Heather Moulson

Test Card

Hello Poetry Lovers

Computer absolutely shot. Lost my pictures, everything. So today, Instead of window 14, you’re getting a test card.

Many of us here will remember the excitement of a test card on TV – especially the little girl with a blackboard on BBC2. So I’m going to take you back down memory lane and give you a poetry one.

Thank you for watching, Poetry Lovers. What you have to do is put some groovy music in the background and sit there and watch it for a few hours before a programme comes on…..

Luckily, I have window 15 in the draft section, so tune in tomorrow – same time, same channel

Poetry Advent Calender – window 13

Hello Poetry Lovers,

Welcome to window 13 –

And what can I say about this great collection called Boring The Arse Off Young People by the wonderful Martin Figura. Published by Nasty Little Press in 2010, this is the first poetry book I ever bought. And off the great man himself! At the Roundhouse

I suppose I’ve seen Martin Figura a few times now and he just gets better…. However, I never forget the very first time on a freezing November night upstairs at the Fox pub in Twickenham – now a restaurant!!

Despite being miserable about working a rugby match the next day, Martin and his ‘gang’, including the marvelous Luke Wright, opened my eyes to a whole new world of vibrant words and performance. Who would have thought I’d be penning these things myself six years later…?

So, Boring The Arse Off Young People is razor sharp, witty, so so poignant and clever. My favourite is (The Trouble With) Middle-aged People which incorporates the unforgettable title of the book.

Martin at the moment does wonderful Zoom poetry on the first Sunday of every month, called Live from The Butchery with wonderful readers. It’s on Facebook – so like their page now!

Well, PL’s, I hope you enjoyed that impartial mini-review. Tune in tomorrow, same time, same channel for more advent action! Thanks for stopping by…….

Poetry Advent Calender – window 12

Hello Poetry Lovers! Window 12!

Everything was wiped away from my laptop but we may just make it to the end…….

And what can I say about this poet? And Family Values?

When I saw Wendy Cope at The Richmond Literature Festival in 2016, poetry was a new door for me then and I’d only tentatively pushed it open. After seeing Wendy, I went through that door and didn’t look back.

Wendy Cope’s work is endearing, deceptively gentle with an underlying steel grip. I like that she writes about everyday things that are right under our noses, and makes such valid points. Her observations are sharp, witty and very British and though tending to be middle class, the poet takes a stand on this. A great example is my favourite Uncle Bill – poignant, sweet and sad.

Get on the case now!

One of my favourites there. Tune in tomorrow for Advent Window 13 for something completely different!

Poetry Advent Calender – window 10

Hello Poetry Lovers, window 10!! Not bad going – eh? I had all sorts of technical problems yesterday but today we have opened the window to a beauty.

As you know, Patric Cunnane runs the wonderful DoDo Modern Poets above the King & Queen pub in the West End. I’ve known great afternoons of poetry there. So I jumped at the chance of buying Patric’s enigmatic The Ghost of Franz Kafka, published by Palewell Press in 2018. The distinctive style is disturbing, sharp, clever and humorous. I particularly love Keys, No More Superheroes and When You Hang a Poet.

However, one of my absolute favourite poems of all time is The Old Office. It reflects our offices of yesteryear with the reek of fags and fry-ups and being paid in a brown envelope. So many memories overwhelmed me that my eyes misted up. I was such a part of that structure once. An era that’s gone forever. Poignant to the point of painful.

Thank you for that, Patric, miss you and Peter so much. Let’s hope we get those afternoons back soon.

However, DoDo Poets do a great live webpage every month. Have a look, some good recordings of poets on there

http://dodovidpoets.blogspot.com/2020/11/virtualdodo-4-november-2020.html

https://dodovidpoets.blogspot.com/2020/11/virtualdodo-4-november-2020.html

Great window! Think I’m going to have to lie down after that!

I see Dobby’s just walked in, so I’d better sign off. Tune in same time, same place tomorrow.

Memory Corner – Chip’s Speakeasy

Hello, Poetry Lovers, I was engulfed by a quick memory, which I’ll share with you before going on with the poetry advent calender…..

Now I’ve got to stop getting so emotional about these memory corners. I simply took them on board early in lockdown – but now they bring a lump to my throat.

These are good times remembered, not good times lost. I have to realise that. Hands up who’s found this later lockdown harder!

Anyway, me mate’s got her Reliant up and running, so hop in for memory corner – this time it’s 16th December 2019. Chip’s Speakeasy at Mortimer House.

We were on the top floor in this amazing sunken room in this sumptuous central London location. These images don’t really do it justice but it was an incredible square space. The wonderful and innovative Chip Martin is sitting there, who brought all this magical experience about. Amazing man and poet.

This is Chip on the left. A talented and enigmatic American young man, there’s moi in the centre – such a splendid balcony, and the last is me with the cheeky and stunning Dino Mahoney. A great poet – try and hear his work (I know… I know…).

However, the following picture is closest to my heart ….

