Poems and Mushrooms

I picked this up from Rob McKenzie's blog, who in turn is talking about Don Share's take on a poem by Katherine Kilalea which is called 'Henneker's Ditch.

Share quotes the poem - if it is not the whole, I'd be dying to get the collection it's in, New Poetries V - and then goes on a really interesting meander, showing us not only a good appreciation, but a good insight into his own thought processes when he comes across a poem that needs unlocking.

I last felt this interested in a poem when reading T.S. Eliot's Prufrock, or Ginsberg's Howl. This is a poem that's got me thinking about hybridity, dream sequences, and - of all things - some of the things I used to do, twenty or so years ago before I got sense.

They would be drugs - well, mushrooms in particular (that's about as hard as it got around here - they were free!) - which I'm not advocating in any shape or form - but these were the first thing I thought of when I read Kate Kilalea's poem... I've put this here more as a note or reminder to myself, more than anything - but the poem is exciting, and has me thinking hard.

Poetry Abounding

Apologies for disappearing again - holidays came and went, back to school came and went and so did back to work - yes the hamster mill keeps on spinning round!

Just back from Dromineer Literary Festival this weekend, where I was lucky to be part of the Poetry Divas big gig in the Whiskey Still. We were treated like the Divas we are, and the feedback afterwards was tremendous. Fair play to those who came along to support us, in spite of the awful weather and after the readings/Q&A sessions with writers Jennifer Johnstone and John McKenna.

Our set worked out at around the hour mark and included the by-now-infamous 'boobs' poem, complete with accompanying visuals (think Bob Dylan's song). We were well-received and mightuly looked after by Declan & Fiona in Lough Derg House as well as Rita in the Whiskey Still. The weather wasn't good enough to allow anyone a decent view about the lake, but it looked as though it would be really beautiful on a sunny day.

Tomorrow is All Ireland Poetry Day, as well as being National Poetry Day across the water in the UK. There's plenty happening up and down the country for those who want to join in.

Here in sunny Dundalk, there's a lunch time broadcast on Dundalk FM at 1pm featuring people from public life (including me!) discussing favourite and non-favourite poems from Soundings. You can listen online by clicking here but be aware that you may need to download a plugin in order to stream it.

There's also a lunchtime reading taking place in DkIT Library featuring John O'Rourke in the Slieve Foye Room.