As a member of the
Poetry Society for five
years I am an avid reader of its' publication:
/poetrynews/ which is published
four times a year! The editorial takes a sweeping look at future planning: they have elected a new President and twelve Vice Presdents, with biblical integrity! I sent my yellow voting paper off in good time last year in the Autumn of 2005: They will be /in the hot seat/ for
years and years: I marvel at the confidence of forward planning of this nature; obviously it is a confident Director that can plan ahead with such clarity: I suppose, in keeping with the current mood of the Lord Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone's plan for the Capital of the UK! Already we are well into January 2006 and are now receiving our copies of
Poetry News at the discretion of Royal Mail.
A plot, perhaps, you would say, is in the melting pot! Does the two tiered system often talked about by the British Government's Deputy Prime Minister - Mr John Prescott touch the Poetry Society! Certainly, ageism,
seems as virulent as always: there is not a day passes, but I am invited in the street, on the internet, in the post, by teachers, lecturers, professors, doctors, footballers even to fill in the box specifying my exact age!
In Poetry News, everybody looks, charmingly young, youthful and the poems reflect that optimism.
At least so I thought, until I encountered the Membership Manager's Interview of Terry Kelly:
he was born in 1958 in Jarrow, South Tyneside in March! That's a interesting fact to note: he admires greatly, Bob Dylan the American Folk Singer and Poet who must be about sixty something! His poems are drawn from his background, especially, our interviewer continues ... his background in Jarrow with its Marches of 1936 known as /The Jarrow March/: Sterling stuff, all this!
Prize Winners abound with great enthusiasm and I compliment them all on their wonderful array of prizes and pay and excellent publications!
Members Poems again - that's a regular feature - afterall I have been a reader and member of the Poetry Society for 5 years: I wondered about the selection of these Members Poems and note that the theme can vary from ideas from Australia or Ireland to some poems written about or in the UK or USA; now and then, Europe appears with writers discussed in great depth, from time to time.
I once ventured to send my little poem in, but I, got a sharp smack on the back of the hand and was informed that: it wasn't suitable! I often wanted to say - / Not suitable for what/ : Presumably it was too short!
The poems cover world wide and mega notions and my attention was drawn to
Frances Green /Your New York/ East 77th Street, sound geographical reference here and good no doubt for tourism in the USA's BIG APPLE i.e. New York!
My favourite aspect of Poetry News would be the many competitions it advertises and invites the readership to enter for a small sum of say, four or five pounds: wonderful prizes are on offer for the winning poem written by the fair hand of the winning poet! Great Stuff altogether!