first draft was
made by ‘writing-through’ Tiger C. Roholt’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Groove:
A Phenomenology of Rhythmic Nuance. </i>New York and London: Bloomsbury, 2014,
between August 2016-February 2017. Throughout this process, contingency is its
rhythm, a pulse that matches the varieties of montage, de-montage, that I
attempt in my own practice, with interruption as structure, with transformation
and transposition, formal resistance, creative linkage, ‘imperfect fit’,
near-perfect fit, all kinds of multi-form unfinish.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">So, it
moved between creative prose and critical writing (say the ‘straight’ critical
writing of <i>The Meaning of Form. </i>See here for that tome: </span><a href="http://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2014/06/robert-sheppard-meaning-of-form-forms.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">http://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2014/06/robert-sheppard-meaning-of-form-forms.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> ). It’s the sort of writing called
Creative-Critical writing these days. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (There's a rougher piece that follows on from 'Pulse' here, which I notice not a lot of people have accessed: </span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/02/repulse-on-pulse-and-richard-andrews.html">Pages: Re:Pulse – on pulse and Richard Andrews’ A Prosody of Free Verse: Explorations in Rhythm (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a>) </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">My most
recent piece (I will get round to it) perhaps moves between <i>politics</i> and
poetics in a way that surprised me. I sought – but didn’t complete – a poetics
writing-through of </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Mark Fisher’s
</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Capitalist Realism</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, a book I felt drawn to for its brevity, its cultural
focus and (since Fisher, like me, had moved from teaching in Further to Higher Education)
for its feeding off of that (shared) pedagogic experience.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium;">'My Own Crisis' eschewed the paragraph units of the previous pieces, and I went for a more
impacted discourse, adding difficulty to the thinking. But then difficulty, or
people’s<i> difficulty</i> with difficulty, is part of the thematics.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EITfh4LQdV9C5RawEiGkA43slRbFlv29Z-6CGk7uRV0PGCaZ-YON4r3KzjPfgsHgGn1HVqfPmAk0DDAsWtZ49BYVLx890VafYzZV0ZpveskbWkFzvUHwIjNXXmkWkPSphqRBXqIUO2vYTd0Dd48LW4K7HzSZO2TzUKSfwFgrnnZ7XzboMLQJ7g/s1992/Patricia%20Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1992" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EITfh4LQdV9C5RawEiGkA43slRbFlv29Z-6CGk7uRV0PGCaZ-YON4r3KzjPfgsHgGn1HVqfPmAk0DDAsWtZ49BYVLx890VafYzZV0ZpveskbWkFzvUHwIjNXXmkWkPSphqRBXqIUO2vYTd0Dd48LW4K7HzSZO2TzUKSfwFgrnnZ7XzboMLQJ7g/w640-h394/Patricia%20Untitled.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Image by Patricia Farrell to accompany the piece. One of her recent paintings. (See <a href="https://patriciafarrell.weebly.com/">Patricia Farrell - Home (weebly.com)</a> )<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">*</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">I’m very
glad that the good folks at <i>FUTCH </i>(a journal much committed to that ‘creative-critical’
hybrid </span><a href="https://www.futchpress.info/about"><span style="font-size: large;">About | Futch Press</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">) </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">saw fit to publish this piece. And it may be read whole here, so I won’t
say any more about it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">MY OWN CRISIS: </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.futchpress.info/post/my-own-crisis&source=gmail&ust=1702997665736000&usg=AOvVaw0bhmVwVGHSsh0931ZrGG19" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.futchpress.info/post/my-own-crisis" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.futchpress.<wbr></wbr>info/post/my-own-crisis</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium;"><o:p>Re-reading an intermediate set of notes (partly poetics, partly critical thinking) before posting this post, I realised that they not only fed into 'My Own Crisis', the post actually refers to writing it (due to the gap between writing the notes and typing them up for posting. Inconclusive as they are, they might be of interest; I need to return to them, I know, as I feel critical, creative and poetics muscles flexing; See here: </o:p></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/11/from-poetics-journal-2023-notes-on-two.html">Pages: From a Poetics Journal 2023: notes on two critical volumes: Betteridge and Kaufmann (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I think I'll take my winterval break from blogging for a few weeks. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(don’t use the Edge Hill email); website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter
(or <i>X</i>): </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-47335800924518824932023-12-10T14:40:00.003+00:002023-12-10T14:55:22.698+00:00Two British Standard sonnets are published in Anthropocene - notes, links and a video<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">I’m
pleased to say two poems from the last part of ‘The English Strain’ project,
</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">British Standards</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> have been published in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Anthropocene</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">. You may
read them here:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.anthropocenepoetry.org/post/2-poems-by-robert-sheppard">2
poems by Robert Sheppard (anthropocenepoetry.org)</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Thanks to
the dedicated editors!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">‘British
Standards’ is best described here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/04/transpositions-of-hartley-coleridge-end.html">Pages: Transpositions of Hartley Coleridge: the end of British Standards (and of The English Strain project) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> where you will find links to
other magazine appearances of parts of the book. I transpose sonnets by
Wordsworth, Mary Robinson, Shelley, Keats and others, as well as Clare (but not Arthur Symons, my second model here).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The first
poem on <i>Anthropocene</i>, ‘The rich-brown umber hue the oaks unfold’ is an ‘overdub’ of John Clare,
one of 14 such poems, written late 2020/early 2021. I write about the Clare
poems here, with videos,: <a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/10/robert-sheppard-four-new-versions-of.html">Pages:
Robert Sheppard: Four new versions of John Clare published in Talking About
Strawberries (plus videos and links)</a>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">And here
is a video of a reading of the poem:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzER-SjSdOB2dVC9a3MZ4GVcIv7p9OT57kAw-kFEhYz1EoKXhzuYWWX1YxItNbrwhtUnEkB_NeOLl0' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The second
poem is ‘After Image: Improvisation upon “Idealism” by Arthur Symons’, which
comes from the ‘After…’ poems that I amassed in serial attempts to end my three
volume trek through the English Petrarchan sonnet tradition, particularly the
end where the subject matter was tracking the hubris of brexit colliding with
the mismanagement of Covid. I wrote about this version at the time, here: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/11/should-i-write-fourth-book-of-english.html" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Pages:
Should I write a fourth ‘book’ of The English Strain project?
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">. This one dates from early 2022, though this video dates from this afternoon, late 2023!</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxZxJdgfz1lqrNfwHKNBE1YMU39vCz6ayLMm4ENtJ3mPbLrD1M5QSq9QIMPaSsV0qkkq90rbUdGIZQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">For the
record, I did finish the project, and it is great to publish in magazines a few of the poems
that weren’t published nearer the time of composition, particularly as there
remains no collecting volume to finish the job! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Read about
Book One of ‘The English Strain’, <i>The English Strain </i></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/10851127/2175434440328631738"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">here</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> .</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> Book Two, <i>Bad Idea, </i>is
talked about<i> </i></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/10851127/2175434440328631738"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">here</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">. Both are available for
sale.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Three poems from <i>The Engliosh Strain </i>book were published in a very early post of <i>Anthropocene, </i>here: <br /><a href="https://www.anthropocenepoetry.org/post/3-poems-by-robert-sheppard">3 poems by Robert Sheppard (anthropocenepoetry.org)</a> - versions of Charlotte Smith. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-82351940971373870922023-12-04T07:30:00.029+00:002023-12-28T11:55:42.254+00:00Poetic Evidence for the COVID Inquiry from British Standards (temporary post, with videos)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_QQSD0IL20lNKhDouQMRLIXkkPDoTlcKs0Bf7yRLSg4IGORoDepNRgGuB24iDtlCbf_xvr_F_5p7Ce-935NBzJXE8CI7iZO4hnMUqimxOAMjcZITMTUzK753NE0oNjx5wtIUa5jhwssM8JWxksiTxSVmsu2qw2E9Of1V_VB7PEpnf86MjGotkA/s799/Bo%20can't%20be%20arsed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="799" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_QQSD0IL20lNKhDouQMRLIXkkPDoTlcKs0Bf7yRLSg4IGORoDepNRgGuB24iDtlCbf_xvr_F_5p7Ce-935NBzJXE8CI7iZO4hnMUqimxOAMjcZITMTUzK753NE0oNjx5wtIUa5jhwssM8JWxksiTxSVmsu2qw2E9Of1V_VB7PEpnf86MjGotkA/w400-h300/Bo%20can't%20be%20arsed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">December 2023 Update:</span><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Bo (Boris
Johnson) appeared at the Covid Inquiry, and waffled and confirmed that he remembered that he couldn't remember anything. I watched it, in the knowledge that my friend was there watching it in person. I felt that some of
the poems I was writing at the time of Covid in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">British Standards </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">– they
carry dates – might be offered as contemporary evidence, like Chris Whitty’s un-witty
diaries. This group of poems, that transpose some of the 1802-3 sonnets of
Wordsworth (though I added one using Shelley), and (as I’ve said here before)
they chart how the hubris of brexit (which I now choose to spell with a lower
case b) collided with the mismanagement of Covid. A few had accompanying
videos, only the Shelley differing from the printed text. A bit. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I left them here till 'the
end of the year', and today will do nicely as cut off date. (More details on </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">British Standards </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">may
be accessed at the end of this post.) They are now deleted, like
Number Ten whatsapp messages, though I've kept the videos here. So here's the remains: at the end I'll say some more about what evidence I shall continue to poetically gather, if Bo is ever returned to office. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">From <i>Poems
of National Independence<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>liberties with
Wordsworth: from British Standards</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Brexit:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIWUhXU1zkSLltjaiPmS3qmF4SPdiFIQin97mHbDUTZYkYbiCN09Ni50BJjzPDNJEOx8yzH4pRgMYhje1noolImzx1wpVVz7ZaYsc5M8RbexvVi3Bfv0jehAOBB8OYnpsJC6WOAqtPqXVy8_4xL5JQ2bM13NNCOHWR6q7LLDX6bAbL4-D0CCKDxA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="320" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIWUhXU1zkSLltjaiPmS3qmF4SPdiFIQin97mHbDUTZYkYbiCN09Ni50BJjzPDNJEOx8yzH4pRgMYhje1noolImzx1wpVVz7ZaYsc5M8RbexvVi3Bfv0jehAOBB8OYnpsJC6WOAqtPqXVy8_4xL5JQ2bM13NNCOHWR6q7LLDX6bAbL4-D0CCKDxA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -36pt;"><a name="_Hlk33432908"></a><a name="_Hlk33699267"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk33432908;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Toussaint, the most unhappy man of
men!<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk33699267;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk33432908;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk33432908;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCmhPruyyJTKCOts-JULpLITddelrcubjWNUH6mpXqrN8X-oU6gBjOuQ8vZtdu3d_Ld7NEKCdMM5PZVskjt95qVlp3ApCdGs0rpuRGmoZ9PzlJ0XM1NH5tCUFlSok60FYAmJY47B-6t7qhbu5lr2L5WM0G4laQOh-f8vHB3Z3w4G7E2s08UsUbA/s680/Bo%20in%20the%20dumps.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="492" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCmhPruyyJTKCOts-JULpLITddelrcubjWNUH6mpXqrN8X-oU6gBjOuQ8vZtdu3d_Ld7NEKCdMM5PZVskjt95qVlp3ApCdGs0rpuRGmoZ9PzlJ0XM1NH5tCUFlSok60FYAmJY47B-6t7qhbu5lr2L5WM0G4laQOh-f8vHB3Z3w4G7E2s08UsUbA/w290-h400/Bo%20in%20the%20dumps.jpg" width="290" /></a></span></i></span></div><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk33432908;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /> </span></i></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk33432908;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Flat-Battery
Bo, rusticated man’s man!' the poem begins!</span></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk34986280;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a name="_Hlk34986280" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">O Friend! I know not which way I must look</span></i></span></a></span></span></span><div><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk34986280;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div><div><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk34986280;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dztfItUvUWMN5vXB7qjJ-O-n1-bWHoUIVlKS5FHvXu8TsSL4VjI1wgiFTQPob4xV6c3q4HudBD2YxA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div></span></span></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk34986280;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">13<sup>th</sup>
March 2020<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk34986280;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><a name="_Hlk35249371"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk49967044;"><a name="_Hlk36026663"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">One might believe that natural miseries<o:p></o:p></span></i></a></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk49967044;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36026663;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk49967044;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36026663;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzl-v2E8bIgmqMMIl3bNWvWiYxQ1j3yn5E40JJQEcRmLcAxLtvbkNzODhZlHj6tsoxpCjVwFeT3JsY' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></i></span></span></span></div><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36046639;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk49967044;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36026663;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /></span></i></span></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk36284639"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">England! The time is come when thou
