Life Lines

Six poets read last night for Oxfam, Tuesday, November 28th, in support of the Life Lines project, at Oxfam's flagship bookshop in London, at 91 Marylebone High Street, from 7.30 pm to around 11 pm.

They were:

Tobias Hill is one of the leading British writers of his generation. Selected as one of the country's Next Generation poets, shortlisted for the 2004 Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year and named by the TLS as one of the best young writers in the country. Byatt has observed that "There is no other voice today quite like this."

NYC-born Eva Salzman trained as a dancer/choreographer. At Columbia University, she studied with Joseph Brodsky, Derek Walcott Stanley Kunitz, Jorie Graham, C.K. Williams and Elizabeth Hardwick. Awards include a Cholmondeley from the Society of Authors. Her writing has been widely published and broadcast on the BBC. Double Crossing: New & Selected Poems (Bloodaxe) was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation.

Ruth Fainlight was born in New York City, but has lived in England since the age of fifteen. She has published thirteen collections of poems in England and the USA, as well as two volumes of short stories, and translations from French, Portuguese and Spanish. Books of her own poems have been published in Portuguese, French, Spanish and Italian translation. She received the Hawthornden and Cholmondeley Awards in 1994. Her latest collection of poems is Moon Wheels, 2006.

Interval

Katy Evans-Bush was born in New York and moved to London at the age of 19. Her poetry has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies on both sides of the Atlantic. Her criticism and reviews have also been published in both the UK and the USA, and she is a regular contributor to the prestigious "Contemporary Poetry Review" in the US.

Ros Barber is a prize-winning poet and writer of fiction. She has been poet in residence in Herne Bay, on the Isle of Sheppey, in Embassy Court, at a barber shop, and at Arts Council England. Of her first collection, PN Review said ‘Barber’s special distinction … is that she has succeeded in writing a collection which grants as much to the general reader as it does to the devotee of contemporary poetry.’ Her second collection for Anvil is due to be published next year.

Michael Rosen has been writing books for children since the early 1970s but has always written poems and articles for an adult audience too. His Selected Poems is forthcoming from Penguin in February. He is also a broadcaster and university lecturer.

http://www.oxfammarylebone.co.uk/events.php

The night was frustrating for me. The quality of the readers was impressive - they all read and performed brilliantly within their own styles, especially Barber and Rosen - Rosen is the funniest reader I've seen - he brought the house down with uncontrollable laughter.

That part was great. But the audience was much smaller than usual - around 60 at the first half - with 20 or so leaving at the interval. Over half the people who had signed up didn't come, including a dozen people I know well, and usually support the series. The main problem was, donations were small - around £375. We usually take in between £600-1,000 on a good night. The series and the readers who donate their time are beginning to be taken for granted by some people, I think. I am still grateful for what was given, though.

I've decided to do just one more season of readings, culminating on December 6, 2007 - five events, three before the summer, and two after. Next year's series will continue the same tradition over the first three years of presenting major poets alongside significant younger voices from Ireland, the UK and beyond, with around 33 poets, such as Bernard O'Donoghue, Anne-Marie Fyfe, Maurice Riordan, Siobhan Campbell, Jeffrey Wainwright, John Fuller, John Hartley Williams, Tim Liardet, Chris McCabe, Melanie Challenger, Frances Leviston, Penelope Shuttle, Jacob Polley and Blake Morrison.

Allen Carr has died

Sad news. BBC is reporting that anti-smoking hero Allen Carr has died.

Of lung cancer.

Mr. Carr helped me quit smoking (though I sometimes lapse).

His method was simple and profound - to suggest that life without smoking was better (and less anxiety-prone) than with it (since most smokers feel they need the crutch of a cigarette) and celebrated every smoke free day as liberation from a terrible disease.

Meanwhile the legal sale of tobacco products by major corporations, resulting in millions of preventable (and often painful) deaths each year, is one of the world's enduring evils, and in a hundred years will be viewed with the same moral disgust as the slave trade.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6194670.stm

My father's 67th birthday

Had my father (pictured here with my mother) not died two months ago, he would have turned 67 today.

