It features Irish poets who have published their first volume within the past 10 years, which means the youngest poet is Leanne O’Sullivan (21) and the oldest Fergus Allen (80) - both of whose collections I’ve read and recommend. There are a few other familiar (to me) names in the book, including Colette Bryce, Sinead Morrissey and Kerry Hardie. And I can’t believe Maurice Riordan qualifies, it feels as though he’s been around much longer than a decade.

I started the book on the no. 247 bus to the airport and honest to goodness this is where the book fell open:

Poetry

It’s a bit like looking through the big window
on the top deck of the number 47.

I’m watching you and her and all of them,
but through my own reflection.

(Nick Laird)

I couldn’t find the anthology on the Books Upstairs website (hence the Amazon link) but there’s plenty more online. And my experience of the shop was first class - I spoke to a fellow called Des who was very friendly and knowledgeable. Give him my regards if you visit the shop.

Audio recordings are a new initiative for the Poetry Library and I’m thrilled that Magma is one of the first magazines to take part. For me personally it was a special treat to sit in on the recordings and hear so many excellent poets read in person. Poets you can hear include Mimi Khalvati, David Harsent, Lorraine Mariner and Alison Brackenbury, as well as Quentin S. Crisp reading the first UK translations of Machi Tawara, who is a huge star in Japan.

An added bonus of the recording was the opportunity to meet Chris McCabe and Dean Farrow of the Poetry Library, both excellent company as well as doing sterling work behind the scenes at the Library. For me the Poetry Library is the jewel in the crown of UK libraries. If you love poetry and you haven’t paid it a visit then you’re in for a treat - an entire library devoted to modern poetry, including every book you can imagine plus audio, video, magazines and the rarefied atmosphere produced by fellow poets at study! It reopens (after the Festival Hall refurbishment) on 4th July.

The inspiration was Bruce Nauman’s ‘Raw Materials’ exhibition at the Tate Modern. Nauman lined the walls of the Turbine Hall with loudspeakers playing a motley collection of voices - you can hear a virtual version of the exhibition here.

Fleas, lice
and a horse pissing
next to my pillow!

via Bashō

Via John Grant

Market people!
I will sell you this hat
with its snow-umbrella

Via Basho

I get a similar feeling from watching this video. I think every writer should see it, for the way it shows how the web is transforming writing - and us - whether we like it or not. There’s also something in the dynamic nonlinear character of computer code and hypertext that I think has an affinity with poetry.

Is this beautiful or have I been spending too much time blogging?

Via Problogger

As well as being fabulous poets, both MacNeice and Muldoon have worked as BBC Radio producers, so it should make for an interesting pairing.

I assume the programme’s timing has something to do with the imminent publication of a new Collected MacNeice - due out on 18th January according to Amazon and eagerly awaited in this household.

EDIT: Thoroughly enjoyed the programme, I was particularly impressed by the way MacNeice managed to get through a huge amount of work while still retiring to the pub at 11 in the morning most weekdays.

Lots of good recordings of the great man reading his work. He spoke with an interesting kind of Anglo-Irish received pronunciation - like a cross between Yeats and Professor Yaffle of Bagpuss fame. (If you’re not convinced, have a listen to these clips: Yeats; MacNeice; Professor Yaffle. I rest my case.)