shouldst wean<o:p></o:p></span></i></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36284639;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36284639;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzjZpoR3o86zfPE5xvSPi7_UuIRzjVo0j7LUmYynEazTEbtS_X5Y3CS4xDik9M5h_b3jM_WsIXUN7A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></i></span></div><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36284639;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /></span></i></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36284639;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Mine begins: 'Britain, the time is now to wean yourself from<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk36284639;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">hoarding fancy food or panic buying bog rolls.'...<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Vanguard of Liberty, ye men of Kent<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyIpGCzZozL_kYuWixelCi47CCPKfMtDtRY32S4JfXhewG-FSEyBVd0_X4Fu88ERMHRr-tNZXdPXgM' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /></span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">'Vanloads of libertines, playboys of Kent,' my transposition begins!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> And, as promised, a Shelley transformation: </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Political Greatness</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">: <i>an overdub of Shelley<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwj88DwZJnWWwU3RREdb-ZgGPGPGMd0Y1WT2HPnB-Ihg3dTxiWxbr53V8YUuuYbw9NUTmrCFEtc1o4' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">25<sup>th</sup> May 2020 (all the dates are important to placing poems against 'evidence', as more 'evidence'). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJeWTlQo8oAGHZs8GparfbH8qGIH3GscLSKLNzHCJn2vWPyRiQ1f2rm614aBrReDxVEHPnJPnz7-ANpHNCS48ACL5iTwPREc3SU49QlHqNFHTXWyWYH68QlcA3xxja-YceZgHFH8I9U9XIeiZx3FRP2wXm4MaX5X5tR91oxrXmGZ1OGXJaeb3qQ/s451/cover%20The%20English%20Strain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJeWTlQo8oAGHZs8GparfbH8qGIH3GscLSKLNzHCJn2vWPyRiQ1f2rm614aBrReDxVEHPnJPnz7-ANpHNCS48ACL5iTwPREc3SU49QlHqNFHTXWyWYH68QlcA3xxja-YceZgHFH8I9U9XIeiZx3FRP2wXm4MaX5X5tR91oxrXmGZ1OGXJaeb3qQ/s320/cover%20The%20English%20Strain.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR-rPmPahtK_eRNrnbXjX72jMLm17e__LFAxTgn7tLvVlj4XgWZZd51pPEbW-EnYftithK-6YKaeL9mvT5I9vpJX1mPOsrsniXOTSM5MMO0-jDpkx_CcmJsgrYWaDJtKOATWNaN1RLndkEdCVXTMokkUURnRERXgqc7GO-xBSmIPIJcqf-7qnfw/s594/Bad%20idea%20actual%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="419" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR-rPmPahtK_eRNrnbXjX72jMLm17e__LFAxTgn7tLvVlj4XgWZZd51pPEbW-EnYftithK-6YKaeL9mvT5I9vpJX1mPOsrsniXOTSM5MMO0-jDpkx_CcmJsgrYWaDJtKOATWNaN1RLndkEdCVXTMokkUURnRERXgqc7GO-xBSmIPIJcqf-7qnfw/s320/Bad%20idea%20actual%20cover.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /></span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">British
Standards </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">is the
still-unpublished third part of my ‘English Strain’ project. There are loads of
posts on this blog about the process of writing them. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘The
English Strain’ is in three books, two of them published so far, <i>The English
Strain </i>(Shearsman, 2021) and <i>Bad Idea</i> (Knives Forks and Spoons,
2021; see above)<i>. </i>I talk about thinking I’d finished the project (I had a few more
poems to add, in fact, as I shall point out:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/04/transpositions-of-hartley-coleridge-end.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/04/transpositions-of-hartley-coleridge-end.html</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">There are
lots of links to the other parts of the project. I was ‘doing’ Wordsworth (some
might say ‘doing Wordsworth in’!) in this first part of the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">British
Standards </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">of the ‘English Strain’ project. (I’ve written about that a
lot on this blog, but here’s a handful of links specific to the 14 sonnets from
1803 by Wordsworth that got the Sheppard treatment, some of them with videos of
the poems, as above):</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/06/poem-from-poems-of-national.html">Pages:
Poem from 'Poems of National Independence' talking to the dead (Wordsworth) on
STRIDE today (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/05/robert-sheppard-two-transpositions-of.html">Pages:
Robert Sheppard: Two transpositions of Wordsworth from British Standards
published on International Times</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/03/on-this-day-2020-i-wrote-my-final.html">Pages:
ON THIS DAY 2020 I wrote my final transposition of a sonnet by Wordsworth
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/07/robert-sheppard-my-recent-wordsworth.html">Pages:
Robert Sheppard: my recent 'Wordsworth' transposition is published by New Boots
and Pantiscracies</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/02/real-beginning-of-new-series-of.html">Pages:
Real beginning of new series of 'liberties' taken with Wordsworth's sonnets
(temporary post of The English Strain' series) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> If Bo is ever returned to office I have this plan afoot: </o:p></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-horrible-thought-that-bo-mioght-be.html">Pages: The Horrible Thought that Bo mioght be back: only The Bard could save me now! (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a>. Actually, I've had a few more thoughts. On Boxing Day 2023 I read ALL of Shakespeare's Sonnets which, as that last post will tell you, I've have hidden away for possible use on the return of Bo (the post has some other crossovers between Bo and the Bard). But I think now that <i>The Passionate Pilgrim </i>might be the more appropriate vessel to transpose, for the following reasons: it was a pirate edition with Shakespeare's name on the cover. It <i>does </i>contain some of his works and versions of his works, even 2 sonnets from the later 1609 volume, BUT it has a lot of stuff clearly not by the Bard. Somehow this FAKE volume, padded out with printers' illustrations and blank pages, extra title pages, is somehow comparable to Bo's disposition towards, not just Shakespeare, BUT EVERYTHING. I wouldn't mind betting that if he ever did write that book about Shakespeare, one of his 'revelations' or 'discoveries' will be that he did indeed write all the poems in the book (20 of them). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxawsfTslgC_6aG4dGCjI-0itzG3Py09F_s70gMBIZDQkB0UZYWnv-MFNpph_z9FVdo_qYBCnBL0GUjVeMq0i131sjwdD2jycZqG-xfVjZcspLktq-Creil94m2JCiA-yAjiPGomMr-3ooVTPBYfVsHnhfIm2dbZbT-ViNqlCa8xITh-CBRbShLA/s799/Bo%20arrested%20by%20partisans.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="799" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxawsfTslgC_6aG4dGCjI-0itzG3Py09F_s70gMBIZDQkB0UZYWnv-MFNpph_z9FVdo_qYBCnBL0GUjVeMq0i131sjwdD2jycZqG-xfVjZcspLktq-Creil94m2JCiA-yAjiPGomMr-3ooVTPBYfVsHnhfIm2dbZbT-ViNqlCa8xITh-CBRbShLA/s320/Bo%20arrested%20by%20partisans.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p></div></div>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-67747811508042428632023-11-28T09:37:00.001+00:002023-12-08T11:14:48.639+00:00My poem THE AREA is published in The Long Poem Magazine number 30 (background and links)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I’m
pleased to say my long poem ‘The Area:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">thinking
with the photographs of Tricia Porter, Liverpool 8: 1972-74’ has been published
in the excellent <i>Long Poem Magazine</i>, issue number 30. Yes, 30!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUl2evS0V5lSUoCcrk2x1NaEGAjsTbVrC3x4Qe0gEcZDx7cscOTGQpOen6-LF6Jf0S9eyz_kDFy5gIURo4HYd3O7-vIdzQR0a6Ur-sidWCJ3s3Jvw_TOJffzeGta1K3nrvkbRtPj4O8Ky86MHXuni3slb-DVqe9bwlEVWD9Eukg2kFJDmxTxrvYg/s990/LPM30-cv-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUl2evS0V5lSUoCcrk2x1NaEGAjsTbVrC3x4Qe0gEcZDx7cscOTGQpOen6-LF6Jf0S9eyz_kDFy5gIURo4HYd3O7-vIdzQR0a6Ur-sidWCJ3s3Jvw_TOJffzeGta1K3nrvkbRtPj4O8Ky86MHXuni3slb-DVqe9bwlEVWD9Eukg2kFJDmxTxrvYg/w283-h400/LPM30-cv-1.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">How did
this poem come to be? Well, in 2015 the Bluecoat arts centre in Liverpool
mounted an exhibition (and, importantly for the writing of the poems, published
a catalogue) of the 1970s photographs Tricia Porter made of ‘the area’ called
then Liverpool 8, later Toxteth. (Now part of it glories under the name the ‘Georgian
Quarter’, newly re-developed, but not beyond recognition.) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Tricia's website has more images, and may be found here. </span><a href="http://www.porterfolio.com/">Tricia Porter Photography (porterfolio.com)</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I have recently contacted her and discussed her work. Perhaps more on this blog about that, one day. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">As Liverpool
unlocked after Covid I returned to the photographs (and the place; some of the
images adorned the newly decorated walls of the Belvedere pub I frequent,
reminding me of them; I used to have a poem on the wall in an earlier
decoration of the pub: <a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2018/05/chris-mccabe-and-robert-sheppard-poems.html">Pages:
Chris McCabe and Robert Sheppard poems in the Belvedere, Liverpool!</a>). I was
haunted by the richness and deprivations of life in the photographs, a life I
didn’t experience at the time (though many of my Liverpool friends in the loose
grouping, the 1955 Committee, had! See here:</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-1955-committee-and-others-2022.html">Pages:
The 1955 Committee (and others) 2022 (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a>).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYs_IEU8hINRd2vTmY1FD0LqJIc71xVKHGXBq2yZTOpKRUApJ7BRcFGjJ4DseOlZXciw2r8889KWrmqi0Xsk05bswX470DXBxA-N6QSGfmOlM7H9U8fdA63MnRbSQCF1ef_oDeptddAGUeGtayLYeDdA8rkvvdMqVuuVTt3KQe17FmaL3vWuvDQ/s1200/Tricia%20Porter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1200" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYs_IEU8hINRd2vTmY1FD0LqJIc71xVKHGXBq2yZTOpKRUApJ7BRcFGjJ4DseOlZXciw2r8889KWrmqi0Xsk05bswX470DXBxA-N6QSGfmOlM7H9U8fdA63MnRbSQCF1ef_oDeptddAGUeGtayLYeDdA8rkvvdMqVuuVTt3KQe17FmaL3vWuvDQ/w640-h422/Tricia%20Porter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I decided
to ‘write through’ the images, including this one above, and then edit some of the results into the
unpunctuated couplets that you may read in the <i>Long Poem Magazine</i>. The emphatic
capital letters starting each line might be thought of as a counterpointed mode
of punctuation, certainly a guide to rhythmic utterance (or ‘stutterance’ one
could even say). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">This
subtle dialectic between<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Reinforced
glass and finely engraved<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Panels at
the counters of the Belvedere she sits<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">On a stool
in white slacks<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">He wraps
an arm around he<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Presses
his lit cigarette onto the tip of hers <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I have a
love-hate relationship with so called <i>ekphrastic </i>writing (see here: <a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2017/01/robert-sheppard-talk-for-open-eye.html">Pages:
Robert Sheppard: Talk for the Open Eye Gallery on Poetry and Photography
December 2016</a>) and was determined that no section of the poem would relate<i>
completely </i>to a single image: I was imagining collaging the images in the same
way I was collaging the words, ‘thinking with’ rather than looking at.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt;">Read
the poem by buying the magazine here: <a href="https://longpoemmagazine.org.uk/issues/3551/#contents">ISSUE 30 – Long
Poem Magazine</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Other
writers included in this issue (and at least four are associated with Liverpool as well!) are:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Helen
Tookey
A Choice of Paths</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;">Peter
Robinson
Le Suquet Revisited</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Aidan
Semmens
Tales of the Old Pacific<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Garry
Mackenzie
Oysters<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anna
Quarendon
Menagerie<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Daniel
Samoilovich tr Terence Dooley Awaking Demons<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Graham
Mort
Concerning the Ukraine War<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Simon
Collings
Scenes from Out West<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Judith
Amanthis
How to Howl<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Frances
Presley
The Modern Long Poem and Feminist Projects<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mara
Adamitz Scrupe
a seiche a
derecho<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Simon
Maddrell
dear derek jarman<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ian
Seed
<i> from</i> Scattering
My Mother’s Ashes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert
Minhinnick
Family Bible<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Andrew
Nightingale
Dead voice
trafficking contraption<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Iain
Britton
Dolls<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Penelope
Shuttle
book of lullabies<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Peter
Daniels
Happy and Fortunate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Kathryn
Pierpoint
Sunspot<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sean
Street
Running Out of Time<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> My copy has now arrived and it looks very exciting. </o:p></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-25722494960515479122023-11-24T19:37:00.001+00:002023-11-24T19:46:05.809+00:00Scott Thurston's TURNING ; my endorsement and a link <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Sometimes a blurb for a book (I mean ‘endorsement’,
don’t I?) </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">says little more than ‘I like
this book: you will too’. Snappy, short. Quotable. Sometimes I find myself
(given my history as a critic and reviewer) sketching out an essay or a review
(which I then have to shave until it’s the right length). In the case of this
slightly long blurb for the selected poems of Scott Thurston, I managed to
write a condensed review of this excellent collection.</span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thurston’s
poems always danced, as the early writings here demonstrate, in line and
spacing, long before dance as a practice became his poetic focus <i>and </i>his
ethical metaphor for other modes of action and introspection. They always
measured a world to be moved into, fine lines across fine distinctions. His texts
become cues for performance,<i> in</i> performance</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">, but just as important is the insistent
voice of the poem as it becomes increasingly the voice of the poet: restless,
relentless, carrying us with it. This is all <i>for</i> us: ‘</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">in
dancing your own rite you don’t/ do it for yourself.’ This is crystallized in
the culminating triumph of the lockdown sonnet sequence, ‘A Hard Grief’; it reaches
out from our shared resignation and hope. We’re all ‘searching/ for the shapes
that shadowed the meaning/ until the flow showed up’, and Thurston is our invaluable
