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The nattily titled Frome Library Self Help Writers Group met on Monday for a session on Surrealist writing techniques session led by Rosie Jackson who runs writing workshops too. From her I discovered a great-fun website which scrambles your words on the principles of Tristan Tzara into a
Dada poem -"infinitely original and endowed with a sensibility that is charming though beyond the understanding of the vulgar."
Here's one of mine:
Looks sick, like diet like. I know. yes, would
about the you feels me olives? I like. I does the yes,
slow on I figs. drizzled but me look be a always of
What ask but don't You say that hold I a don't honey,
what forget bitter say sapphire rainbow. You warm
say, about like. I me, and bite make soft what briny wine.
You breeze. I remember. like? You of seas under
and love love talk then cerulean ask ask sky.
You love tastes can't calm say, what the pine-scented
what say, me say what love sweet forget storms?
Love You don't
That was one of my rare romantic poems & I'm slightly disturbed by the outcome in view of TT's confident assertion "The poem will be like you."
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Bruton is the smallest town in England, Tim Bates tells me tonight as we wander round on a sumptuous evening before the inaugural Poetry Slam of the Bruton Festival of Arts. It's possibly the smallest slam in England too, but a great event, every poet showing and sharing personal passion and commitment to their craft. Tracy Wall of Glastonbury takes the gold, awarded her champagne prize by host Tim, himself a worthy bronze winner. Rose Flint's evocative and sensual readings give her the silver.
Let's-talk-about-me corner: writer Clare Dudman has blogged a great
review of my novel - thanks Clare, and what generous & responsive comments you're collecting. All that renewed interest in Frozen Summer got me checking out used prices on amazon, which vary from usual 1p to an intriguing £48.48p.
Bet-you-didn't-know corner: last year's world-wide best-selling sensation "Short History of Tractors in the Ukrainian" was rejected 36 times. Asked in the Guardian if she ever 'doubted her dream' author Marina Lewycka replied: "I doubted it all the time but writing was a compulsion. Lots of very good writers never get published." Salutary thought. (Copies of Short History start at 39p but peak at £1.00 so I'm not sure what that means except tht amazon transcends normal marketing logic.) Marina says she likes to treat serious subjects in a comic way, she says, which reminded me of Shaw's maxim: Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.