Tuesday 28 May 2013

Anthology Alert: 'Poetry from Strata Florida', edited by Martin Locock


I would like to mention this new book of poems, edited by Martin Locock of Carreg Ffylfan Press, about a very special place in Wales, namely the area around the ruined Cistercian abbey of Strata Florida, also known as Ystrad Fflur. Strata Florida lies between Pontrhydfendigaid and the wonderful Red Bog of Tregaron in Ceredigion.

The abbey was founded in 1164. The Abbey Church, in the care of Cadw, is adjacent to the graveyard, which is still used for burials. According to tradition, it is the resting place of the 14th century Welsh language poet, Dafydd ap Gwilym, and a memorial to him can be viewed under a yew tree. This ancient yew shades the bodies of eleven princes of the Welsh Royal house of Deheubarth, who were also buried here during the 12th and 13th centuries. A stone marker in the Chapter House commemorates these princes. 

It is always a thrill to arrive at the site and wander up the Great West Door to the Abbey Church. The carving around the archway frames the mountainous scenes beyond. The new anthology includes work inspired by this Ystrad Fflur landscape from 1350-2013. It includes illustrations by Linden Fletcher and photographs from Scott Waby.

I feel privileged to have a poem, 'Ist May: Red Kite at Strata Florida', included alongside works by - among others from past and present - Gwyneth Lewis (National Poet of Wales, 2005-2006), Gillian Clarke (National Poet of Wales, current), R.S. Thomas, Harri Webb and Byron Beynon. 

The new book is available for purchase via the Carreg Ffylfan Press website. The cost per copy, inclusive of p&p, is £10.

The Arch

Memorial Tablet to the poet, Dafydd ap Gwilym

Beneath the yew tree


Red Kite ... overhead

David Gill taking photographs of a small grave in the churchyard

The yew tree


Monday 27 May 2013

'The Holy Place' chapbook: Review Corner

The Holy Place by John Dotson and Caroline Gill (£3.50 inc. p&p in UK)

Online Reviews


My thanks to Matt, Juliet, Sally. Further comments on the The Holy Place can be found here.

Copies of The Holy Place can be purchased (£3.50, inc. UK p&p) via the email link here.

Monday 20 May 2013

A Norfolk-Suffolk Dozen (of poets) in Orizont Literar Contemporan, Romania

CONTEMPORARY LITERARY HORIZON NO 2 (34)/MARCH-APRIL 2013 / 
HORIZONTE LITERARIO CONTEMPORANEO NO 2 (34)/MARZO-ABRIL DE 2013 

Coming soon ... the issue which includes the Norfolk and Suffolk Dozen of Poets. There is a preview here, with a poem, 'Day Out', from Sue Wallace-Shaddad.

The journal costs 15 Euros (plus 2 Euros tax). Please get in touch if you would like to buy a copy. 



Orizont Literar Contemporan ~ All the World in a Journal

CONTENTS 

CRITICĂ 
Daniel Dragomirescu, Una fiesta intercultural
Neil Leadbeater, Albert Camus, Religion and “The Fall”
Donald Riggs, From Horatio  Hornblower
Mira Faraday, The Misty Isle
Juana Castillo, Bernardino
Eduardo Sanguinetti, Los Peligros de la igualdad
Niza Todaro Glassiani, Juana de Ibarbourou
Manuel Ameneiros, Tema espinoso
Alan Gomes, Criminal Majority at Brazil 
Mario Antonio da Silva (Brazil), Arte e verdade
A NORFOLK-SUFFOLK DOZEN
Caroline Gill, Introduction
Mike Bannister
Anne Boileau
Helen Ivory
Rosalynde Price
David Gill
Wendy Webb
Cameron Self





Lynn Woollacott
James Knox Whittet
Sue Wallace-Shaddad
Ivor Murrell
Heidi Williamson
Chris Gribble
Naomi Jaffa
POEZIE
Jenifer Ransom
Douglas Lipton
Martin Bates
Khadija Ejaz
Paul Satherland
Paul Mein
Mike Foldes
Lidia Borghi
Ettore Fobo
Astrid Fugellie
Luis Benitez
Oziella Inocêncio
Rodolfo Chavez
César Curiel
Monica Manolachi
Andréia Franco
PROZĂ
Patrizia Boi, La Chiave magica
Edmundo Gaudêncio, Sombras
Radu Mihai Dimăncescu, Memorii
Bogdan Guţu, Scrisoare anonimă/Anonymous Letter
PROFIL CULTURAL  
Theodore Elssaca (Santiago de Chile)

OLC/CLH-ALL THE WORLD IN A JOURNAL

Wednesday 8 May 2013

Anthology Alert: Kamesan's World Haiku Anthology on War, Violence and the Violation of Human Rights


'This landmark collection, 
interweaving hundreds of poetic voices from around the world, 
creates a powerful statement for peace and against war.'

Kim Goldberg

This volume of world Haiku has just been published by Kamesan Books. The volume has been edited by Dimitar Anakiev in Radovljica, Slovenia. Anakiev was born in Belgrade, Serbia, and is a co-founder of the World Haiku Association. The new anthology contains 903 Haiku from 435 poets in 48 countries, writing in 35 languages. The accompanying artwork has been created by Kunihara Shimizu from Tenri in Japan. The collection begins with Basho in the 17th century and goes on to include much contemporary work. My Haiku, written in response to the vision of a convoy of tanks on the M4 Motorway, is listed as 298 on p.134.   

'This is a multicultural book against war and violence 
that connects people from different nations around the world.' 

Dimitar Anakiev
Editor

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  • The book can be purchased from the outlets listed here
  •  You will find a sample Haiku here
  •  You can read more about the book ... at Chen-ou Liu (劉鎮歐)'s blog, Neverending Story