lead. </span></span></blockquote><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6ZqDSvJ4iH3GrSUjtgJk28We9saWHF0GX0ffeJOJm-KHoavEDqv4Y081kDWBkxqXswvMgaxu1_T36aTDq-A_MOcmltwPgHiY5JnFVpRDL-VaIzzRgSTDOuLG41DhvPHVBZfy-6U7c36k-dT6c8JkIo2gXpVtYLlbg1g82SvcTCuGo6BNRG4wgw/s680/Scott%20Turning.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6ZqDSvJ4iH3GrSUjtgJk28We9saWHF0GX0ffeJOJm-KHoavEDqv4Y081kDWBkxqXswvMgaxu1_T36aTDq-A_MOcmltwPgHiY5JnFVpRDL-VaIzzRgSTDOuLG41DhvPHVBZfy-6U7c36k-dT6c8JkIo2gXpVtYLlbg1g82SvcTCuGo6BNRG4wgw/w422-h640/Scott%20Turning.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I spent most of today with Scott, pleased to exchange our books, and dine in Chorlton. We chatted about the journal, dance, Salford, life, health (mine) and well-being (his), before retiring to his study to talk poetry and books. Joanna emerged from Zoom meetings, and we all drove to Liverpool, joking all the way in the failing (but bright) light. A great day.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What about looking at the interview I conducted with Scott about
his writing and dancing (even the cover of the new book will not allow us to take these pages
as simply for, or of, the page!), part of my guest editing of <i>Stride </i>a
few years ago: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2019/07/guest-editor-robert-sheppard-8.html">Guest
editor Robert Sheppard: 8 | Stride magazine</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">,</span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Turning </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">may be purchased here: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://www.shearsman.com/store/Scott-Thurston-Turning-Selected-Poems-1995-2020-p589723971">Scott
Thurston - Turning — Selected Poems 1995-2020 (shearsman.com)</a></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj29M2B3deRlE4VggJOnQQ9WSRnf_b29rad5yDyx-6auW5hYk5iHIXxPMFYeXauIbfF3knW5EyzQlsgaegzjCCXx2Z_QhdAFH4yxRcFWqV-tAZT4ItW0gqYYHDZFuP-XV7oDRkm0JCU3kL5rl4z2XWCX1bESCbhFcWc7HYmHF028tgyb9leahmHA/s500/scott%20again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj29M2B3deRlE4VggJOnQQ9WSRnf_b29rad5yDyx-6auW5hYk5iHIXxPMFYeXauIbfF3knW5EyzQlsgaegzjCCXx2Z_QhdAFH4yxRcFWqV-tAZT4ItW0gqYYHDZFuP-XV7oDRkm0JCU3kL5rl4z2XWCX1bESCbhFcWc7HYmHF028tgyb9leahmHA/s320/scott%20again.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-36605021444065131322023-11-21T11:07:00.005+00:002023-11-21T12:18:24.576+00:00Performance of the Ern Malley Orchestra and launch of Doubly Stolen Fire <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhQ-ILNvy2o4PUNg_sDi8mqdGbhxWqTzjZ52IxrwY6GOQnYidttmqSwgwpJcJ3eZvdbDEGoiNUS_HVi7qom4ilYgdVyyQsbsPZZf1mlDcMy2C4YM9R449SUur9JW4mb1UViBiRln-IrOX-SeYEl-5UxxFVKi7SOAKUXo-wk7A8knLzmU02y7uwg/s1754/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1754" data-original-width="1239" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhQ-ILNvy2o4PUNg_sDi8mqdGbhxWqTzjZ52IxrwY6GOQnYidttmqSwgwpJcJ3eZvdbDEGoiNUS_HVi7qom4ilYgdVyyQsbsPZZf1mlDcMy2C4YM9R449SUur9JW4mb1UViBiRln-IrOX-SeYEl-5UxxFVKi7SOAKUXo-wk7A8knLzmU02y7uwg/w452-h640/unnamed.jpg" width="452" /></a></p><p>David Whyte and I took part in this event on Saturday night, a celebration of all things Mallyesque, that included Mark Ford on meeting one of the hoaxers, John Wilkinson on John Tranter's Malley poems, and other contributions as on the poster above (but I missed some of the names represented by the elisions). But thanks to William and Jeremy, named above in brief, the organisers of the conference that this was the 'let your hair' down tail of. </p><p>I read a shortened version of the essay 'Doubly Stolen Fire' which is published in my new book. also called <i>Doubly Stolen Fire. </i>(See details:<i> </i><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/doubly-stolen-fire-new-book-of-hybrid.html">Pages: Doubly Stolen Fire (a new book of hybrid texts) is now OUT (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a> It's a response to the Malley 'affair', and posits a distinction between 'hoaxes' and 'fictional poems' and 'poets', which is something I've experimented with a lot; I also read my 'Ern Malley Suite', which is from one of those projects. (The essay was written after the <i>Liverpool </i>celebration of Ern's birth: <a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2018/03/ern-malley-1918-1943-celebrating_14.html">Pages: Ern Malley 1918-1943: Celebrating the centenary in his place of birth Liverpool (set list) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a> )</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0GxcvNDgnstiQfPo3TZKEKWEl7c1MMMIgE3rMjOknW5u8hX4XL8dYH3miJeY9Xv9YDn7yqkYOFJ4lH60DKxGXlMkX0KsC-ibhRLqoGawfOqKQcuQ4aOD-v4xYExiHrhH08cLVD7bijVMptx4cHelMoXbrvr-_NBJcMH-ElRMIbEz97aGrbGz_w/s1280/Doubly%20Stolen%20Fire.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0GxcvNDgnstiQfPo3TZKEKWEl7c1MMMIgE3rMjOknW5u8hX4XL8dYH3miJeY9Xv9YDn7yqkYOFJ4lH60DKxGXlMkX0KsC-ibhRLqoGawfOqKQcuQ4aOD-v4xYExiHrhH08cLVD7bijVMptx4cHelMoXbrvr-_NBJcMH-ElRMIbEz97aGrbGz_w/w400-h225/Doubly%20Stolen%20Fire.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>Here's a picture of the two man orchestra setting up., David with guitar and lyrics, me with lyrics and harmonicas... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwqAaSl1AifpDcoYVSW3xqE5TaEkAwrsmHMjJVptLqFOrTf56KR5kLxp06yuNTJQmfGSGHiMM4_qlka4X18LjV3LXuD04G-N4mDYDS0ZpQfkS_nCCD1Sj84maj9FxW80WJ_tAwKglSgVkxjc0_Bh3PsUHHMgOUp9EltZm69MFS19aKUcDd0N0ggQ/s2000/Ern%20Malley%20Orch%2018%20Nove%2023%20Cambridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwqAaSl1AifpDcoYVSW3xqE5TaEkAwrsmHMjJVptLqFOrTf56KR5kLxp06yuNTJQmfGSGHiMM4_qlka4X18LjV3LXuD04G-N4mDYDS0ZpQfkS_nCCD1Sj84maj9FxW80WJ_tAwKglSgVkxjc0_Bh3PsUHHMgOUp9EltZm69MFS19aKUcDd0N0ggQ/w480-h640/Ern%20Malley%20Orch%2018%20Nove%2023%20Cambridge.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>We then launched into a performance of four of Ern's greatest poems, set to music by David Whyte. We ended with a bit of a Malleyoke, with (some) of the audience singing our Malley chorus: 'I have split the infinite.' Imagine.</p><p>It felt good to be singing once more and playing a little backing blues harp. One commentator said I sounded like Kevin Ayres. </p><p>Here's a selfie taken at the 'blood-soaked Royston perimeter', as Andrew Duncan called it long ago. It was good to travel with David. This is where 'rail replacement bus' gave way to trains.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJX38rqUCs2SKJuTnlTxPBnTlY35ym2E956cmMQv-AmjqKUm8sUW9KciueVzDqgFBpZJUQMUo6BA_RkSIkdhpGhgBlBEwDD69zIh8opDZ7u_NHBgywVOK1UtW-v6c92wewaiXKfuWdNERbbidoCJ75Kkx5c1Uj4KJ-2cepzIe0vBh0jEbAV0lE9A/s4032/Ern%20Malley%20Bloodsoaked%20Royston%20Perimiter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJX38rqUCs2SKJuTnlTxPBnTlY35ym2E956cmMQv-AmjqKUm8sUW9KciueVzDqgFBpZJUQMUo6BA_RkSIkdhpGhgBlBEwDD69zIh8opDZ7u_NHBgywVOK1UtW-v6c92wewaiXKfuWdNERbbidoCJ75Kkx5c1Uj4KJ-2cepzIe0vBh0jEbAV0lE9A/s320/Ern%20Malley%20Bloodsoaked%20Royston%20Perimiter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p> <a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/launch-of-doubly-stolen-fire-at-lowry.html">Pages: Launch of Doubly Stolen Fire at the Lowry Lounge 2023, Liverpool (set list) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a> tells you about my Liverpool launch for <i>Doubly Stolen Fire</i>, the one that concentrated on the Malcolm Lowry materials in the book. There are different emphases for different venues. Next up: the talking mongoose? </p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-72054609569462472962023-11-11T08:00:00.001+00:002024-02-19T12:13:12.448+00:00From a Poetics Journal 2023: notes on two critical volumes: Betteridge and Kaufmann<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p>N</o:p></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">otes on two critical volumes</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Joel Betteridge’s <i>Avant-Garde
Pieties:</i> <i>Aesthetics, Race and the Renewal of Innovative Poetics</i>.
Oxford and London: Routledge, 2018; and <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Reading
Uncreative Writing: Conceptualism, Expression and the Lyric</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> by David Kaufmann. Cham: Palgrave
Macmillan, 2017;</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and touching very
briefly on Oren Izenburg’s <i>Being Numerous: Poetry and the Ground of Social
Life. </i>Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2011.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">I have been trying
for an age to finish reading Joel Betteridge’s <i>Avant-Garde Pieties</i> (2018)
and I’ve finally done it. (And I've taken even longer to get this post up and online.) I’ve been simultaneously re-reading <i>Reading Uncreative
Writing</i> by David Kaufmann (2017). Both books are rocked, I think it is fair
to say, by the affront of – intended – and the affront caused – probably
unintended – by Kenneth Goldsmith’s ‘The Body of Michael Brown’ (2015, well
that's the date of its single performance anyway). Never has a text been so
central and absent to literary debate (since Goldsmith withdrew the work and
replaced it with a self-justifying Facebook post). With one enclosure does
Goldsmith refute his often quoted assertion that you don’t need to read his
work. In this case we do, but we can't. But, then, we should be wary of Goldsmith’s
pronouncements (I suppose we should call it ‘poetics’, but it appears too
finished to fulfil my definitions of it. See </span><a href="http://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2016/04/robert-sheppard-necessity-of-poetics-1.html"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: The Necessity of
Poetics 1: The Identification of Poetics</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">) His whole book <i>Uncreative Writing</i> (saintly white cover),
like its critical shadow, Perloff’s <i>Unoriginal Genius</i> – brilliant and
persuasive books both! – his book (as I say in <i>my</i> book <i>The Meaning of
Form</i>: see </span><a href="http://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2016/09/robert-sheppard-meaning-of-form-in_19.html"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: The Meaning of Form
in Contemporary Innovative Poetry PUBLISHED</span></a><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">
offers a teleology that fashions all of avant-garde or modernist history into a
precursor of uncreative writing or, rather, to himself. I criticised this,
rightly, but what I failed to see was that <i>his critics</i> have also taken
him at his word. So that when the disgusting and ill-judged presentation (and
subtle rearrangements, or <i>forming</i> in my terms) of ‘The Body of Michael
Brown’ was attacked so comprehensively, some commentators used the opportunity
to dismiss <i>all</i> avant-garde art... particularly as racist. Where this
gets us – suddenly everything I've ever written is automatically racist! – is
unclear – but where it leaves Baraka or Mackey (etc… a long list in Betteridge
and Kaufmann) is much clearer: they stand as refutations of this simplistic
charge, by dazzling us, by simply existing. As I say, these critics (who have an
aesthetic agenda (mainstream writers) or a political one (they want directly
political work; what would they make of my sonnets? nothing, of course, the focus
is purely <i>American</i>, a blindness unaddressed…) These critics are only
following Kenneth Goldsmith’s teleology. We all go down for <i>his</i> crime,
in the worst form of joint enterprise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The year 2015 is
an interesting one for the wheels to fall off the conceptualist wagon. (Vanessa
Place was also playing with fire by retweeting </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Gone with the Wind</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> at
this time, and Kaufmann itemises the creative blindness of the gesture, and the
critical blindness of the response.) Somewhere I noted that I thought
conceptual writing would last until about 2015. (I wished I'd expressed that
publicly; I didn't, probably because I've been so wrong with predictions before!
Examples omitted.) If you believe Kenneth Goldsmith's self-serving teleology,
then all avant-garde work died in 2015. (With him.) It's not what he </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">intended</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">,
but that's the result of his argument.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">Goldsmith's
intentions are of interest in this moment. Betteridge argues convincingly that his
justification of ‘The Body of Michael Brown’ – I feel like I'm re-inscribing the
pain, and ‘anti-elegy’ with each reiteration of his name in this context –
betrays most of the tenets of conceptual writing, largely through a very
traditional plea to ‘Truth’. It's like he's claiming to be some kind of
documentary poet (like Mark Novak for example, or Juliana Spahr, about whom Betteridge
writes so eloquently). But maybe Kenneth Goldsmith would sell his own skin to
save his body.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">If you don't
believe Kenneth Goldsmith's self-serving teleology then avant-garde work didn't
die in 2015, not all forms led to Goldsmith. Indeed at that moment I was
working on <i>The Meaning of Form</i>, attempting to prove, in part, that
conceptual writing’s disavowal of form was not evidenced by the form, forms and
acts of forming involved in producing the works themselves. (See </span><a href="http://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2014/02/robert-sheppard-trace-of-poetry-notes.html"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard The Trace of Poetry:
Notes on Conceptual Writing and Form</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">)
One of the problems with Kenneth Goldsmith’s ‘The Body’ is that he does reform
the work – ‘translating’ medical terms,
it's a re-forming of an autopsy report, a transposition of its restricted code (and
quite unlike Goldsmith's <i>American Disasters</i> which uses PUBLIC language)
another of Kenneth Goldsmith’s self-justifications that deny and defy the
evidence is to suggest ‘The Body’ is an extra chapter of <i>American Disasters</i>.
Kaufmann's thesis – in brief –is a parallel one to mine. Where I find <i>form</i>
where it's been liquidated by the theory, he finds <i>affect</i>, ‘subjectivity’,
a ‘trans-subjectivity’ belonging to a mass of quoted people, and ‘expression’
in Adorno’s sense, i.e. it's not <i>self</i>-expression.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">[I will now interpollate
some earlier notes I made on this use of ‘expression’: First he redefines ‘expression’:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The truth of
dissonance is expression.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘Expression
renders audible differentiated state or mood... Expression... marks the
critical function of art and its concomitant utopian hope.’ (Kaufmann 2017: 7)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">My language.
Expression is not <i>self</i>-expression. Indeed, in <i>The Meaning of Form</i>
I say something like this: </span><a href="http://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2014/02/robert-sheppard-note-on-self-expression.html"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: A Note on
Self-Expression and Conceptual Wriitng</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">]</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The rejection of
lyric subjectivity is not as absolute as it might be for Marjorie Perloff.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘A critique of
actually existing “official verse culture” is not a criticism of lyricism <i>tout
court</i>. It is a critique of the current state of play,’ (Kaufmann 2017: 9)
the ‘workshop poem’, for example. Thus he can say of Emily Dickinson: ‘a
determinate negation of the lyric of her time, not the blanket negation of the
lyric, as such.’ (Kaufmann 2017: 10.) (Such negations are part of its history.)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A turning from <i>that</i>
lyric, not from the long tradition. Or returning from it, within the tradition.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Kaufmann has
serious wonders on the way, but by page 125, we're back to Adorno’s <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘expression’ that is not self-expression: ‘Artworks
bear expression not when they communicate the subject, but rather where they reverberate
with the proto history of subjectivity’... Expression ‘approaches the trans-subjective.’