Here is what was written in his memorial booklet.

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Thomas Edward Stanley Swift

November 26, 1939-September 9, 2006

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The poet Larkin wrote: "What survives of us is love". Tom Swift survives in that he has left each of us - family, friends and colleagues - with a great sense of love: both for him, and radiating from him. Tom's signature character traits were gentleness, a sense of humour, modesty, protectiveness and tremendous empathy, especially for the disadvantaged (both animal and human). The defining element of Tom's life was his family, for whom he would do anything. And, at the heart of his family stands an extraordinary love story - the 41-year marriage that he shared with Mary Margaret Hume, his beautiful soul-mate, who stood by him through health and sickness and gave Tom his greatest gift of all: love like a flame that never once swerved or threatened to go out. This strong and deep union also generated his beloved sons, Jordan and Todd. Let us mourn, but also rejoice for Tom Swift, knowing that his life was truly enriched by love, received and given.

Thomas Edward Stanley Swift was born in Montreal in 1939. He never forgot selling patriotic comics, as a kid, outside the vaudeville theatres of Montreal where magicians like Blackstone performed. Tom came from a close and loving family. His father, Stanley, was a gentle, thoughtful but gregarious man. His beautiful Irish mother Mary was an extremely hospitable and kind woman, who loved to sing, and it is from her he likely derived his musical gifts. His Auntie June was like a second mother to him. Then there was little Granny who also took great pleasure in spoiling the young children of the family. Tom's world was completed by his beloved brothers and sisters, Jack, Beverley, Graham and Brenda (a cousin close as a sister to him). The Swift family was a source of amazing story-telling and impressive verbal and musical talent. In the golden age of television, watching Hockey Night In Canada and The Ed Sullivan Show together was a regular family tradition.

Tom loved the world of popular enterainment. As a teenager, he'd cut classes to see matinees. Early films that inspired him were Shane and Rebel Without A Cause - movies he often returned to. As a teen, he used to wear his red hockey jacket like James Dean - he too felt like an outsider. He liked Bobby Vinton, Gene Pitney and most of all, Johnny Mathis. Tom grew to be a strikingly handsome young man and he began to write songs.One of his favourite anecdotes was the night he met Sammy Davis Jr. in his dressing room at a Montreal night club - the world-famous entertainer had invited him to speak with him at intermission, after Tom was the only audience member to correctly answer a question about Shakespeare. Tom walked in on the startled Sammy "pulling his trousers on"; they then spoke for fifteen minutes or so, and the great star, recognizing Tom's charisma, encouraged him to follow his dreams. Tom developed a promising career as a professional recording artist on the London and Allied labels in the early Sixties, cutting records and writing-performing songs such as "Blue and Lonely" and "There I Go Dreaming Again".

Tom had a beautiful singing voice.Even before graduating with a B.A.from Sir George Williams University, he was hired to work in the admissions office. Tom soon succeeded to the position of "Acting" Director of Admissions. He was still in his mid-twenties, and both the youngest director of Admissions in North America and a rock star, touring Canada, appearing on the charts, and on TV's popular youth show, Like Young. This posed a dillemma for university officials, and he was soon asked to choose if he wanted to have the "Acting" dropped and assume the full title (he already had the full responsibility). This was an impressive cross-roads for Tom to find himself at. Tom often talked about how his older brother Jack, a brilliant law student, made him apply to Sir George Williams. Tom was a good student at this point, particularly outstanding in Economics. Tom now chose the path of education. Tom's dedication to students complemented the Sir George Williams ethos where it mattered most, in admissions. He went on to later also become the Director of Admissions at the new university Concordia.

He worked in that position for 32 years.The most important event in Tom's life was his first meeting with Margaret. She was 17, he was 22, and they were both skating on the ice rink at MacDonald College on the West Island. Tom was instantly "struck by lightning" on seeing this beautiful young woman, and proceeded to chase her around the rink. Tom and Margaret were married in 1965, in the St. Lambert United Church, where we are gathered today. He formed a close and loving relationship with all the Humes.

