‘Worst poet’ outsells boy wizard
A private collector has paid £6,600 for poems by the man ridiculed as “the world’s worst poet”.
A total of 35 of William McGonagall’s works - many of them autographed - have been up for auction in Edinburgh.
The ditties by “The Tayside Tragedian” went for more than a collection of Harry Potter first editions signed by author JK Rowling.
McGonagall, who died in 1902, was often mocked and had food thrown at him during readings in Dundee.
He was born in Edinburgh in 1825, but spent much of his life in Dundee as a handloom weaver in the jute mills. (more…)
Caribbean poet Cesaire dies at 94
Poet and political activist Aime Cesaire has died in Martinique aged 94.
Born on the French Caribbean island in 1913, he became famous for promoting black consciousness and challenging the political establishment.
Cesaire was partly responsible for coining the word “negritude”, a term affirming pride in black identity.
His poetry and plays, including a black adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, are regularly performed and studied in France. (more…)
Top literary names to headline WORD 08
James Kelman and Alasdair Gray are two of the big names topping the bill at this year’s WORD Festival at the University of Aberdeen. The Scots literary heavyweights will be joined by influential Glaswegian writer Janice Galloway, acclaimed Irish poet Michael Longley and a raft of talent from the UK and beyond.
The festival’s programme, which can be viewed in full at www.abdn.ac.uk/word/, also includes Mark Millar, the top-selling Marvel comic book writer; folk-rock hero King Creosote; Hardeep Singh Kohli, the TV personality and writer; and Aberdeen legend Willie Miller, who will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Aberdeen FC’s European triumph in Gothenburg. (more…)
Poem honours WWI veteran aged 109
A poem has been composed by the poet laureate for the oldest surviving veteran who fought in the trenches in World War I, 109-year-old Harry Patch. Andrew Motion composed the work under a commission from the BBC’s Inside Out West programme.
The Prince of Wales introduces the piece, saying Mr Patch, “epitomizes the courage, (more…)
Poets Aloud
Poems to make, watch and hear.
Poets read their own poetry aloud, here
as an aside, this is something I am aiming to bring here too. A section
for painters to show themselves paingint on webcam, and poets and
authors to read segments of their work for us.
If you are interested in this side of things I would love to hear
from you so that I can list you and contact you when I am ready…
Betty Botter’s Biting Beaver
Betty Botter’s Biting BeaverBetty Botter bought a beaver.
But the beastly beaver bit her.
So she bought a biting badger.
And the badger bit the beaver.
Since the badger bit the beaver,
now the beaver will not bite her.
So ’twas better Betty Botter
bought a beaver-biting badger.
© 2002 by Bruce Lansky, reprinted from Funny Little Poems for Funny Little People, published by Meadowbrook Press.
For more fantastic tongue twisters, poems, and kid fun, check out this site I have been sitting on for the past half hour LOL Try it for yourself… For kids of ALL ages here…
Goldstar Publisher for new authors
We only publish work from new authors and we offer several cost-effective ways to get your manuscript published. However, our reputation depends on producing books readers will enjoy so we only accept work that meets the high standards we set. If your submission is successful, we will fulfil your ambition to be a published author and we will work hard to promote your book.
New authors can benefit from self-publishing
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Deadlines
Feeling overwhelmed by the number of writing competitions? Having trouble deciding which ones to enter? Are deadlines passing you by? Poets & Writers Magazine offers a unique service to its readers. Every two months it publishes a listing of the competitions for grants and contest awards whose deadlines will come due soon. This editorial feature lists only competitions that will benefit a writer’s career and only those (with a few exceptions for prizes of stature) that offer $1,000 or more. Read More