(Kaufmann 2017: 125))</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">I'll leave his
thoughts about lyric to one side for now. [Actually, these notes do not return
to the subject.] The more satisfactory conceptual work for Kaufman is that of
Robert Fitterman and it is interesting (to me, anyway), that James (Byrne) and
I should have selected his work for <i>Atlantic Drift.</i> (See </span><a href="http://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2018/01/atlantic-drift-launch-in-london-5th.html"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Pages: Atlantic Drift launch in London: 5th
February 2018 (some photos and a few comments) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"> The language of affect, argues Kaufmann,
saturates conceptual writing when it <i>shouldn't</i>. The ‘shouldn't’ only
works if you exchange the flexibility and developmental gymnastics of poetics
for the sclerotic diktats of a manifesto – but that's exactly what conceptual
writing did in its (or Kenneth Goldsmith's) attempt to be the only avant-garde
practice in town.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's not. It can't
be, given continual avant-garde poetics and practice, of course.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And it isn't, if
we are looking at the other writers Betteridge treats (chiefly Spahr and Buuck,
Kaia Sand, Peter O’Leary, and Clauda Rankine (another inclusion in <i>Atlantic
Drift</i>)), and the scope can be widened to include many many other writers,
as ever when one writes a critical work).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘Race’ in
Bettridge’s subtitle ‘Aesthetics, Race and the Renewal of Innovative Poetics’
is a live issue, in a particular, global way, post-Black Lives Matter (his book
is pre-BLM, of course, given the delays of book publication). It's never been a
not-live issue for Poets and People of Colour, and - without sounding like
Kenneth Goldsmith and his self-justifications, I'm pleased with the diversity
of coverage in <i>Atlantic Drift</i> though that's probably more James Byrne’s
doing than mine.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">No, it's rac<i>ism</i>
that's the issue here. Betteridge puts up an argument against directly activist
poetry that isn't worth repeating here, since I'm more interested in his ‘renewal
of innovative poetics’.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Because a poem
doesn't mention race it doesn't mean it's racist. (That should be obvious, but
it's not.) If a person doesn't mention race that doesn't mean it's not racist;
obviously, to be overtly racist (rather than institutionally racist) you'd
probably need to mention race, possibly obsessively so. Of course, my use of ‘mention’
is playing into certain presumptions about the referentiality of poetry - it's
not helpful…</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the things Betteridge
touches upon at the beginning is dealt with precisely by the rest of the book:
the notion that some ‘avant-garde’ gestures (I'm using his terms but ‘formally
innovative’ might do just as well) – some such named gestures just aren't. I
came up with the aphorism: ‘A writer (an artist) must both derive and dérive –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and both must be unruly,’ after reading Betteridge
(on Robert Duncan, as it happens). I do see surrealist writing, Oulipo
techniques applied on far from the fruit fly material Queneau stipulated,
decorative concrete poetry, ineffectual erasure, pointless cut up, etc… etc… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but to note that is only, really, to notice
that being derivative is not the same as deriving the work – Bettridge has no
problem with an avant-garde <i>tradition</i> – so long as one does something
with it, ‘working the work’ as I've long said: ‘derive and dérive’ seems to me
an epithet-prophylactic for that problem. It's a minor point and it doesn't
need returning to. (I take it up in a piece of poetics intended for
publication, called (at the moment) ‘My Own Crisis’. Really!) ‘Right imitation’
is no longer part of our poetics, but neither is wild novelty. It is part of
good aesthetic judgement to deal with it. It is partly poetics’ task to derive
and to suggest the dérive. (Oh no, not another definition of poetics!)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This brings me to
another minor point. Betteridge occasionally gestures towards the religious
and, even if his suggestion that the language poets’ commitment to language is
not unlike a sect’s commitment to its principles (I always think of the Muggletonians!)
I would want to steer away from that, and stay secular and linguistically
materialist.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That said, his
account of the ‘pieties’ of the avant-garde suggest ways towards ‘renewal of
innovative poetics’. Another way of saying this, is to say that I want to re-
read his book – or parts of it – as poetics. Or rather, to read the parts which
<i>are poetics.</i> Betteridge is a poet, after all. That demands a different
way of reading parts of the book, for example, his discussion of Claudia Rankine
which includes the words ‘the book’s form of politics – its avant-garde belief
that aesthetics are political. The avant-garde values of multiple genres, use
of sources, etc…’ (passages on page 29 and 151-200 for those who have access to
the book)...</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">[These notes
become more notelike from here on, as I ran out of energy. I’ve also not taken
up the suggestion to re-read parts, but I suspect I will. In the meantime I
have been writing (as I said) ‘My Own Crisis’, which overlaps with some of
this, BUT began life as a writing-through of <i>Capitalist Realism </i>by Mark
Fisher. I got halfway, and then wrote through my own notes backwards. It has
the virtue of compression which these notes don’t. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">MY OWN CRISIS may be read here: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.futchpress.info/post/my-own-crisis&source=gmail&ust=1702997665736000&usg=AOvVaw0bhmVwVGHSsh0931ZrGG19" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.futchpress.info/post/my-own-crisis" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.futchpress.<wbr></wbr>info/post/my-own-crisis</a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Betteridge tells
us that Rankine takes elements of a ‘racist violent culture’ and ‘redirects
that culture by means of the poem’s friendship’. (Betteridge 151). This use of
‘friendship’ derives from readings of Stanley Cavill, (but I believe the modes
of ‘hospitality’ Derek Attridge writes of (in writers and readers) serves just
as well; see </span><a href="http://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2015/05/robert-sheppard-meaning-of-form-and.html"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: The Meaning of Form
and Derek Attridge’s The Work of Literature</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">). (304) Betteridge talks of ‘its avant-garde belief that
aesthetics are political. The avant-garde values of multiple genres, use of
sources, and commitment to a form of literary poetics... They ‘simultaneously
illuminate the problem of American culture and produce a solution to it.’ (151)</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He calls it an ‘impossible
avant-garde politics’ as I think it might be for me!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘A multiform
tradition’ (163) ‘multiform avant-garde tradition’ (165-6) The danger he calls ‘moralising’.
It destroys the multiformity of the avant-garde (171)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Wendy Brown. We
must develop a ‘vision about the common’ (‘what I want for us’) ‘because it
aims to create a collective future by transforming where one lives out of love,
and it takes political acting and conversation as the means of such correction’.
(73) We mustn't ‘abandon … the sheerly political domain in favour of moral
judgement and identity … particularly injured identities.’ (174) Identity + Ressentiment
= Moralism (which cuts us off from anything that offends us). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn't this obvious? Perhaps it is, but this ‘conclusion’
does provide some terms to use, a few useful quotes for critical writing and –
more importantly – poetics.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here's a particularly
useful passage: ‘Just because lyric poets and their apologists find the
avant-garde tired, annoying, and out of fashion does not mean that it is; it
just means that those writers bent on realism and representation can't read the
avant-garde in the required spirit.’ Says Bettridge (197). And even better:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘We have no idea
which poem will be the catalyst for which particular readers and keeping this
fact of reading alive and vital for specific readers is what a multiform
avant-garde permits.’ (195) (Could equally argue that of the mainstream, of
course, that that would be less multiform.)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The rousing chorus
of the avant-garde seems more like a single strained note, or a breathy
obviousness. Let's end this (failed?) summary with a quote from a different
book: ‘Radical poetics... is not radical for its political commitments but for
its pre political or ontological commitments.’ (Isenberg 35), a book I'm slowly
rereading at the moment.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Later: I haven't
returned to these thoughts – perhaps they are finished, what they are, and are
destined to remain where they are, informing practice, as poetics is <i>meant</i>
to do, according to me!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Tesco delivery
has arrived so I shall stop my dictation from my poetics journal and engage (briefly)
with capitalism.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">A previous set of journal
‘notes’ from my reading of critical works may be read here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/02/repulse-on-pulse-and-richard-andrews.html"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Pages: Re:Pulse – on pulse and Richard
Andrews’ A Prosody of Free Verse: Explorations in Rhythm (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"> and also (further back in time) these
thoughts on postmodernism came from my poetics journal: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2016/05/robert-sheppard-supplanting-postmodern.html"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: Supplanting the
Postmodern (notes)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></span></p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Locating and contacting me:
email: Please do not use the Edge Hill one; it doesn’t work: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> Follow on Twitter: </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>latest
blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /></span></span><p></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-69455301640805267762023-11-08T08:00:00.003+00:002023-11-08T08:00:00.145+00:00Robert Sheppard and two others at Peter Barlow's Cigarette 24th October 2023 (set list)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">An evening of alternative poetries happened at Peter Barlow’s Cigarette with me and two others. It was meant to be Patricia (Farrell) reading, but she was unavailable and I went instead. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span>Patricia has had a short notice eye operation. She would have had to squint and glare at the audience with a piratical wink. </span></span><span>(</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">See</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.patriciafarrell.weebly.com/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">www.patriciafarrell.weebly.com</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">. ) </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nyyhx_O98ao3RFMToCTRQsjj4QgGxU6Xe_KJTlf34wXFQ8_LYzff7RYc0DMG135bU_glNfxpZCRsHhSxRk7m-IUBYVmDCkCDsLaZXLAEgaPrmP5KasCgmkG4EAsN1Y5l2ayJEyLSvGIDCONpMJw3MLL3S4EgO6gU__otE90Iju3d1E2HVbhacg/s1283/Peter%20Barlow's%20Cigarette%20Poetry%20reading.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1075" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nyyhx_O98ao3RFMToCTRQsjj4QgGxU6Xe_KJTlf34wXFQ8_LYzff7RYc0DMG135bU_glNfxpZCRsHhSxRk7m-IUBYVmDCkCDsLaZXLAEgaPrmP5KasCgmkG4EAsN1Y5l2ayJEyLSvGIDCONpMJw3MLL3S4EgO6gU__otE90Iju3d1E2HVbhacg/w536-h640/Peter%20Barlow's%20Cigarette%20Poetry%20reading.jpg" width="536" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Tuesday, 24<sup>th</sup> October 2023</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(not one of their usual Saturdays)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The (very fine) Carlton Club, Carlton Road, Whalley Range, Manchester.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I was reading with</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A</span><span face=""Tahoma",sans-serif"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">LISTAIR NOON ~<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Paradise Takeaway</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">, a long poem with Luton Airport in it, is out from Two Rivers Press on 21 October 2023. Other recent publications include <i>Two Verse Essays</i> (Longbarrow, 2022) and two further volumes of his translations from the Russian of Osip Mandelstam (<i>The Voronezh Workbooks</i> and <i>Occasional and Joke Poems</i>, Shearsman, 2022). He lives in Berlin, which is where I last saw him at his wonderful Berlin Festival, at which both Patricia and I read, and Stephen sat on my hat!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And I wasn't (quite) reading with ELOISE OUI because the trains are shit in this country, so I left at half time. Only later, reading Alistair's <i>Paradise Takeaway </i>in the Belve did I realise that that is one of the emphatic and powerful themes of his book; though I actually had interruption-free travel, but we can't risk it, can we? In fact, the taxi journey was worse, caught in Man United traffic...) Anyway, apologises to ELOISE, who</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">is a multipurpose artist from Leeds. She is the writer and director of two upcoming short films: <i>Warm Egg</i>, a sci-fi-infused musical drama, and <i>O River</i>, a psychedelic cat-and-mouse Western set in the Yorkshire Moors. These projects are currently in post-production, with plans for release at various festivals in the upcoming year. Eloise writes poetry and paints for fun and for work she’s a graphic prop designer for tv shows, contributing to the visual storytelling of the small screen.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">SET LIST</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I read from the ‘English Strain’ Project, two poems: </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Afterword: The Shephe</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">rd's brow etc...' (see here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/12/no-need-for-fourth-book-of-english.html">Pages: No need for a fourth book of The English Strain, I've decided (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">2 Aftershock: Monitoring ... </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(see here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/03/another-final-poem-of-english-strain.html" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Pages: Another 'final' poem of the English Strain sonnet project: looking eastwards and to the Ukraine (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> ), but nothing from </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Doubly Stolen Fire. </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Otherwise, all new work. And on to:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">3. The Area (a new work due to appear in <i>The Long Poem Magazine. </i>It is a long poem!)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">4. Empty Diary 2022 (a work due to appear in a Broken Sleep anthology on 'Masculinities'. U</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: medium;">p for pre-order here: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page/masculinity-an-anthology-of-modern-voices&source=gmail&ust=1698486834334000&usg=AOvVaw3tgSPLqfjWHK0WNst7Vpw-" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page/masculinity-an-anthology-of-modern-voices" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>brokensleepbooks.com/product-<wbr></wbr>page/masculinity-an-anthology-<wbr></wbr>of-modern-voices</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">5. Empty Diary 2023. (About piss drinkers.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Empty Diary </i>context here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/10/robert-sheppard-last-two-empty-diary.html">Pages: Robert Sheppard: The last two Empty Diary poems are published on Stride</a>, <span>about the ones for 2020 and 2021 (with videos).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">finally, 6 (to cool it down) 'Late Advance to Bonheur', a poem i.m. John James, published here: </span><a href="https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/w/7771/robert-sheppard-swift-songs-and-essay-on-james-a-theory-of-poetry/">Robert Sheppard: ‘Swift Songs’ and Essay on James’ ‘A Theory of Poetry’ – Glasfryn Project</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then it was time to go: thanks to Joey Francis and the team for a great (truncated, for me) night. And thanks to the audience for responding with laughter to what Joey called 'the first poem about edging that we've had in ten years!' (That's number 4 above.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(don’t use the Edge Hill email); website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> Follow on Twitter (or is it <i>X</i>?): </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-12920593093533815212023-10-27T22:42:00.004+01:002023-10-31T12:09:04.694+00:00Doubly Stolen Fire (a new book of hybrid texts) is now OUT<p><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">My new book</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: justify;">
