Fiesta Time (11): Forget the Skylark ... All Poets Aboard the #twittercopter!

Not actually the

#twittercopter

but a helicopter nonetheless (this one is at Tretower, home of the Vaughan family, so poetic connections ...)

I believe Twittercopter Poetry was launched yesterday by Sally Evans, editor of Poetry Scotland, as a means of feeling more involved in the Parnassus activities for those of us who don't live in London. The idea is that you paste the url link to one of your online poems into a Tweet (and Twitter will automatically shorten it). Be sure to include the following tags ... 

(a) #twittercopter 

(b) #Parnassus 

And then you send the Tweet out into the Twittersphere (or should that be the Twittosphere?) for all to enjoy, rather as if your poem was being cast adrift from the London helicopter. 

Then, when you are on Twitter, do look up #twittercopter to enjoy the Twittercoptered poems on display. I hope you may care to join in ... and encourage other Poetweeters by spreading the word on Facebook etc.

I was only reading Simon Armitage's account of the colossal Poetry Parnassus plans yesterday in the Poetry Society's journal, Poetry Review. I began to realise just how large a project it has all been, so it is particularly good to feel that those of us who cannot be in London, can still enjoy a poetic journey with this innovative, virtual and sustainable skyrider, the  #twittercopter! 

Ensure your poem is on board!
 

Poetry Matters (5): The Acid Test

Simon Armitage (on the Poetry Book Society site) has come up with a check list for helping new poets to assess their own work. Can we think of any other yardsticks we bring to bear on our poems? You might also care to read George Szirtes article in Poetry (magazine) on Formal Wear: Notes on Rhyme, Meter, Stanza & Pattern.

Once you are happy with your poem, be sure to choose a suitable outlet for it. There are many well-run journals and competitions, but there are others that you will want to avoid. You might find this list helpful.