Poetry Wars!

Poetry Wars!

There is a very interesting article on Michael Farry's website about the "Poetry Ireland Review 100" or to be more specific, an item by Maria Johnston of Trinity (Reading Irish Poetry In The New Century) in which she declares that the Emperor has no clothes. Or should that be Emperors? Perhaps a little harsh in the judgement in that she names names (I haven't read the item) but is she right? It is easy to criticise and you can probably trawl through any century and find fault, but is it any worse today? People don't adhere to the same grammatical constraints as in more enlightened times (That is before there was any light!), but poetry today is more of a conversation piece than a musical melody and the goalposts have moved. Not that I'd know anything about grammatical constraints, but frankly Scarlet... There is an argument out there that too many people are writing poetry and not enough reading it, but I don't agree. The more the merrier. The more people write it the more they will read it. Goodnight!

Photo: Cherry Blossom Tree. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Art and Science.

Art and Science.

The recent "how to" as to how art should be funded, or even whether it should be funded at all suggests it is not held in any high regard by those who hold the purse strings. It brings to mind an old argument as to what you should save given the choice. Whether some hitherto undiscovered principle or a great work of art, the preferred answer being the work of art of course, as the principle would be discovered by someone else but the work of art being a one off would be lost for ever, but I'd imagine it depends on how hungry you happened to be at the time. Real world stuff! The principle might change everything, the work of art? But life imitates art, so maybe that constant has a little more colour round the edge. It's all relative folks! The closing date for entries in the Goldsmith is the 26th of this month. Good luck! (Deadline now 10th of May!)

Photos: Taken at Pallas Co. Longford. Statue of Oliver Goldsmith.

Boyne Readings/Kate Dempsey.

Boyne Readings/Kate Dempsey.

Kate Dempsey of Maynooth and formerly of Coventry was the guest reader at the Open Mic session at The Knightsbridge Village last night. Widely published and winner of more than a few awards she entertained with poems that touched mostly on the personal with everything from getting engaged to the art of seduction to getting lost. Almost the same thing! There were others too about conkers and a box of love, if my memory serves me well. Which it doesn't sometimes. Monaghan mosquitoes and sherry trifle might be pushing the boat out a bit, but I'll give it a try! Kate Dempsey blogs at "Emerging Writer" so check it out. More details at both Michael Farry's and Orla Fay's blogsites.

Photo: Orla Fay, Kate Dempsey and Caroline Finn at the Boyne Readings.

Boyne Readings and Open Mic.

Boyne Readings and Open Mic.

The guest reader at the next open mic session in The Knightsbridge Village Hall is Kate Dempsey from Maynooth. Published in most of the literary magazines and winner of more than a few prizes for both poetry and fiction, there's also something about The Poetry Diva Collective who read at festivals and events! Sounds interesting and over to The Boyne Writers' Site for more details. April the 15th at 8pm in Trim for the above. Orla Fay of The Boyne Writers' Group is now blogging so add to your links list, and finally a mention for Michael Sheils (The Sheriff) who's just returned from places south. Something to do with mermaids. Not a whistle in sight!

Photo: Ruin of Galtrim Church Co. Meath.

With The Boyne Through Trim

With The Boyne Through Trim.

A meander along the course of the Boyne is not a bad way to travel through the history of Meath, and in what the author describes as a personal nostalgic ramble, this book journeys from the Stonyford River to Bective Bridge and a few places beyond. A distance of about eight miles there are enough stories to fill any number of books though the author restricts it to mostly personal recollection and times when as he says in the book, the recession was a permanent feature. He touches on other things though of historical interest, especially the importance of the local mill, and in a countryside adorned with ruins of all description, the mills lie mostly forgotten. This is a book of characters remembered, racecourses, picture houses and cattle fairs, and if it tarries a while in Trim, well that's what people did. One for the collection. On sale in any good bookshop in Trim or click on The Meath Writers' Website for details.

Photo: Book Cover.

Meath Writers' Circle.

Meath Writers' Circle.

The Meath Writers' Circle held their monthly meeting at the Castle Hotel in Trim tonight with a good number attending, ten or eleven maybe, some new faces and some old ones absent. Plans afoot for Saturday, but won't be there. Willie G Hodgins read a couple of new poems, how he turns them out so fast I don't know and Tommy read of water rafting on the Boyne. Paul Martin now has a number of poems on the writing4all website, "The Forbidden Lake" being one of them, and if I could read my own handwriting I'd tell you the other, always something interesting to say so give them a look. Tommy Murray has something up there as well I believe. And to finish with a welcome back for Louise.

Photo: Paul Martin reading at The Castle Hotel.