</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: justify;">Doubly Stolen Fire </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">is now available. Buy it straight from the publisher:
HERE:</span></span></span><a href="https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/w/8459/robert-sheppard-doubly-stolen-fire/"><span style="font-size: large;">Robert Sheppard: Doubly Stolen Fire – Glasfryn Project</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cost (plus postage and packing) UK
£13; Europe £15.00; USA and the rest of the world £17.00</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: large;">To buy click here to pay by Paypal: <a href="https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/w/8459/robert-sheppard-doubly-stolen-fire/">https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/w/8459/robert-sheppard-doubly-stolen-fire/</a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: large;">or send a cheque - made out to Aquifer Books - to <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: large;">Aquifer Books, Glasfryn, Llangattock, Powys, NP8 1PH<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>
</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://aquiferbooks.co.uk/"><span style="font-size: large;">http://aquiferbooks.co.uk</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8eoc91zqGB_S-mMZAXYVG1c7rd1ARSmu4BjsnLa51AJ14e5d3KWCgPgOLVc4-nNDiFhzmO2pzmjTAGiqUSBeCLg-vRUJxIb3Qmgw4KALi5fP1JNe9NHjUr537y2oHNckTbNFTRapCrp4Ikw1UTTG_a8w-t_wRKDWqJ5m1MNvmGe89TUL6Y_IbA/s1280/Doubly%20Stolen%20Fire.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8eoc91zqGB_S-mMZAXYVG1c7rd1ARSmu4BjsnLa51AJ14e5d3KWCgPgOLVc4-nNDiFhzmO2pzmjTAGiqUSBeCLg-vRUJxIb3Qmgw4KALi5fP1JNe9NHjUr537y2oHNckTbNFTRapCrp4Ikw1UTTG_a8w-t_wRKDWqJ5m1MNvmGe89TUL6Y_IbA/w640-h360/Doubly%20Stolen%20Fire.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It looks
great, and I’d like to thank Lyndon Davies, the publisher of Aquifer, for his
hard work, and recommend all the books he’s published to date. (See the website for a full account of his many activities: </span></span><a href="https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/">Glasfryn Project: a hub of literary/artistic activity in rural Powys</a> )</div><div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Mixing and
matching hybrid modes – memoir, essay, creative non-fiction, fiction, fictional
poems, psychogeographical derives, footnotes, poetics and even jokes – </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Doubly
Stolen Fire </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">examines authorship, real, fictional, hoaxing, as well as my
own, from multiple viewpoints.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Whether a
woman named Anonymous, or a mongoose called Gef, a fictional Austrian poet
whose lockdown diary records her poeticizing mannequin, or some version of me
in 1979 tracking the paths taken by novelist Malcolm Lowry, the book hosts a
cast of unstable actors. Yes, I know that means that I’m one of them, and I
acknowledge my attack of total global amnesia in one of the many labyrinthine footnotes. The characters keep
returning to the scenes of their literary crimes, Liverpool mainly, though
their guilty fictions float out to Berlin, the Isle of Man, Sussex and even to Ern
Malley’s Australia.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">You can
re-write the history of post-War British poetry if you listen to your
mannequin, it </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">seems</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">. You can put in a call for ‘creative literary
history’ and all manner of alternatives appear. You can make Larkin and his crew disappear! All this in a volume bulging
with mercurial humour and wily wit, and crawling with my creatures! What more
could you want?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Contents<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Introduction</i>:
by Jason Argleton (he’s a fictional poet; he seemed appropriate)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Anonymous</i>
(a true short short about meeting a woman of that name)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Doubly
Stolen Fire</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>in his Prosthetic Voice: The Ern Malley Hoax and Fictional Poems in
Liverpool</i> (an essay coming out of the difference between hoaxes and fictional
poems, and about some Ern Malley celebrations in Liverpool)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Thirty
Russell Road (</i>essay-poem-collage-piece about a strange event on the Isle of Man
in the 1930s; previously unpublished)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Vestigial
Gestures: The Fictional Poetry Project</i> (in which Sophie Poppmeier communicates
with her mannequin and produces English language fictional poems from the 1950s
to rival Larkin and That Lot; and then I meditate upon current and previous
fictional poets (who have appeared in the two books mentioned below. But also
check out the EUOIA website for details of them:</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><a href="https://euoia.weebly.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">European
Union of Imaginary Authors (EUOIA) - Home (weebly.com)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span lang="EN-US">)</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>The Novel </i>(not
a novel but another short short about (not) writing a novel; a fable of (non) creativity.)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Two:
Malcolm Lowry’s Land</span></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>The Lowry
Lounge </i>(a short poem concerning Lowry or the Lowryesque, short enough to read on video, as I do here):</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzYlvp0Tc2d3A0pokb8MxgvRknTtyKfGw9zjwTV95kH-D6mIBaXbTgT4LUq-bzWzsMs0uAp8Q5ts6Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Malcolm
Lowry’s Land </i>(an account of visiting Lowry’s grave in 1979, mediated through
attempts at a poem on that subject written then and read in the ‘now’ of the
poem, 2009; previously published in the pioneering LUP/Bluecoat volume </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Malcolm
Lowry: From Mersey to the World</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Cablegram
to Dale St </i>(a fantasy poem about Lowry and Liverpool)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Circle of
the City: following in the steps of Chapter Five</i> (All of the pieces in Part Two
have been performed at the annual Lowry Lounge events held in Liverpool every
year: I write about those meetings <i>AND </i>about this poem, a recent one;
there is a link to the text there too:</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/07/circle-of-city-published-now-on.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Circle of the City published
now on Osmosis/New book coming soon (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Read about the Liverpool launch of the book, here: </span></span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/launch-of-doubly-stolen-fire-at-lowry.html" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pages: Launch of Doubly Stolen Fire at the Lowry Lounge 2023, Liverpool (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">*</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Doubly
Stolen Fire</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> is a visionary glimpse into Robert Sheppard’s
‘inventory of the invented’. To begin with he is King Hoax, trickster offspring
of Pessoa and Enderby with a smatter of W.C. Fields and Alfred Jarry. Curator
of a fugitive archive of writings by and about imaginary authors, Sheppard is shapeshifter,
saloon huckster, cabaret comedian, laugh out loud funny. The second part is a
Firminist investigation into the Malcom Lowry labyrinth –psycho(somatic)geography,
raw response, fragmented memory recovered. The work is imbued with loss, inky
with fingerprints, words like haunted Kodaks.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">so says Jeff Young, author of <i>Ghost Town</i>, <i>A
Liverpool Shadowplay <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Robert
Sheppard’s curiosity, brilliance and mischief are entwined as closely as ever
in this gathering of poetry and prose. Continuing his excavations of poetry
from perhaps-parallel universes, the first part explores the potentialities of
fiction in and as poetry (or vice-versa), with the famous Ern Malley hoax as a
touchstone for further inventions. In the context of this probing of authorial
identities, the second part, with its focus on the apparently real Malcolm
Lowry, shimmers with alternative possibilities. However, what holds the double
construction of this book together is the character of Liverpool, its street
names and gossip and half-heard stories haunting the fragmentary speculations
that unfinish themselves, here and elsewhere at the same time. Behind the
dissolving characters, there’s a committed sociality in Sheppard’s writing that
makes it thoughtfully open to others as well as to language’s scintillating
play of otherness.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">so says Zoë Skoulding, author of <i>A Marginal Sea</i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyzhucQEZzYlIJrCRF0pJWDWPbH9lr07hZIcp0odH8jjsYtsg9Sl-wEx6E03ouge5JOt9Vx8jfIF0Y' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here's me opening the box of books.</span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I write about the first launch of the book, at the Lowry Lounge 2023 here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/launch-of-doubly-stolen-fire-at-lowry.html">Pages: Launch of Doubly Stolen Fire at the Lowry Lounge 2023, Liverpool (set list) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This book is (or parts of it are) the third part of my
‘fictional poetry’ project. Although you don’t need to know them, they are also
available, <i>A Translated Man</i>, which features the Belgian fictional poet
Rene Van Valckenborch, and <i>Twitters for a Lark</i>, in which I collaborate
with a number of other writers to create European poets. (See </span><a href="https://euoia.weebly.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">European
Union of Imaginary Authors (EUOIA) - Home (weebly.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
for info on that; or see the two books here: </span><a href="https://www.shearsman.com/store/Robert-Sheppard-A-Translated-Man-p102839130"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Shearsman Books buy Robert Sheppard
- A Translated Man</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> and here: </span><a href="https://www.shearsman.com/store/Robert-Sheppard-ed-Twitters-for-a-Lark-p102839129"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Shearsman Books buy Robert Sheppard
(ed) - Twitters for a Lark</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">, where you may buy those.</span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDUHpll360pflMnj1nVNu049w1_uCQ2KlG0zYS8BLDKeK8dByDenmunMH1VfARZLzxuVyW3sSkaE1SAjNqZW9Ql7OYU0Mdvw-3buIVCK8gzNBhMTtXDOUpbNVE_8FS1O3Z6rn5BId0NkGV6VX8i2eIxvQ5JO2T1aeZmB1ZUNAFSGuYIYvbSCB6w/s448/ATM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDUHpll360pflMnj1nVNu049w1_uCQ2KlG0zYS8BLDKeK8dByDenmunMH1VfARZLzxuVyW3sSkaE1SAjNqZW9Ql7OYU0Mdvw-3buIVCK8gzNBhMTtXDOUpbNVE_8FS1O3Z6rn5BId0NkGV6VX8i2eIxvQ5JO2T1aeZmB1ZUNAFSGuYIYvbSCB6w/s320/ATM.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbSJgTcJYIqSf8OdoTSOZ1W-9HRoL2-tUQSPXtPHiJxo4akC3H2_ID5pBHNfFIVWudFvIZMFzDJ-qWl6u5yfGWgbh1FtYbgIYxBLeRZ5sBsGnebj6WLW561RRxgw1i7sfZWtl9RVBh6u5hBdCsiSaFxIhpioZlCVngzucB7Jrxmrwsakpa6QCqg/s320/Twitters%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="213" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbSJgTcJYIqSf8OdoTSOZ1W-9HRoL2-tUQSPXtPHiJxo4akC3H2_ID5pBHNfFIVWudFvIZMFzDJ-qWl6u5yfGWgbh1FtYbgIYxBLeRZ5sBsGnebj6WLW561RRxgw1i7sfZWtl9RVBh6u5hBdCsiSaFxIhpioZlCVngzucB7Jrxmrwsakpa6QCqg/s1600/Twitters%20cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The availability of all my book-length publications
may be accessed here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/03/robert-sheppard-seeing-whats-in-print.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Robert Sheppard: seeing
what's in print and what's not!</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on
Twitter: </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p></p></div></div></div>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-34053558675355158392023-10-08T08:30:00.038+01:002024-01-13T11:58:05.308+00:00Launch of Doubly Stolen Fire at the Lowry Lounge 2023, Liverpool (set list)<p><br /></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwAV8-75mnFdPyXJ8GZxCe6bXnXbZC-5o9T1_l8f1uovHGcQqmutVJCX1YN2QtqOIWOYurvQriMS5A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I launched my new book <i>Doubly Stolen Fire </i>as
part of the Lowry Lounge at the Bluecoat, Liverpool </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">on Saturday 28</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
Octob</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">er.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span>Full details
of the book itself, and how you may buy it HERE: </span></span><a href="https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/w/8459/robert-sheppard-doubly-stolen-fire/">Robert Sheppard: Doubly Stolen Fire – Glasfryn Project</a> .</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><a href="https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/w/category/aquifer-press/">Aquifer – Glasfryn Project</a>. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: #262626; letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cost (plus postage and packing) UK
£13; Europe £15.00; USA and the rest of the world £17.00</span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or, </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">to buy click here to pay by Paypal: <a href="https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/w/8459/robert-sheppard-doubly-stolen-fire/">https://glasfrynproject.org.uk/w/8459/robert-sheppard-doubly-stolen-fire/</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">or send a cheque - made out to Aquifer Books - to <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">Aquifer Books, Glasfryn, Llangattock, Powys, NP8 1PH<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://aquiferbooks.co.uk/"><span style="font-size: medium;">http://aquiferbooks.co.uk</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">See my hubpost on the book here: <a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/doubly-stolen-fire-new-book-of-hybrid.html" style="text-align: left;">Pages: Doubly Stolen Fire (a new book of hybrid texts) is now OUT (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqUp71jX1NHjJ5qzBf2Tg2-9qt7tBRya0CuwnTX9OcymUhodBjEfc7PG7W_pwCaeBIAuHNR72FdjCSoIyca0p2TbgeY1OjPJULZFvVvSaK4H3-RvyBryKAPP0dIaZ5cjEk8EvHGZlf2hS4510Tt-Y0eEUaMN6FD4tK6HLo6XIhmIRle8eH4sFcg/s1280/WIN_20230914_11_57_36_Pro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqUp71jX1NHjJ5qzBf2Tg2-9qt7tBRya0CuwnTX9OcymUhodBjEfc7PG7W_pwCaeBIAuHNR72FdjCSoIyca0p2TbgeY1OjPJULZFvVvSaK4H3-RvyBryKAPP0dIaZ5cjEk8EvHGZlf2hS4510Tt-Y0eEUaMN6FD4tK6HLo6XIhmIRle8eH4sFcg/w640-h360/WIN_20230914_11_57_36_Pro.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Lounge
started at the Bluecoat in the morning with a reading by me from <i>Doubly
