One Night Stanzas

But although my living room is a total mess, ONS is not! I’ll admit, I had kind of let it go to rack and ruin recently, and for that I apologise! The One Night Stanzas Store was still advertising Christmas deals and sold-out pamphlets, and my bio was seriously behind the times! But if you look at the top right-hand corner of One Night Stanzas‘ homepage now, you’ll see it’s all been tidied up a bit.

The One Night Stanzas bookstore is no more. Sorry guys — blame yourselves! You all nagged me for a cheap place to buy poetry books and then no one bought any! However, One Night Stanzas does still have a Store page — you can still grab the Read This Press jewellery and pamphlets by following this link.

“About One Night Stanzas” and “About Claire” have now been merged — they’re just About now. And “Contact” has become Contribute — so if you want to send me something, ask me something, give me feedback or write something for the blog, that’s now your place.

While I’m here I just want to say two more things…

One, I’m sorry for the slow-down in postings over the past little while. My life is becoming increasingly busy, hectic and exciting, with so many projects to work on, events to attend and so on! I’m now teaching at college and Uni, reading a PhD, working the performance poetry circuit, helping to co-ordinate this collection, making jewellery, editing chapbooks, judging poetry contests, working on major poetry commissions and preparing for the return of Read This Magazine in not too long a time… plus trying to find time to write! It’s insane, but fantastic. But it does mean One Night Stanzas has to take a back seat sometimes.

And two? Thanks so much for sticking around, reading, commenting, sending me links, following me on Twitter, inviting me to read at events, sending your books for me to review, recommending stuff and doing everything else that you do. You guys rock.

OK, first thing’s first — I had a poem published by The Guardian yesterday!

An amazing book cover — and more at Chainsaws and Jelly.

Found online this week: The Student mentioned Read This Press! // Col took inspiration from my anagram poems, and wrote some of his own // my jewels appeared at Chainsaws & Jelly! // Swiss responded to this post by writing a poem! // Mairi also responded! // Howie Good’s new book has the best blurb ever! // & more on his books // Jim Murdoch on Bukowski // a Chris Lindores poem illustrated… and some other stuff he’s been up to // the Carry a Poem ladies at the BBC! // & two happy customers with their Read This Store purchases!

Chainsaws & Jelly are seeking submissions from creative types… that sounds like you lot!

Some Banksy artwork you may not have seen…

& finally… the fabulous Vanessa Hidary

T shirt war!

& I love this song, and its video.

(Photo by Powerhouse Museum Collection)

Alan Massie, Surviving
A murky and complex tale of murder, addiction and the risks behind getting involved with strangers. Part murder mystery, part morality tale, part sequel (the book features Belinda, the heroine of one of Massie’s previous works, and is set in contemporary Rome, obviously a favourite setting of his), Surviving follows the fortunes of a group of dysfunctional ex-pats pulled together by their Alcoholics Anonymous group. The book is an interesting study into relationships built on nothing more than a shared addiction, and it raises questions about morality and trust at every turn. Unfortunately, however, I was kind of turned off by Massie’s characters. The book is excellently written and Rome is minutely and affectionately depicted (to the point where I now want to go and live there!), but the characters came across as unrealistic and fantastical — all of them troubled ex-alcoholics, but all of them living serene, job-free, rich and glamorous lives in Rome? Really? As a result I just couldn’t get a handle on the book and found myself increasingly irritated by the unfolding plot, rather than drawn in. A book I may return to (you know how sometimes you feel “I didn’t get this, but I might if I read it again”?), but not one I would recommend…

