Saturday, July 28, 2007

A Rush of Pleasure!

Back from Kerry again - this time I didn't get to see very much of the scenic mountains or the sea - but hey, that's editing.

I've now got the framework for the collection set up, and there are a few surprises in it that I wasn't expecting. Noel got very excited by two long poems I had brought down, that I didn't include in the original MS that I sent. In fact, it was a very positive and affirming experience to have my work gone over in the minute detail that it was: pretty much like my own private workshop!

These poems are very different in timbre and style to the rest of the collection and are a creative interpretation of some mythological figures that I came across while researching. One of my favourite themes to play with is the figure of the Smithy - probably because of my surname - and I have always liked to link that to the idea of wordcraft, or wordsmithying.

Anyway, these figures belong to that sort of artisan background, and I have come to regard them, well, not quite as Muses, but as guardians of writing, in a way.

If that all sounds very mystical, I apologise. I am quite grounded, but with strong leanings towards a curious and stretching mind. Perhaps we should wait and see what readers think of Kairos, when it makes its debut.

Oh, and I finished reading that Harry Potter book too - a good read.

6 comments:

Jon M said...

Interesting ideas, puts me in mind of Seamus Heaney 'digging' with his pen.

Blacksmiths are interesting characters and they do seem to have mystical connections. Wonder if it was all that fire and brimstone smell coming out of the forge!

Kay Cooke said...

Sounds like you are having the time of your life - looking forward to reading more progress reports.

apprentice said...

Wonderful, so pleased for you. I think real genuine encouragement is the greatest thing.

Poet/Smithy, hammering out those lines, bending them to fit and using them to nail the subject, can't be bad.....

Unknown said...

With the Austrian/German version of your surname, I really like the theme of the smithy - never thought to that in relation to wordcraft. Lovely!

Really looking forward to reading Kairos when it comes out!

Good luck with all the final preparation, Barbara.

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

I awarded you with a thoughtful blogger award on my page... please drop by when you get a chance, and pick it up.


Best,
Scarlett & Viaggiatore

Unknown said...

Thanks scarlett, will pick it up as soon as I get caught up with everything!