Stolen Fire, </i>originally subtitled<i> reflections on authorship, real and imaginary</i>, which includes my
writings on Lowry. There were also be updates on other Lowry-related projects,
including the new online archive in development, charting the arts
centre’s 14-year (so far!) Lounge programme. In the afternoon, some folk walked to Hilbre Island on the Wirral. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiin5EnPZqX4AvL9BM3sneghU33cmd-KeFARJp_VcVp1ORUeTJtjRDe15DLTdEUNQisxVdy344Md9-jrJ1pbsVGT5K7OD9kE37DvW3nDRKtN_tcyuIre8PW_EkMRW6kHRWxgmxy8QdqijvfLHDy_mvjqwKqMAYZAK7T6nwBPmXYWt8Y1zkwFXQ2HA/s1200/Lounge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiin5EnPZqX4AvL9BM3sneghU33cmd-KeFARJp_VcVp1ORUeTJtjRDe15DLTdEUNQisxVdy344Md9-jrJ1pbsVGT5K7OD9kE37DvW3nDRKtN_tcyuIre8PW_EkMRW6kHRWxgmxy8QdqijvfLHDy_mvjqwKqMAYZAK7T6nwBPmXYWt8Y1zkwFXQ2HA/s320/Lounge.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I write about a number of our
previous meetings here: with links right back to 2009! <a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-2022-lowry-lounge-few-thoughts.html">Pages:
The 2022 Lowry Lounge - a few thoughts (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">- Lowry
online archive update, Bryan: progress so far. Do check it out: it's looking good: <a href="https://www.thebluecoat.org.uk/library/malcolm-lowry" target="_blank">https://www.thebluecoat.org.uk/library/malcolm-lowry</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">I talk about the book as a whole, here: <a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/10/doubly-stolen-fire-new-book-of-hybrid.html">Pages: Doubly Stolen Fire (a new book of hybrid texts) is now OUT (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a>, but here's roughly what I told the audience, with an indication of what poems I read:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Doubly
Stolen Fire</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">
is a book about authorship and one of the authors I consider is Malcolm Lowry. All
of the other authors are, in one way or another, imaginary, even myself. Of
course, Lowry is not exempt from the practice of concocting what I call
fictional authors, Sigbjorn Wilderness, and so on. The second ‘half’ of my book
contains my various responses to Lowry’s work, life and geographies, and, as we
shall see, Lowry, or rather this Lounge, features briefly in the first part,
which is about imaginary authors, fictional poets and hoaxes. I'm not going to
read from two long pieces, one which features the famous Ern Malley hoax of the
1940s, and the second which showcases the case of the extra extra clever
talking Mongoose on the Isle of Man in the 1930s. I wonder whether Lowry knew
of either of these hoaxes, particularly the latter, with his interest in the
Isle of Man: it was the stuff of interwar tabloid journalism. These pieces worry
away at my distinction between hoaxes, which are usually malign, and fictional
poets or imaginary authors – and I have constructed many of these, as I’ll
reveal, for my many sins, albeit in passing today – which are benign but
haunting presences in the literary imagination. They can’t be un-imagined. But
first, I want to read you a complete but short real non-fictional story about
somebody who could have been fictional – but wasn't. You’ll also notice that
Liverpool is a persistent background theme in what I’m reading.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">I read ‘Anonymous’,
p. 11</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">I
could not but read this poem that I wrote for Bryan Biggs some years ago. It
came out of meeting the only actual Consul (of one of the world’s poorest
nations) that I’ve met. I found him conducting consular business at the bar of
a pub, very Firmin-like. He whisked away passports as I approached. A working
title for this fantasia was ‘The Consul on the Smithdown Road’. It’s now
appropriately called…</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">‘The
Lowry Lounge’, p. 55<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzOD7MuhQH-W40WZx6JdjWFBu8NAUY3F8jEvTDI_8xv8UdlFrrzhji3hrvdC0BKE0TFNcB-r4iKp7Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">We’re
now in the Lowry half of the book, which consists of three poems and a reprint
of the hybrid prose piece I wrote for the <i>From the Mersey to the World </i>volume,
edited by Bryan and Helen. This is impossible to read an extract from: it consists
of bits of a poem I wrote in 1979 on my pilgrimage to Lowry’s grave in Sussex,
plus descriptions of photographs I took on that journey, <i>and</i> my
commentary on the whole thing, written in 2009. The piece is called ‘Malcolm
Lowry’s Land’. [Extra info: </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘Malcolm Lowry’s Land’ (an account of visiting Lowry’s grave in 1979, mediated through attempts at a poem on that subject written then and re-read in the ‘now’ of the poem, 2009; previously published in the pioneering LUP/Bluecoat volume <i>Malcolm Lowry: From Mersey to the World. </i>See a review of it:</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/rober/Documents/books%20and%20manuscripts/47-Lowry-book-review.pdf">47-Lowry-book-review.pdf</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> ; it says:</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">‘Robert Sheppard’s moving account in "Malcolm Lowry’s land" of his pilgrimage from Liverpool, the place of Lowry’s birth (and Sheppard’s present home) to Ripe, the place of Lowry’s death, and back again.' Miguel Mota.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">)]</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> If my 1979 walking poem never saw the light of day my ‘Circle of
the City’ did. It’s</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> a series of interrupted haiku
(my ‘pops’ this time, my ‘haiku-movie’) written (and read here) in 2021 while
following the Liverpool perambulation taken by sailor-revolutionary Sigbjørn
and his shipowner father as described by Lowry in his unfinished novel, written
in the mid-1930s, <i>In Ballast to the White Sea</i>. Their walk starts (and
ends) at Exchange Flags and skirts the docks, walks very close to this building,
and rests at a cinema to view a Russian revolutionary film. They discuss
politics and their culpabilities in the deaths of others. Like Lowry, I take in
the messages of the urban environment I pass through: street signs, adverts,
t-shirt slogans. There are, oddly, both in Lowry’s novel and my poem,
references to Herbert Melville’s <i>Redburn. </i>The Liverpool ‘guidebook’
Redburn carried was 50 years out of date. My ‘guidebook’ was Lowry’s novel, 90
years out of date!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">I read
‘Circle of the City’: p. 66:</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> [<o:p></o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘Circle of the City: following in the steps of Chapter Five’ (All of the pieces in Part Two have been performed at the annual Lowry Lounge events: I write about those meetings <i>AND </i>about this poem, a recent one; there is a link to the text there too:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/07/circle-of-city-published-now-on.html">Pages: Circle of the City published now on Osmosis/New book coming soon (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">)]</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Lowry
makes an unexpected, unscheduled appearance in the longest shaggy-dog story
section of part one! I thought I was presenting my thoughts on my ‘fictional
poetry project’ in the form of the lockdown diary of one of my creations: she
has a talking mannequin, as you do, that starts spouting English poetry from
the 1950s, a prophylactic to the poisonous ‘Movement Orthodoxy’. You’ll have to
read her account in the book, which is on sale today. I also reflect on my most
extensive ‘fictional poet’, René Van Valckenborch, a Belgian, who writes in
both Flemish and French, and reflect on how ‘fictional poets’ feel so real to
some readers that ‘if they had not been invented, they would have to exist’. Another
important fact is that I wrote a ‘fictional’ introduction (something my new
book also has!). Then this happened. It involves this Lowry Lounge intimately,
and a copy of the Van Valckenborch book: <i>A Translated Man. </i>(Also on
sale.) With this I shall finish.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">I finally read
‘A Great Gift’: p. 48<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Ailsa Cox, who had generously introduced me, led the Q and A. I don't know whether it was nerves, or not, but I don't remember a single question (or my answers).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Thanks, Firminists and Bluecoat and Aquifer (Lyndon Davies) for a great day (at the end of a great week: another reading and a lecture/reading on poetics!).</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBlSQAizJWoLkb8H5EP1sLyUGr3hxx288TwaPo4VYn1ltyuBkZMGuvwZaWU2WfcRnj9KyOqoIyt6LrdyPdva0zejsdPCkoSK0fiwv1O-_gyEow19cVbZVroklmB3rNZR_Ov84mdlMtTUbx2Te0bjp8BL3S1sLCmPr_VAI_iyyx5ufz_SqVRPEGg/s420/Launching%20Doubly%20Stolen%20Fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBlSQAizJWoLkb8H5EP1sLyUGr3hxx288TwaPo4VYn1ltyuBkZMGuvwZaWU2WfcRnj9KyOqoIyt6LrdyPdva0zejsdPCkoSK0fiwv1O-_gyEow19cVbZVroklmB3rNZR_Ov84mdlMtTUbx2Te0bjp8BL3S1sLCmPr_VAI_iyyx5ufz_SqVRPEGg/s320/Launching%20Doubly%20Stolen%20Fire.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">The launch...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating and contacting me: email: Please do not use my old Edge Hill one;
it doesn’t work: </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>website: </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter: </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt;">Robert Sheppard
(@microbius) / Twitter</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>latest blogpost: </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-33684494942059285492023-10-04T08:00:00.007+01:002024-03-15T10:08:58.212+00:00The Poems of Mary Robinson 9: another drop out poem from my selection <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANK160kDu_WX5DOVU-bdiC1ulSXsxWMYUqpmZGCEpBlaVI9P2WYvHf08Pm-ZjAcd0NLCYk_KWLTJWn1_73Cn78emRr1GCUELIff9nm2ggqJ7Yrd6wrrcjzFJG3qcakY5uxMp5KlIQZLJUJHrSQATCuGKXNFUY2jOsqA6M1-J8fGJycxOT6ockZQ/s450/Mary%20Robinson%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANK160kDu_WX5DOVU-bdiC1ulSXsxWMYUqpmZGCEpBlaVI9P2WYvHf08Pm-ZjAcd0NLCYk_KWLTJWn1_73Cn78emRr1GCUELIff9nm2ggqJ7Yrd6wrrcjzFJG3qcakY5uxMp5KlIQZLJUJHrSQATCuGKXNFUY2jOsqA6M1-J8fGJycxOT6ockZQ/s320/Mary%20Robinson%20cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />During the
proof-reading process, I have discovered another poem that I am removing from
my selected poems of Mary Robinson. I have been writing about her poetry, about
her life, and about my processes of selection on this blog for some months, and
there is a hub post that contains links to the other pages. The life and the
account of the poems is probably the place to start. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Here’s the
hubpost: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/04/selecting-for-selected-poems-of-mary.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: Selecting for a Selected:
The Poems of Mary Robinson 1 (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span lang="EN-US">. Here’s how I first encountered, and creatively transposed, her
poems: this editorial project came out of my own use of her sonnets ‘Sappho and Phaon’ (the
whole of which is in my selection) for my ‘English Strain’ project, which I
explain here<a name="_Hlk131940267">: </a></span></span><a name="_Hlk131940240"></a><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/01/my-tabitha-and-thunderer-is-published.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: My 'Tabitha and Thunderer'
is published in Blackbox Manifold (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">,
and here, where you will also find lots of images relating to her life:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/09/my-transpositions-of-mary-robinsons.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: My Transpositions of Mary
Robinson's sonnets 'Tabitha and Thunderer' are now complete (hub post)
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">. Oddly, I’m still referring
to her work (and life) in <i>my </i>work. She appears in the poem I wrote for
Iain Sinclair’s 80<sup>th</sup> birthday (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/06/im-in-is80-book-for-iain-sinclair-at.html">Pages:
I'm in IS80 a book for Iain Sinclair at Eighty (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
– at least Simon Kovesi picked up on my reference), and in my new poem on the
blues. (See also my complaint to the Slavery Museum in Liverpool about their
misrepresentation of her relationship with Banastre Tarleton (‘Thunderer’ of my
sonnets): </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-poems-of-mary-robinson-7-anti.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pages: The Poems of Mary Robinson
7: anti-slavery poems and Slavery Remembrance Day (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">. <i>He </i>pops up in my poem about the blues.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU7LPACCBLiUz8XWLzUXUaDMbBssfBTwnejuHOO9hfZPjFkggUF3bn8Gkw1zEBh6FzMDkya3ztLpSFZIpQGy0u9AH2tsQ02Z41Ks9RN0qpkXbGqDc-FLQr8WaHpYr-Q_8x_NlUlUS51xGcK_PUcZj5nw9fy5m7aUoXSRoqJnaE6yqf1k_aTX0aA/s440/mary%20as%20a%20beauty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="440" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU7LPACCBLiUz8XWLzUXUaDMbBssfBTwnejuHOO9hfZPjFkggUF3bn8Gkw1zEBh6FzMDkya3ztLpSFZIpQGy0u9AH2tsQ02Z41Ks9RN0qpkXbGqDc-FLQr8WaHpYr-Q_8x_NlUlUS51xGcK_PUcZj5nw9fy5m7aUoXSRoqJnaE6yqf1k_aTX0aA/w400-h245/mary%20as%20a%20beauty.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Here is
another removal, then. This poem I probably selected because of its bold replacement
of image by words in a so-called ‘portrait’. Mary was </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">literally
</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">much painted (as well as caricatured by the likes of Gillray). So it seemed
fascinating to see that revisionary process at play, inner qualities elevated
over physical beauty. However, re-reading it revealed it to be quite a thin
poem, indeed a thin disguise (!), in that its unabashed ‘portraiture’ seemed
self-serving (if intended unironically), even disingenuous. I wondered whether
it was one of her persona poems. I could imagine Tabitha Bramble writing this
‘frank’ portrait. But evidence doesn’t suggest it was originally one of those.
It first appeared in 1793, and the version I have is the shorter 1806 one,
according to Judith Pascoe’s detailed bibliography. It’s probable this later
version is censored, but I haven’t checked, since my editorial method dictates
that I work solely from Mary’s 1806 </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">POEMS.</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> I’ve decided to leave it out.
It’s biographically interesting, but as a literary artifice, rather than a
biographical one, it’s not strong (and a selected poems must be strong, while
evidencing writerly range). It’s worth reading, though. I still like the lines
‘When coxcombs tell me I’m divine,/I plainly see the weak design,’ though I
think the final lines particularly uninspired.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVXma6qwJQ0OvTj6TSG23aTa7Deq_Q9z8q-KOdKGdGLPlgx1KLHtmU9zGywUPSafsvaIoXDhuy83-vS56uxpaRocvUVYluc8YoDa_HcWQbwJ6MDsoJ_07tJ2O-V6X8d1v3GQkWKVB3mMW_ClhbjIZxW7UgZWk3DFTrIPwuEcxo_93QqinaDjapw/s942/mary%20robinson%20gainsboro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="942" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVXma6qwJQ0OvTj6TSG23aTa7Deq_Q9z8q-KOdKGdGLPlgx1KLHtmU9zGywUPSafsvaIoXDhuy83-vS56uxpaRocvUVYluc8YoDa_HcWQbwJ6MDsoJ_07tJ2O-V6X8d1v3GQkWKVB3mMW_ClhbjIZxW7UgZWk3DFTrIPwuEcxo_93QqinaDjapw/s320/mary%20robinson%20gainsboro.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Stanzas to
a Friend Who Wished to Have My Portrait</i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">E’EN from
the early days of youth,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’ve
bless’d the sacred voice of truth –<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And candour is my pride:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I always
speak what I believe;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I know not
if I can deceive –<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I never tried.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m often
serious, sometimes gay,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Can laugh
the fleeting hours away,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or weep for others’ woe:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m proud!