Rachel Cusk, The Bradshaw Variations
A bittersweet and slightly strange family saga, following the fortunes of three brothers and their families as they negotiate middle-age, marriage and parenthood (yeah, sounds like a terrible British sitcom, I know. Bear with me). Thomas, the novel’s protagonist, is delightfully frustrating and highly elusive – Cusk skilfully sketches his character in such a way that the reader is desperate to understand him but never seems able to. Does Thomas love his family at all? Is he actually gay? Why is he so detached from everything but his piano lessons? Cusk’s main intention seems to be to point out that even the most ordinary – indeed, even the most boring (as all the characters’ lives are by turn ordinary and just plain dull) – of people can be fascinating when only a small snippet of their personality is revealed. The characters in the novel are beautifully drawn, and the power-struggles between husbands and wives, mothers and daughters (Thomas’ bitchy mother-in-law is fabulously hateful) and brothers and sisters are brilliantly realised. However, the novel is essentially plotless and ultimately pointless as its dedication to depicting ‘real life’ means there can be no climax, no big reveal; so for all the Bradshaws, life just goes on. A beautiful and accomplished piece of literary fiction, and surprisingly gripping for a book where very little is challenged or resolved. The kind of book I sort of wish I could write — one that really sounds like real life, but manages not to be boring. Well done, Rachel Cusk!

I’ve also been reading/encountering a lot of Marty McConnell lately, but that’s for another post. What about you?

(Photo by Luis Montemayor)

White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi
OK, where better to start than with a rant, eh? Why oh WHY has this trend for whimsical, naive book covers come along, set up camp and refused to move on? I am really sick of being instantly put off a book because it has a cover that looks like it belongs on the front of something written for the female 8-12 age bracket. STOP IT, publishers! I mean, look at this cover. There are FAIRIES IN THE TREES. I mean it’s pretty, yes, but if you read the book, you’ll see how off-base the cover really is. Gah!
OK, there. Rant over. On to the book itself…
I’m seeing a pattern here, but as usual, I was not expecting to like this novel. The cover, as you may have already gathered, had a lot to do with it. But the person who wrote the back cover blurb should also be sacked (I think they were trying to mirror the book’s own stop-start, staccato narrative, but they just sounded a bit silly). Basically, I eventually gathered that it’s a modern take on the classic Gothic novel… and imagining a bastardization of all the Gothic books I’ve ever loved (why can people not just leave Wuthering Heights alone?!), I held my nose and prepared for horrors.
It’s actually not that bad. It’s not utterly fabulous and I probably won’t read it again, but it’s A Good Read. The story’s protagonist is supposedly the absent Lily — killed while undertaking aid work (I think; this is never made very clear) in Haiti. The four narrative ‘voices’ (promised by the blurb anyway — I only counted two, or possibly three, myself) are actually her children, twins Eliot and Miranda, her husband Luc, and their big creepy ghostly supernatural house/B&B, which not only talks but also eats people.
I say ’supposedly’ because I actually think the real protagonist is Miranda — her storyline is dominant, and I was far more interested in what she had to say than anything to do with her mother, who at times felt a bit like a cariacature… her absence allows Oyeyemi the freedom to be lazy in terms of depicting her, and you can sometimes feel that. Miranda on the other hand is very vivid, and fascinating — she suffers from pica, a rare eating disorder where the sufferer is compelled to eat inedible objects. I liked the way Oyeyemi used Miranda to strike a balance between traditional Gothic themes and contemporary female concerns. I also like the subversion of the Big House theme from Gothic literature — traditionally, the Gothic protagonist is trapped in a Big House which seems to be somehow alive and plotting against them. Here, the house really is alive, really is plotting against Miranda (and everyone else for that matter) — it’s also muscling in on telling the story, the ultimate unreliable narrator. That was the main thing I liked about this novel — on the surface, it was just a rather weird, dark little tale. Underneath, though, it was quietly really rather clever.
I was surprised to see people lining up to criticise this book on Amazon, though I guess I can see why people might not like it. It’s dressed up in a pretty cover and looks like a cosy, quirky little book. In fact, it’s bloody dark and more than a bit difficult. The narration is very staccato, fragmented and sometimes needlessly weird (single words hanging in the middle of the page for absolutely no reason, etc), and the ever-present-but-never-present Lily is actually more sacharine than intriguing. However, I’m assuming that the OMG-I’d-have-given-it-zero-stars-if-I-could brigade are missing the intertextuality and clever little nods to classic Gothic… because no matter what you think of the original/annoying (delete as appropriate) narration, you can’t get away from Oyeyemi’s skillful use of both.