Well, what can I say about these heroes? They’ve been life-changing to me. Directly in the front, leaning on Dino’s knee is the stunning Angus Strachan. A handsome Australian brimming with wonderful words and talent. This follows on with Dino next to me, then the beautiful, stunning poet, Barney and his lovely, lovely partner Gianni. Angus and Barney founded Soho Poets (along with that brilliant Mark Chamberlain who couldn’t be there) – what an institution!

Anyway, I read my poem The Queue, and the lovely Polly Bull and other great poets read fantastic pieces. What a night that was.

Forgive me, I can’t show that photo enough.

Well, I can see Dobby’s bored so I’d best be off. Lets hope more of those nights will come.

Thanks for tuning in, PL’s, poetry advent — see below for window 8 of the poetry advent calender….

A wonderful and brutal pamphlet from V Press – get reading….!

Poetry Advent Calender – window 7

Hello PL’s

Welcome to day 7 of the poetry advent calender. I am delighted to open the window to Ex Situ by the wonderful M. E. Muir, a poet I have come to love and have the pleasure of knowing.

I was swept away by this elegant collection bound by the fetching blue cover. The simplicity of it is so striking and works well with content that truly delivers. Published by the great Dempsey & Windle, this is a definite find!

Vivid and sensitive, there are three significant sections – Listen, Next and Celebrate. These poems have such a definitive love of nature and places. Extraordinarily well voiced with real environmental issues and concerns, and pieces that are conveyed with passion. My International Family of Trees and In Loch na Droma Buidhe are my personal favourites.

Treat yourself. Available from http://dempseyandwindle.com

I hope you enjoyed that one, Poetry Lovers. Now it’s off to cater to Dobby’s every whim!

See you tomorrow for window 8!!

Poetry Advent Calender – window 6

Welcome to window 6 of the poetry advent calender, PL’s.

Now I swooned over this poet in Guildford and Cranleigh, and I was thrilled I could buy this copy from the man himself. This being Ian McLachlan, a superb and intelligent poet.

This wry pamphlet, Confronting the Danger of Art, illustrated by Phil Cooper, is extraordinarily clever. Issuing a safety manual to warn the public of the harzards of art and artists. Divided into three hilarious sections – threat assessment, health & saftety and criminal detection – we can be protected against this terrible thing!

A really witty notion. Keep it with you at all times!

Ian also took some very good poetry classes at Wembley Library last year. Hopefully these can be resurrected soon. Worth going along, I got a lot out of it.

Well, is this going from strength to strength or what?!

Stay tuned for poetry advent calender window 7! See you tomorrow.

Advent Calender – window 5…

Hello Poetry Lovers, Window 5 eh? It’s moving along! And I’m so glad to feature Tales of the Unaccepted by the wonderful Ray Pool.

What can I say?! Witty, quirky with a unique voice, I have been enjoying young Ray’s poems for a couple of years. I was thrilled to get my mitts on this collection. Published by Dempsey & Windle in 2018, this collection is packed with vibrant material.

My own personal favourites are Mum and Dad, Down Memory Lane, Corners and On the other side of Reading. Great stanzas with outright wit, tangible wistfulness and nostalgia. A joy of a collection. We’re waiting for the next one, Ray!!

I did an interview with Ray recently on the site, if you want to have a look. Fascinating….

Lumme! Even Dobby enjoyed that review! Better keep on the good side of her – see you tomorrow, PL’s.

Advent Calender – Window 4

Hello Poetry Lovers, welcome back to day 4 of the poetry advent calender.

Now, the previous two windows I knew very well, but we are back to a collection I don’t know at all. In fact, I’m going to be deeply honest with you, I have no idea how this book even came into my possession

However, I’m very glad it did – by whatever means.

Samantha Boarer’s Real Grown-Up Women is brutal, sad, deeply honest, moving and so so enticing. Poems of sad and painful experiences will deal you such a blow – a welcome one.

The poet truly tells you like it is to be a young woman. Published by Burning Eye Books, Apology to my vagina, the title poem and Facebook Stalker are of such deep black humour that you can only embrace it. Though you may cut yourself in the process!

A comedian/poet from the West Country that delivers a powerful punch. Get reading now!

Speaking of brutal, Dobby has just emerged!

Better go…. see you tomorrow!

Poetry Advent window 3

Hello Poetry Lovers

This is also a collection that I know well. This beautiful anthology by Dempsey & Windle from their summer competition this year is a complete joy. These publishers produce such stunning poetry books that really do deliver a high standard of material. This anthology is no exception.

Now there is a very promising, if ruthless poet in this book with the longlisted poem Pen Friend, so it really is worth a look! And this writer is joined by so many incredible poets. Including the winner Belinda Singleton with three very intelligent poems, plus all me favourites, including Trisha Broomfield, Greg Freeman, Sharron Green, Jeremy Loynes, Carla Scarano, Fiona Sinclair, Audrey Arden-Jones and the lovely two Marys –

Muir and Mullholland.

A delightful and fulfilling read. Get cracking and order a copy!

http://dempseyandwindle.com

Well, Dobby and I are retiring for the night. Tune in same time, same place tomorrow for Window number 4!