Poetry Reading at Arkadia Bookshop

This is the announcement for the poetry reading at the Arkadia Bookshop in Helsinki where I will be reading with three Scottish poets and one Finnish poet. There will be poems in both languages, including some in translation. I will be reading from my collection, Midas Touch, all in English. Copies of the poets´ publications will be available for purchase. Rumour has it that a glass of wine will be provided to relieve the thirst of audience members. The event is free but the Arkadia Bookshop asks for a donation of 3 euros to cover their own costs. If you are in the Helsinki area, do come along.


FOUR BRITS AND A FINN
A Cavalcade of Prizewinning Poets
Tuesday, 15th October @ 6 pm

Arkadia Bookshop (Nervanderinkatu 11, Helsinki)

Donald Adamson: Tampere-based poet and translator, winner of the Herald Millennium Poetry Prize, launches his new collection From Coiled Roots, which explores life, landscapes and history in Finland and Scotland. His translations of Lassi Nummi have been described by Eeva Kilpi as ‘like the humming of the trees around our human suffering and joys.’ www.donaldadamson.co.uk

Liz Niven’s most recent collection, The Shard Box, (Luath Press), uses multiple techniques to address fragmentation and reconstruction through a Chinese lens. An award-winning poet, she has appeared at Literary Festivals across Europe, China and Australia, recently participating in Clunes, Australia’s National Booktown. She has promised to read her Scots versions of the Kalevala! www.lizniven.com

Up-and-coming poet and translator Aila Juvonen collaborates with Liz Niven on sequences of interactive/correspondence poetry in English and Finnish. Her poems have been read at the Edinburgh Festival and published in Northwords. She is currently working on a novel and a poetry collection. Aila has also published books on her work as developer of the Skidikantti Children's Training programme. www.skidikantti.com

Award-winning writer Chrys Salt has authored five poetry collections. A poem in her fourth collection GRASS was selected as one of The 20 Best Scottish Poems 2012. Described as ‘brave, beautiful and deeply unsettling’, her latest collection Home Front/Front Line records a dialogue in poetry and prose between her and a soldier son, who was mobilised to Iraq in February 2003. www.chryssalt.com

Based in Tampere, Mike Horwood is a UK poetry prizewinner. He has published a translation of Martti Hynynen´s poetry collection, island, nameless rock, and a collection of his own, Midas Touch. Jo Shapcott has commented on `his ability to make simple things in the material world resonate with mystery´. He has also published a novel, The Finn’s Tale.

Poetry reading at Arkadia Bookshop in Helsinki

This is some advance information for anyone who will be within striking distance of Helsinki in mid-October. I´m reading at the Arkadia Bookshop in Helsinki on Tuesday 15 October (not sure about the exact time yet, but definitely in the evening). The program is titled, `Four Brits and a Finn´, and I´m one of the Brits, but the only Englishman; the other three are Scots. The Arkadia Bookshop has a very attractive website:

http://www.arkadiabookshop.fi/

The poetry event is not listed there yet but I imagine full details will be posted closer to the time. I will also post full details, including names and information about the other poets reading and confirmation of the time, here on my blog in good time. Arkadia offers a lovely environment for a poetry reading, plus the opportunity to browse and buy books at bargain prices so I have a strong suspicion that this is an event not to be missed.

Poetry Reading

It´s more than a month ago now, that I gave a reading from my collection, Midas Touch, at The Poetry Cafe, with fellow Ward Wood poets, Peter Phillips and David Cooke. At last, I´ve got round to posting a report and a couple of pictures from the event on my blog.

The Poetry Cafe is a great venue, very cosy and intimate and we had an appreciative audience that comfortably filled the basement of the cafe. Peter read poems from his collection, No School Tie, as well as some others.

Some of his poems were wonderfully comic and others very sensitive, and some were both at once. I can highly recommend this collection.

David read poems from a variety of publications: magazines and earlier collections, including some poignant memories of family members.

We each did a 15-minute slot, followed by poets from the floor. A very pleasant evening. Thanks to Adele Ward for organising and hosting the event with her customary flair and charm.

Here I am, doing my bit. One of the poems I read was `Things´. I have included the text of the poem, just in case any readers of my blog don´t know it, to give you a flavour of the evening.

Things

There are these things:

one half of a double door stands ajar,

through the frosted pane of its closed partner

the curtain´s blue stain visible on the wall.

The empty floor echoes to no footfall.

A mirror reflects a key on the hallstand.

These things are troubled -

they know exactly what´s happened.

Good News

http://www.wardwoodpublishing.co.uk/titles-poetry-mh-mt.htm

Midas Touch has arrived from the printer. I´ve heard that some readers in the UK have already received their copies. Deliveries of orders outside Britain may take a little longer because of the Christmas rush and the bad weather. My copies are currently somewhere between North Wales and Finland.

For readers of this blog who are based in Britain, I will be reading poems from Midas Touch in Camden Town on Friday 7 January together with Ann Alexander, who will be reading from her new collection, Too Close, which is also published by Ward Wood Publishing.

The event is in aid of Cold Weather Shelters and the entrance fee (£5 / £4) supports that work. The address is: Trinity United Reform Church Hall, 1 Buck Street, Camden. It´s very close to Camden Town underground station and the doors open at 18.30.

I´m looking forward to meeting all those who are able to get there.