Loads of Liz Lochhead
I’m also currently reading loads of Liz Lochhead poetry and Liz-Lochead-related theory for my PhD thesis. I have absolutely loved Lochhead since I first read her aged about fourteen — she never fails to inspire me and every time I pick up one of her books I notice something new about a certain phrase, stanza or poem that had never occurred to me before. Right now I am writing in detail about her highly intriguing poem ‘Almost Miss Scotland’, one of only a few Big Poems of hers I’d never seen until this recent foray. She’s so much fun to read and even more fun to write about… plus she’s one of only a few Famous Poets that I’d really like to ask out for a cup of tea and a chat. I bet Liz would be great craic! If you’ve never read any of her stuff or haven’t really paid much attention to her before now, go hunt her out. She’s brilliant — and like the Beatles, her ouvre offers something for everyone, so if you don’t like one collection, try the next one. They’re all refreshingly different!
If you’re already a fan of Liz, then head to the comments box and tell me this: what is your favourite poem of hers? You may end up mentioned in my thesis!

So what have YOU been reading this week?

(Photo by nuitfunebre)

Happy Valentine’s Day, ONS readers! Hope you have a fabulous time, whatever your romantic status!

(Photo by althani_1986)

Fancy making a short film? Always wanted to try it but never knew how? Ever wondered if you could make a film using your mobile phone? Want to help us turn 100 short poems into films?

If you’re nodding right now, then good news — we can help! We are this collection — a project which aims to bring together local writers and filmmakers in collaboration — and we’re on the lookout for budding filmmakers of all ages and levels of experience to help us adapt our 100 poems into 100 short films. In order to help you become part of the project, we’re running a series of FREE all-day filmmaking workshops in and around Edinburgh.

this collection wants to attract filmmakers from all walks of life — from experienced directors with Hollywood aspirations to those of you who’ve never got behind the camera before in your lives. We want our selection of films to be as wide and diverse as the city they celebrate, which is why we’re offering YOU a chance to make a short film for us.

Our FREE workshops aim to take you from absolutely nothing to a completed short film in the space just one day. Guided by our experienced film co-ordinator Stefanie Tan, you’ll learn everything from the absolute basics of putting together your shots right through to editing your final short together. Stefa will show you how to make the most of the tech you’ve got (whether that’s a van-load of super-hi-tech equipment or just a phone with a video camera function), and give hints and tips on the best way to adapt your chosen poem. You’ll get the chance to go out and shoot your footage, and then learn how to edit it all together to make your film complete.

You don’t need any previous filmmaking experience, but if you have some, you can still come along — everyone’s welcome. You don’t need any fancy tech — again, just bring whatever you have and we’ll teach you how to use it to its full potential. You don’t have to come alone — if you have friends who are also interested in filmmaking, or if you want to work with a team, the more the merrier!

The first run of workshops will take place at Edinburgh’s Central Library on 17th and 24th February from 10am – 7pm. The workshops are totally FREE but we recommend bringing your own lunch (and snacks!) with you. Spaces are limited so if you’re interested in getting involved, drop us a line to film@thiscollection.com — we’ll also be able to help if you have questions or need more info!

Got a particular poem you want to adapt? Let us know in your email. If you want to get some ideas, you can check out all the poems on offer at http://www.thiscollection.org

Can’t make these dates? Don’t worry — we’re hoping to run further workshops in the next couple of weeks, so watch this space!