this fault you cannot blame,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nor does
it tinge my cheek with shame:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your friendship made me so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m odd,
eccentric, fond of ease,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Impatient,
difficult to please;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ambition fires my breast:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yet, not
for wealth or titles vain;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Let but
the LAUREL deck my strain,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And dullness takes the rest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In temper
quick, in friendship nice;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I doat on
genius, shrink from vice,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And scorn the flatt’rer’s art:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With
penetrating skill can see,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Where,
mask’d in sweet simplicity,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lies hid the treach’rous heart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If once
betray’d, I scarce forgive;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And tho’ I
pity all that live,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And mourn for ev’ry pain,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yet never
could I court the great,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or worship
fools, whate’er their state;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For falsehood I disdain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m
jealous, for I fondly love;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">No feeble
flame my heart can prove,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Caprice ne’er dimm’d its fires:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I blush to
see the human mind,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For
nobler, prouder claims design’d,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slave of low desires.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Reserv’d
in manner, where unknown;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A little
obstinate, I own,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And apt to form opinion;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yet, envy
never broke my rest,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nor could
self-int’rest bow my breast<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To folly’s base dominion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">No gaudy
trappings I display,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nor meanly
plain, nor idly gay,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet sway’d by fashion’s rule;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For
singularity, we find,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Betrays to
ev’ry reasoning mind,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <i>pedant </i>or the <i>fool.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I fly the
rich, the sordid crowd,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The little
great, the vulgar proud,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ignorant and base:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To sons of
genius homage pay,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And own
their sov’reign right to sway –<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lords of the human race.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk146623781"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When
coxcombs tell me I’m divine,<o:p></o:p></span></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk146623781;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I plainly see the weak design,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk146623781;"></span>
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And mock a tale so common:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Howe’er
the flatt’ring strain may flow,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My faults,
alas! too plainly show,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m but a mortal woman!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Such is my
portrait now believe;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My pencil
never can deceive,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And know me what I paint.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Taught in
affliction’s rigid school,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I act from
principle, not rule,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No sinner, yet no saint.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZTReyQBpssGbLm6Ru7qzUWIjHdpqxBLzgxUkhkM5uFBX1Y5nUqxoA9RLmH3T1wjtqSTJOK18j9ZSR9OrIt9gTuiuHceAVa_HNOwMxVEMGKFF7cgt3IG1h4TVNJKJBm5fSr94F9QUq2q10gW96M54uzWLqAGHIIgmeuH0-5d0PHVXmUEnSSmJVQ/s420/mary%20robinson%20reynolds%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="281" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZTReyQBpssGbLm6Ru7qzUWIjHdpqxBLzgxUkhkM5uFBX1Y5nUqxoA9RLmH3T1wjtqSTJOK18j9ZSR9OrIt9gTuiuHceAVa_HNOwMxVEMGKFF7cgt3IG1h4TVNJKJBm5fSr94F9QUq2q10gW96M54uzWLqAGHIIgmeuH0-5d0PHVXmUEnSSmJVQ/w428-h640/mary%20robinson%20reynolds%202.jpg" width="428" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;"> (don’t use the Edge Hill email); website: </span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Follow on Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/" style="color: #33aaff;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></a></p></span></span><p></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-41788110341011617572023-10-02T08:00:00.001+01:002023-10-02T11:49:40.097+01:00The Poems of Mary Robinson 8: An Excerpt from The Progress of Liberty<p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Here is a link that takes you to the hub post
linking <i>all </i>my posts on my selection of Mary Robinson: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/04/selecting-for-selected-poems-of-mary.html">Pages:
Selecting for a Selected: The Poems of Mary Robinson 1
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">. How I’m doing and why I’m
doing it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cmK0mb7I-jOluBchpTX4dN2vb5kUcyg0_5b5og_PzCR2lKP3uSFku84HIugD46puaYQI1qwU8CvUejMI_aW2ixJ-JtRNn0SGrGU5rsci_WGneTVuuKHlkTcK13AMvlE7WmbKaTSmLVmeRhfczyyaUDP3A54ATT3kdK9jY05QkeX3LJ200A698g/s3992/mary%20robinson%20book.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3124" data-original-width="3992" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cmK0mb7I-jOluBchpTX4dN2vb5kUcyg0_5b5og_PzCR2lKP3uSFku84HIugD46puaYQI1qwU8CvUejMI_aW2ixJ-JtRNn0SGrGU5rsci_WGneTVuuKHlkTcK13AMvlE7WmbKaTSmLVmeRhfczyyaUDP3A54ATT3kdK9jY05QkeX3LJ200A698g/w400-h313/mary%20robinson%20book.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘The Progress of Liberty’, a late poem, from 1797-9, is also one
of Mary Robinson’s more ambitious poems, a two-book epic in fact. She
salami-sliced it for excerpt-poems in magazines, and in other selections of her
work, the poems are presented in this way. I decided I wanted to give it a go as
a complete work, but, of course, there’s not enough room, and I still had to
excerpt. I chose the final sections of each book, and then thought I might
smuggle in another part. Alas it doesn’t work, quite, but I want to post that smuggled passage here, as a taster for the whole. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In ‘The Progress of Liberty’ superstition and
servitude are several times rhetorically swept away, and a uniquely<i> British</i>
sense of ‘liberty’ is proposed: a rational constitutional settlement of the
separation of powers, as prefigured in, and enacted by, Magna Carta: ‘</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">When her bold BARONS ratified their
deed,</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">/ </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Freedom has smil’d triumphant and secure.’ In the poem, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">superstition (despotic Catholicism allied to absolute monarchy, though
it is never named as such) is attacked, but so are the tithes the British
peasantry was obliged to pay to lords and landlords. (Her radicalism is
pre-Industrial, of course, and a long way from that of the London Corresponding
Society, for example, who had been unsuccessfully tried, somewhat chaotically,
for treason in 1794.) The emphatic reference to ‘</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">laws/ FORM’D FOR THE PEASANT AND THE PRINCE ALIKE’</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> may bring her former lover Prince George to mind (check out my 'life' here: </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/04/selecting-for-selected-poems-of-mary_0637687824.html">Pages: Selecting for a Selected: The Poems of Mary Robinson 2: The Life of Mary Robinson (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> but it is a more
general point about the ideal (if not actual) equity of the law. The presiding
‘Nature’s God’ is difficult to completely reconcile to the Christian deity;
‘he’ is more of a Romantic pantheistic energy as he manifests frequently in the
poem, an instrument of a universal reason that is aligned to, but is not
distinguishable from, liberty.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">‘The Progress of
Liberty’ is an impressive political poem, and being cast in <i>epic</i> form, its
ending (conventionally) invokes the Muse</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>REASON, pow’r sublime!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Accept the strain
spontaneous from the MUSE,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Which nurs’d on
Albion’s cliffs, delights to sing<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of LIBERTY, and thee,
her ALBION’S boast.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Ultimately, for
Robinson, it is poetry that will proclaim ‘REASON ratified’, ‘Shall bless her
BRITISH shores’, and ‘BRITAIN’S sons,/ The sons of REASON! UNAPPALL’D and
FREE!’ With these words, the two book epic ends, bringing reason to rest with
freedom. However, its historical narrative
occasionally can be specific; ‘Marat and Robespierre’ are referenced in
footnotes to the lines ‘Two arch demons, the phalanx led /Lawless and cruel,’
but this welcome political specificity is rare. As
expected, for a poem working at an epic level, its least effective and less
affective lines are those in which abstractions are addressed directly and
personified. Abstractions are not <i>merely</i> inert but are replete with the
energy of live political debate, especially when animated by narratives of
struggle and community. At the same time, the poem contains some of Robinson’s
best-written and elevated blank verse (Miltonian in derivation, precursorily
Wordsworthian) which carries the rational but passionate message across the
rhythmical waves of its verse paragraphs. Here’s that passage from Book One. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In it, Robinson presents a political prisoner or prisoner of conscience,
as we say now, who is condemned to death. (In the previous lines the reader is
presented with a deservingly condemned murderer.) His dedication to <i>reason</i>
and <i>freedom</i>, virtues of the entire poem, gives him inner strength.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his low cell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
patient child of persecution sits,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pensively
sad. His uncomplaining tongue,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">His
steadfast eye, his lean and pallid cheek,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Grac’d
with the stamp of dignified disdain,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Wait
the approach of death. No haggard glance<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ruffles
the placid orb, whose lustre, dimm’d<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By
dungeon vapours, like a dewy star,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gleams
’midst surrounding darkness. On his lip<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Smiles
innocence, enthron’d in modest pride,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And
eloquently silent! On his breast<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">His
folded arms (shielding his guiltless heart<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From
the damp poisons of a living grave),<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Are
firmly interwoven; while his soul,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Calm
as the martyr at the kindling pyre,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Holds
strong with resignation. Who will now<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Breathe
the contagious mischiefs of his cell?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Who
quit the gorgeous splendours of the sun,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To
watch with him the slowly-wasting lamp,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dim
with obtrusive vapours? Who will share<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
bread of misery, and with the breath<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of
sympathy more palatable make<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
cup of human sorrow? Who resign<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
midnight revelry of happier scenes,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Turn
from the banquet and illumin’d hall,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
throne of flaunting beauty, gaily deck’d,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
costly shows of life, to count with him<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
silent hours of anguish? Tell, O TRUTH!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thou
heav’n-descended judge! what has he done?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Has
he refus’d to bend the flexile knee<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Before
the blood-stain’d foot of ruthless pow’r?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To
fawn upon the bloated, lordly fool,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Who
claim’d his vassalage? Has he refus’d<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To
load the groaning altars of the church;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Libell’d,
by <i>truth</i>, some wanton, courtly dame;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or,
like an arrogant, rebellious knave,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dar’d
talk of <i>freedom</i>? Say, O vengeful MAN!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Are
these thy destin’d victims? Is it thus<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thou
deal’st the meed of justice? Dost thou think<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thy
petty rage will sever them from HIM,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Whose
attribute is mercy, and whose grace <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mocks
all distinctions? O! let NATURE speak, <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And
with instinctive force inform thy soul, <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That
LIBERTY, the choicest boon of heav’n, <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Is
REASON’S birth-right, and the gift of God!...</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 167.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> (don’t use the Edge Hill or the supanet emails); website: </span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></a></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-39872696057995882402023-09-28T08:00:00.006+01:002023-09-28T08:00:00.164+01:00Four poems from British Standards published in Shearsman 137/138 <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiohL_edavtjY7xucuOEzB6w4fpuTKqtyrx4_dW4oEcO0WDO-k5_-kBkQawKvnJblt68pTm-iXlpI9875uv-75KF-ju4SEDyDqO84i8SqB4jppxOBw03eP1KH8rU-EJPpDRZ5P5zsQETSLcz5p5Jt8xagTb2lTIkpg_KRQjp-sfhrfTfEqoioIzw/s464/Shearsman%20137%20plus.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiohL_edavtjY7xucuOEzB6w4fpuTKqtyrx4_dW4oEcO0WDO-k5_-kBkQawKvnJblt68pTm-iXlpI9875uv-75KF-ju4SEDyDqO84i8SqB4jppxOBw03eP1KH8rU-EJPpDRZ5P5zsQETSLcz5p5Jt8xagTb2lTIkpg_KRQjp-sfhrfTfEqoioIzw/w259-h400/Shearsman%20137%20plus.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span>I have
four poems published in the latest handsome <i>Shearsman</i>, for which many thanks to
editor Tony Frazer. They are from <i>British Standards</i>, the third part of
my ‘English Strain’ project, mainly sonnets transposed from the ‘English’ tradition. This
part contains versions of Wordsworth’s sonnets, but they also ‘document’ the transition
from the hubris of brexit (exemplified in the four poems here) to the criminal
incompetence of the mismanagement of Coronavirus (exemplified in the later
poems of the sequence, though the subject is raised in the last poem here, as on the videos you may link to below).</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> The motif that Britain (particularly Kent) has been converted into a huge dogging site as a brexit 'benefit' is one of the comic recurrences of the sequence. It seems history now, but here's a post from that happy time: </span></span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/12/happy-dogging-new-year-via-statement.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pages: Happy Dogging New Year via a statement from Go and a transposition of a Wordsworth sonnet (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwCG9AMRci8ijL-MU1gN3t7QuRqAU_6usdKBhjp1aR6xk2BwZ0JqaQz8UNJnoSqd_eWG_kVMjty0yo' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Shearsman
</i>137/138 published October 2023. Paperback, 102pp, 8.5 x 5.5ins, £9.95 / $17</p></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
ISBN 9781848619104</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The second
double issue of <i>Shearsman</i> magazine for 2023 features poetry by
Serena Alagappan, Wendy Allen, Mark Byers, Elizabeth Chadwick Pywell, Peter
Dukes, David Dumouriez, Marie-Louise Eyres, Dominic Fisher, Mark
Goodwin, Amlanjyoti Goswami, John Greening, Finn Haunch, Neal
Hoskins, Fiona Larkin, Peter Larkin, Rupert M
Loydell, Valeria Melchioretto, Eliza O’Toole, John Phillips, Amber
Rollinson, D’or Seifer, Natalie Shaw, and Judi Sutherland; plus translations of
Kjell Espmark (by Robin Fulton Macpherson), Attila József (by Ágnes Lehóczky
& Adam Piette), Lutz Seiler (by Stefan Tobler), and Roelof Ten Napel (by
Judith Wilkinson). And my sonnets…</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">You may
buy it here: </span><a href="https://www.shearsman.com/store/Shearsman-137-138-p573171515"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Shearsman 137 / 138</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.shearsman.com/store/Shearsman-137-138-p573171515"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">https://www.shearsman.com/store/Shearsman-137-138-p573171515</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lots to
enjoy here. I’ve had a quick read and a poem by Trevor Joyce and translations of
Lutz Seiler are good. Both favourites of mine. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Back
to my dark pages, and to other of my sonnets.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXACEXJMGRc8CcupK0KV2xWXNGJW9ysECyl5JMDUg7lUHPn5gg75wSDKlLJtBgwR6cK3q9_gOJ0G_fSUcT3Qnt5qrmzRYbQzXGxLxs7TEUM0wjLKq5-yTrmUxYFdtId3rADwqrrniXn-Qy1819DoOnmktU2eZU0sAKfrit7Ckfe-P5RkTGFdwCA/s1024/wordsworth-corona%201-1024x682.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXACEXJMGRc8CcupK0KV2xWXNGJW9ysECyl5JMDUg7lUHPn5gg75wSDKlLJtBgwR6cK3q9_gOJ0G_fSUcT3Qnt5qrmzRYbQzXGxLxs7TEUM0wjLKq5-yTrmUxYFdtId3rADwqrrniXn-Qy1819DoOnmktU2eZU0sAKfrit7Ckfe-P5RkTGFdwCA/s320/wordsworth-corona%201-1024x682.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here’s a
video of another Wordsworth transposition, and a text about it: <a href="https://www.zwiebelfish.org/wordsworth-transposed-robert-sheppard/">Transposed!
