Next Word, Better Word.

At the moment I'm reading Next Word, Better Word by Stephen Dobyns which gives an interesting and enlightening account of the process of poetry writing. Compared with other books it sits somewhere between the 'How to' beginners books and the 'High Brow' lit crit tomes.

I don't claim to understand every word in Next Word - on occasions I've read a paragraph three times and still haven't deciphered it's meaning - but I do feel as if this is the perfect book at the perfect time for me. Just a shame it's published on such cheap paper and with such a flimsy cover. It will take hardly any dunking in the bath - alas, a regular hazard for my books - to turn it to pulp.

The portfolio is in. For good or bad 'tis finished. Having substituted Rurik the Viking takes Torremelinos by Surprise for a poem titled The Interest in a Worm I can truthfully say that is is a unique (interpret that as you will) collection. God help the tutor who marks it.

I have also entered three poems for the Mslexia poetry competition (closing date 18 July). Of course I don't seriously consider that I have a pickle-in-a-Branston's chance of coming anywhere, but I have some half-decent poems and better to be out there doing something than sitting in a file.

For some time now I've been following Jen Hadfield's blog . Always beautiful and inspiring to read. Check it out if you get a chance.

The Home Strait

Portfolio due in next Thursday.

Sadly, Rurik The Viking Takes Torremelinos By Surprise wont be making it to the final selection. Shame. I was quite fond of it. Maybe next year, if I choose "Light verse about Nordik Travellers" as my theme...

I'm aware that I've never seen a poem with the word "anus" in it. And conscious that I'm about to hand in such a poem to a very nice, well-spoken, middle-aged lady who will be marking my portfolio.

But how else can one describe the bum hole of a worm?