Hope to see you there,
Claire & Stefa

Facilitator
Stefanie Tan is a University of Edinburgh first class honors graduate in English Literature with a Masters in Science in Design and Digital Media. She was an educator for 6 years, English, Literature, Drama and Philosophy. Tan has produced award winning collaborative youth films for public exhibition, notably THE SECRET OF HAPPY CHILDREN, creative video reflections on what school and home mean to 5 youth (Silver, Student Video Awards); and produced several award winning 24 hour film competition submissions. She has recently published a chapter about nurturing creative communities by employing digital video in the classroom. She has produced and edited trailers and sponsor segments for Television as an On Air Producer. She also exhibited and designed an installation art project: ATTENTION: an experimental film edited purely by eye-tracking technology. TROPHY 2009 a short film made in Canada was received at 2 international film festivals. She currently is an ORSAS funded PhD student at the Glasgow School of Art researching collective creativity and radical education.

(Photo by the brownhorse)

Various poetry books
The past two weeks I have been dipping in and out of a variety of poetry books in search of inspiration. First up, Sharon Olds’ Satan Says, her first collection, published in 1980 (I think). It’s an absolutely gorgeous book with its glossy red cover, and for some reason it came wrapped in cellophane which made it even more exciting. And of course it is full of the usual no-nonsense, straight-talking, thought-provoking and awesome stuff I’ve come to expect from Ms Olds. However, reading it I could feel that this was her first collection — the poems feel just ever so slightly less assured than her later work. I absolutely love her collection The Unswept Room, and think by this point (2003) she’d really grown into her voice. Satan Says feels just a little tentative… but that adds something new that I’d never before encountered in Olds’ poetry. Normally she’s so commanding, so sure of herself, so it was surprising and pleasant to glimpse a little something different. I am also in love with whatever typeface is used for the book’s “chapter” headings — if anyone has a copy and could tell me what it is, I’d be eternally grateful!

Next up is Samantha Wynne Rhydderch and her collection Not In These Shoes. I desperately wanted to like these poems, I really really really did. So many of them started off on a lovely trajectory, but I found so many times that I reached the end of them feeling a little disappointed, I’m afraid. Rhydderch has some truly fabulous ideas — you know, the kinds of ideas you curse yourself for not having thought of first — and every so often she’ll execute one to absolute perfection (her poem ‘Oyster Forks,’ for example, which was my firm favourite of the lot). However, all too often I was left thinking “yes, but what about…?” or “I wouldn’t have said it was like that, exactly…” Basically, I was often left wanting more at the end of a poem. Maybe this is Rhydderch’s trick? I kept reading after all. But I was left dissatisfied. I think it might have something to do with the language in these poems — it seems to want to be lush, poetic, unusual, original… but it’s almost as if Rhydderch is holding back for fear of going OTT. There are odd little phrases that are just delicious, really inventive — but they’re buried in the middle of an otherwise sparse and bland stanza, often. I can appreciate poets who don’t believe in linguistic fireworks and like to just say what they mean — Sharon Olds often takes this line, in fact. But Rhydderch’s pieces seemed to fall into an uncomfortable gap between the two extremes. As you can probably tell, I am still a bit bemused by it… I think it will be one of those collections I come back to and suddenly “get” at a later date. I hope so anyway.

And finally, there’s Paul Farley’s Tramp In Flames. I bought two Paul Farley collections last summer — this one and The Boy From The Chemist Is Here To See You — and I’ve been deliberately saving them because I knew they’d be damn awesome. And they are, if the first quarter of Tramp In Flames is anything to go by. Farley has an uncanny way of describing ordainary things; he really can make you see the everyday in a totally new way, which is a rare and special talent. “Rain thick as diesel slicking the windows” is a line from The Front, the first poem of the collection — at about this line I new I was onto a winner with this book. That poem is really brilliant actually — Farley turns a cloud into a gunship, a giant bird’s nest, a geological phenomenon… it’s awesome, in the true sense of the word! I haven’t read many of the other pieces as I’m savouring this one, but I can tell already I’m going to really love Farley’s stuff.

OK, now you! Tell me what you’ve been poring over and perusing this past week! Also, I know I need to announce the Lianne Strauss giveaway winner… I’ll do it asap! Watch this space!

(Photo by Vociferous)

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