Robert Sheppard – Zwiebelfish</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Here’s two
more: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2020/05/robert-sheppard-two-transpositions-of.html" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Pages:
Robert Sheppard: Two transpositions of Wordsworth from British Standards
published on International Times</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">And a post
(with a video) about the last of these 14 poems based on Wordsworth’s 1802-3
sonnets. I write about all of them, and how they fit into the (still-unpublished)
volume </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">British Standards</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2021/04/transpositions-of-hartley-coleridge-end.html" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Pages:
Transpositions of Hartley Coleridge: the end of British Standards (and of The
English Strain project) (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> – and how the ‘English
Strain’ project fits together. See </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The English Strain </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(Shearsman, 2021)
and </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Bad Idea </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(Knives Forks and Spoons). I’m over it now! Hope you enjoy
them!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> (don’t use the Edge Hill or the supanet emails);
website: </span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on
Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-59189599153045006912023-09-06T08:00:00.017+01:002023-09-27T10:10:21.458+01:00Cocaine Hippos Project (and my part in it): posts and updates<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In April this year I was asked by Rupert Loydell to
contribute to a gathering of poems about the ‘Cocaine Hippos’ of Colombia, and
to help the invitees, he sent this wonderful link:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://theconversation.com/pablo-escobars-cocaine-hippos-are-a-problem-but-a-lot-of-thought-is-going-into-preventing-their-spread-203603" target="_blank">https://theconversation.com/pablo-escobars-cocaine-hippos-are-a-problem-but-a-lot-of-thought-is-going-into-preventing-their-spread-203603</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I had already read about these beasts, bobbing along
at the top of their human-directed food-chain, escaped from Pablo Escobar’s
private zoo. I’m sorry that they are a ‘problem’, but I caught a feature about
them on TV and rather delighted in their health, profusion and general invasion
of the jungle. Of course, they are an ecological aberration, acknowledged in
the title of the poem I wrote, ‘A Kink in the Anthropocene’, but not in the
substance of it, for it reminds me of poems by Edwin Morgan (Patricia of Bill
Griffiths) so it’s in no way a typical poem by me! (Good!) I speak in the voice
of a hippo. (See links below.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lPy6CWKX9jdUQuFtdaAUzudElkrL44IUDo2eA8dNCzmGn2gjMJZkDOQ34zMRi4vGYnOA0RDpJ25O_o-n4i9Jk_CFAJtZEBncpyKxIVq5sQ2BleYj2CufXXfWKA5s7nmnw0ESBNtjwjab5K7RHy2Gs9fhLdCmykjGge8n0EztkqfyaeXmpp0l-w/s2400/pablo-escobar-hippo-zoo-c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="2400" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lPy6CWKX9jdUQuFtdaAUzudElkrL44IUDo2eA8dNCzmGn2gjMJZkDOQ34zMRi4vGYnOA0RDpJ25O_o-n4i9Jk_CFAJtZEBncpyKxIVq5sQ2BleYj2CufXXfWKA5s7nmnw0ESBNtjwjab5K7RHy2Gs9fhLdCmykjGge8n0EztkqfyaeXmpp0l-w/w640-h426/pablo-escobar-hippo-zoo-c.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I thought it only fair (and interesting) to link to
the <i>whole</i> project as it appears, every few days, on <i>Stride</i>:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Sept
7 #1: Thirteen Ways of Writing About a Hippo: Eric Eric <a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-1-thirteen-ways-of.html">Cocaine Hippos 1: Thirteen Ways of Writing About a Hippo | Stride magazine</a> <br />
<br />
Sept 9 #2: dead on the road: Geoff Sutton: <a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-2-dead-on-road-to.html">Cocaine Hippos 2: dead on the road to Colombia | Stride magazine</a><br />
<br />
Sept 11 #3: Wildlife Sanctuary: Rupert Loydell (our editor): <a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-3-wildlife-sanctuary.html">Cocaine Hippos 3: Wildlife Sanctuary | Stride magazine</a><br />
<br />
Sept 13 #4: Dead or </span><span><span style="font-family: times;">Alive: <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;">Mélisande Fitzsimons: </span></span><a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-4-dead-or-alive.html">Cocaine Hippos 4: Dead or Alive | Stride magazine</a> <br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">
Sept 15: #5: Hippos on Cocaine (visual poems): Mike Ferguson: </span><a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-5-hippos-on-cocaine.html">Cocaine Hippos 5: Hippos on Cocaine | Stride magazine</a><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">
Sept 17 #6: poem #02-12-1993: Blossom Hibbert: </span><a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-6-poem-02-12-1993.html">Cocaine Hippos 6: poem #02-12-1993 | Stride magazine</a><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">
Sept 19 #7: The Paradox Engine / Sober Noises of Morning: Andrew Darlington: </span><a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-7-paradox-enginesober.html">Cocaine Hippos 7: The Paradox Engine/Sober Noises of Morning | Stride magazine</a><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">
Sept 21 #8: boy says nothing: Charlie Baylis: </span><a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-8-boy-says-nothing.html">Cocaine Hippos 8: boy says nothing | Stride magazine</a><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">
Sept 23 #9: Magdalena: Andrew Taylor: </span><a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-9-magdalena.html">Cocaine Hippos 9: Magdalena | Stride magazine</a><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">
Sept 25: #10: Humans Into Animals: Rupert Loydell (our editor, again, and it's a good one): </span><a href="http://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-10-humans-into-animals.html">Cocaine Hippos 10: Humans Into Animals | Stride magazine</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Sept 27 #11: ‘A Kink in the Anthropocene’; that’s my poem. And it’s the last in this anthology. Read it here: </span></span></span><a href="https://stridemagazine.blogspot.com/2023/09/cocaine-hippos-11-kink-in-anthropocene.html">Cocaine Hippos 11: A Kink in the Anthropocene | Stride magazine</a> . I hope you like it; I hope you like all of them. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Watch a clip from CBS News about them. (The ‘Rhino
News’ in my poem is a hint at a rather different US ‘news’ network.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TCVHBgtV6uI" width="320" youtube-src-id="TCVHBgtV6uI"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCVHBgtV6uI"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pablo Escobar's hippos keep
multiplying and Colombia doesn't know how to stop it - YouTube</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCVHBgtV6uI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCVHBgtV6uI</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating friend of the hippo Robert Sheppard: email: </span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> website: </span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on
Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-66286676177451435602023-08-23T05:00:00.007+01:002023-08-23T05:00:00.146+01:00The Poems of Mary Robinson 7: anti-slavery poems and Slavery Remembrance Day<p><span lang="EN-US">Here’s a
hubpost to all of those I’m posting now on my Selected Poems of Mary Robinson: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/04/selecting-for-selected-poems-of-mary.html">Pages:
Selecting for a Selected: The Poems of Mary Robinson 1
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a> </p><p>About a month ago I paid a visit to the
Slavery Museum in Liverpool, as I explain in my email below. I thought I’d post
it online, since it outlines ways in which Mary Robinson is travestied, even
now. The contemporary scandal and the Victorian revulsion at it never quite
rubbed off this remarkable woman. And I thought I’d post it today because it is
Slavery Remembrance Day. Here’s what’s on today at the Museum : <a href="https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/SRD/slavery-remembrance-day-2023">Slavery
Remembrance Day 2023 | National Museums Liverpool (liverpoolmuseums.org.uk)</a>
And here’s what’s happening in London: <a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum/international-slavery-remembrance-day"><span style="color: blue;">Slavery Remembrance Day 2023 | National Maritime Museum
(rmg.co.uk)</span></a> .I haven’t received a reply to my email (yet). They probably
think I’m a nutter. (They must get hate mail: a racist group protested outside
the Museum last week, with a nice big banner saying ‘White Lives Matter’.) In some schools in the US the 'benefits' of slavery are being taught.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Dear Sir
or Madam</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">(Please
forward this email to a curator, please.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I very
much enjoyed my visit to the Slavery Museum yesterday afternoon, distantly some
research for a poem I’m writing about blues music. [This is called 'Searching the Desert for the Blues', and I am currently revising it; there's a passage below.] I am also editing the poems
of Mary Robinson, and so was interested in your feature on her Liverpool lover,
Banastre Tarleton, an enthusiastic pro-slaver, right up to his death on the eve
of abolition.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I’m glad
he’s there, and I’m glad the feature reports his war career (today he would be
classed as a war criminal). However, I was dismayed to see the unsubstantiated
claim that he seduced Mary Robinson as a bet, and also that it referred to her
by her nickname ‘Perdita’ (the part she played in a version of <i>The Winter’s
Tale </i>which attracted the attention of the Prince of Wales, which led to
their affair). Never have I seen the locution ‘Perdita Robinson’ (not even in
the Gilray cartoons of the time). In fact, Mary was an abolitionist (later she
was friends with William Godwin and other radicals). She also wrote about
slavery in her poem ‘The Negro Girl’ and in her long political protest poem
‘The Progress of Liberty’. I intend to include both texts in my volume of her
poems, and I attach my life of Robinson, [ that's also available here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2023/04/selecting-for-selected-poems-of-mary_0637687824.html">Pages: Selecting for a Selected: The Poems of Mary Robinson 2: The Life of Mary Robinson (robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a>] <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">and the texts for your perusal. If
such information was added to the display, the complexities, ironies and
contradictions of the pro- and anti- slavery positions would be more apparent.
In your account, Mary appears as a pawn in Tarleton’s roguery, but in fact their
relationship was long-lasting, and Mary was just as able to seduce </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">him.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Yours
faithfully</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Robert
Sheppard<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Emeritus
Professor of Poetry and Poetics<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Edge Hill
University</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Here's an excerpt from 'The Progress of Liberty': </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Shall
the poor AFRICAN, the passive slave,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Born
in the bland effulgence of broad day,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Cherish’d
by torrid splendours, while around<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
plains prolific teem with honey’d stores<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Of
Afric’s burning soil; shall such a wretch<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Sink
prematurely to a grave obscure,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">No
tear to grace his ashes? Or suspire,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">To
wear submission’s long and goading chain,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">To
drink the tear, that down his swarthy cheek<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Flows
fast, to moisten his toil-fever’d lip,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Parch’d
by the noontide blaze? Shall he endure<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
frequent lash, the agonizing scourge,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
day of labour, and the night of pain;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Expose
his naked limbs to burning gales;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Faint
in the sun, and wither in the storm;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Traverse
hot sands, imbibe the morbid breeze,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Wing’d
with contagion, while his blister’d feet,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Scorch’d
by the vertical and raging beam,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pour
the swift life-stream? Shall his frenzied eyes,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Oh!
worst of mortal miseries! Behold<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
darling of his soul, his sable love,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Selected
from the trembling, timid throng<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">By
the wan tyrant, whose licentious touch<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Seals
the dark fiat of the slave’s despair!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">And here's a fragment of what I wrote after visiting the museum, from my poem about the blues:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">…localities on maps, familiar names
on a manifest, a portrait or two in postures of Attic tranquility, pro-</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">saccarites</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span lang="EN-US">on porcelain sugar bowls, sketches of woolybacks unloading
Confederate bales, proclaim the guilty-elect of this city, no step now without
a blue note to trip us…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbLLmTt66WFrFVVsao1dfguthu_jOuTiXMqVvvqnbdVGmi0iIOAp-MwGRfrRrBRBTBbuWP60sq0ixx_PZflOKb5RYzRNfjPg4GW6ON1l4unRISSgKb_eDMK9VWwOSjz6g_c1NetBhWFyxxSzPd1NQWzT7-iFyq1qTfjh8BMzCIbzZsbvqsc2tGQ/s1024/Mary%20Robs%20Reynolds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="829" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbLLmTt66WFrFVVsao1dfguthu_jOuTiXMqVvvqnbdVGmi0iIOAp-MwGRfrRrBRBTBbuWP60sq0ixx_PZflOKb5RYzRNfjPg4GW6ON1l4unRISSgKb_eDMK9VWwOSjz6g_c1NetBhWFyxxSzPd1NQWzT7-iFyq1qTfjh8BMzCIbzZsbvqsc2tGQ/s320/Mary%20Robs%20Reynolds.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>Mary by Reynolds: looking like she knows how she'll be treated by history. Talking of 'treated', I have bought a novel about Robinson, which I've speed-read. It's by Freda Lightfoot and it is entitled <i>Lady of Passion. </i>Despite the title, it's historically accurate (which in a weird way is disappointing). There are three very good modern biographies, as well as Mary's own <i>Memoirs. </i>Listed in the bibliography that appends my life (see the link above). <p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk117505626"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on
Twitter: </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10851127.post-5297015687625458972023-08-18T08:00:00.000+01:002023-08-18T08:00:00.139+01:00Two online reviews of New Collected Poems by Lee Harwood: links and comments<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">There have
been two online reviews of Lee Harwood's </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">New Collected Poems </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">that Kelvin Corcoran
and I edited earlier this year. It’s a big book and, I suspect, it will take most reviewers a long time to complete even their initial readings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIcVNKb0v_nuUsJYghQ17sAeJfYE-0uYz217Dce1UyjBDedNGHSLj5o8Jf9PoSTkg2dLLyTol7cHsBw3iHkMquCKMAfsA9_JKd-rVLhlos06HSgyp4R0XyyuA6tkVAngCrfmonhXhJ2OX1-VPcMxBvPDVSiFCkVTZxZ31Yp0Wp_miOlVs4-XWdA/s679/Lee%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIcVNKb0v_nuUsJYghQ17sAeJfYE-0uYz217Dce1UyjBDedNGHSLj5o8Jf9PoSTkg2dLLyTol7cHsBw3iHkMquCKMAfsA9_JKd-rVLhlos06HSgyp4R0XyyuA6tkVAngCrfmonhXhJ2OX1-VPcMxBvPDVSiFCkVTZxZ31Yp0Wp_miOlVs4-XWdA/w259-h400/Lee%20cover.jpg" width="259" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Billy
Mills, in his review of <i>New Collected Poems – Lee Harwood </i>(eds. Sheppard and Corcoran).
<a href="https://ellipticalmovements.wordpress.com/2023/03/30/lee-harwood-new-collected-poems-a-review/">https://ellipticalmovements.wordpress.com/2023/03/30/lee-harwood-new-collected-poems-a-review/</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>30<sup>th</sup> March 2023, was the first off
the blocks (as Billy often is; I link to his blog on my blogroll to the right
of this post, so you and I can keep pace with him). He tells us straight off: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">'This new
edition of Lee Harwood’s poems, edited by Kelvin Corcoran and Robert
Sheppard, adds a not inconsiderable 200 pages to the 2004 collected edited by
the poet himself. In part, this is due to the addition of the poet’s first
collection, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Title Illegible</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> at the start and an additional
60-odd pages of post 2004 work. The remaining additions are poems excised by
Harwood from the earlier book but here restored in their rightful chronological
positions.'</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">In fact, there is one new section of work not collected in commercially-available book form. He notices
how much of the book consists of work from the 1960s and he concentrates on this earlier
work, while ‘my excuse’ – he does not need one – ‘is that there is a rare sense
of consistent continuity about Harwood’s writing, with a kind of blueprint laid
out in the work of the first 10 years which the later work builds on.’</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Adam
Piette, in his review of Lee Harwood <i>New Collected Poems </i>(and Mark Hyatt, with whom Lee's work has been associated before, in Geoffrey Thurley's forgotten critical book <i>The Ironic Harvest</i>) and
Emma Bolland), published in <i>Blackbox Manifold 30, </i><a href="https://blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/issues/issue-30_1/adampiettebm30">https://blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/issues/issue-30_1/adampiettebm30</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> - takes a look at the poetry of plain statement and, in a long and detailed essay
(it’s more than a review) says, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
plainstyle discovered here on the surfaces of the world is closer to
post-Romantic practice, and is grounded in a ego-less ‘we’-persona that is
constructed as though in touch with the powers of ‘this earth’, and with the
ghosts of the dead ‘surrounding us with a tenderness’. Adam is talking
about ‘The Long Black Veil’, Harwood’s long plainstyle (cavalier rather than
puritan, in Lee’s own terms) notebook poem, a text I keep coming back to. (See here: </span><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2018/10/robert-sheppard-hms-little-fox-by-lee.html">Pages: Robert Sheppard: HMS Little Fox by Lee Harwood republished (My reading of 'The Long Black Veil')</a> for what is basically an excerpt from my book <i>The Poetry of Saying</i>, which Adam mentions.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">) Notably, there’s hardly
a metaphor in Harwood's piece.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p>Thanks to both writers for their time and attention to this volume!</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here’s a hub post about our new edition:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2022/12/lee-harwood-new-collected-poems-best.html">Pages:
Lee Harwood New Collected Poems: the best audio and video recordings
(robertsheppard.blogspot.com)</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium;">You may
order <i>New Collected Poems </i>from Shearsman here: <a href="https://www.shearsman.com/store/Lee-Harwood-New-Collected-Poems-p466630971">Lee
Harwood - New Collected Poems (shearsman.com)</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">My review
of the earlier part of the ‘old’ Collected Harwood (2004), as it were,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">
<a href="http://robertsheppard.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/robert-sheppard-review-of-harwoods.html" target="_blank">http://robertsheppard.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/robert-sheppard-review-of-harwoods.html</a><br />
and a review of the rest of the book,<br />
<a href="http://robertsheppard.blogspot.co.uk/2006/01/robert-sheppard-review-of-harwoods.html" target="_blank">http://robertsheppard.blogspot.co.uk/2006/01/robert-sheppard-review-of-harwoods.html</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">are to be found at these links.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I will add other reviews here as and when. Or perhaps
only the online ones, so you can link to them immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Locating Robert Sheppard: email: </span></span><a href="mailto:robertsheppard39@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">robertsheppard39@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>website: </span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.weebly.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.weebly.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Follow on
Twitter: </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/microbius"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert Sheppard (@microbius) / Twitter</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="EN-US">latest blogpost: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk117505626;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Robert Sheppardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13881916136057486642noreply@blogger.com