The glamorous couple honeymooned in Jamaica. It was amid the barracuda-infested coral reefs there that Tom, diving, located one of his favourite stories. Seeking a glittering piece of coral that Margaret wanted, he plunged dangerously deep. Cutting away the piece, a larger section weighed him down. Refusing to let go, he was able to both achieve the prize, and ascend to safety. Margaret still has this treasure today.Stanley Todd, their first son, was born in 1966, three months premature. Tom, a nervous new father, announced to his astonished office that Todd was so small, he "had to be put in an incinerator" (instead of an incubator). From this linguistically-challenged incident came Tom's long-time study of E.B. White, H.W. Fowler and Strunk Jr.- in time, Tom became "a user of precise words".

In 1971, a second son was born, Jordan Fraser Knowlton. Tom was very proud of his sons, and supported them every step of the way, often by coming to their readings, gigs, and parties, blending in and becoming accepted as the friend he was. He told everyone he knew of Todd's champion debating and Jordan's successful career playing in bands like The Kingpins. Tom enjoyed watching his sons grow up, achieve much, and marry remarkable women.The family fondly recalls long summer road trips in their Volkswagen station-wagon from California to Florida. Later, the Swifts would spend whole summers up at Brigden Lake in a log cabin. Tom loved to row Margaret out on the lake to see the beavers and the incredible reflections of the rockcliffs in the water.

Another cherished family memory is day-long cross-country skiing treks with Tom through the woods of the Eastern Townships. Tom's love for animals began at an early age and through his life he was surrounded by a number of dogs and many cats all of whom he loved dearly - particularly Laddie, Rascal, Moushka, Bee, Kaila and Rosie.Tom was a superb all-round athlete. When young, he had tried out for the Dodgers farm team, and had been recruited. His friend Curly wasn't, and Tom, who always placed loyalty above personal achievement, declined the offer. All his life he engaged in team sports - especially softball. Tom won several trophies while playing for the team he assembled, The Bulldogs (which included Graham and famous hockey player Bernie Wolf): top batter for the League in 1979; and MVP in 1981. Tom was also a softball little league coach, and a Beavers and Cubs leader. He loved to take Todd and Jordan to Expos games.Tom was proud to have been an early ambassador of sorts by facilitating educational links with Hong Kong students, working alongside William Yip. After retiring, Tom was asked to become international student recruiter for The John Molson School of Business (C.U.), a position he held for 8 years.

He travelled extensively throughout the Middle East, Asia and other countries on their behalf. Once again China became a major focus for the recruitment of students and the development of agreements with many Chinese Universities. In March, 2005, at the start of yet another flight to China on behalf of the School, Tom collapsed just before take off and was rushed to hospital. He was diagnosed with the most aggressive form of brain cancer. Tom faced this terrible disease with stoicism and bravery. Dr. Del Maestro operated masterfully on two occassions. Tragically, Tom was taken from us suddenly while recovering from the second round of treatment at the MNI.

Tom Swift was an unforgettable, lovely man. He was so very kind. He possessed a wildly-inventive sense of humour, based on puns, slapstick and absurd insights. This comedy was used to mask a shy, intensely private and complex personality. Tom gave new meaning to the word Swiftian. We will love him forever.

Most favoured nation?

In order to get votes in Quebec, the governing Tory party has made a gesture that will satisfy only seccesionists and nationalists, by putting forrward a parliamentary motion that the Quebecois form a nation within Canada.

Nationalism has a long history, and it has rarely been a good one; pandering to nationalists is a bad idea.

Quebec is not a nation, for several reasons - chief among them the fact that Quebec is instead a province of a federation.

It was founded by the English and the French, after being violently removed from its indigenous first peoples. The land now called Quebec is not by some kind of mystical union strictly identical to the aspirations of its "Quebecois" (that is French-speaking) people. Quebec belongs equally to its native and multicultural inhabitants, including the large Anglophone minority, none of whom wishes to see Quebec as a separate nation outside of Canada.

Canada has but one nation, which is Canada. It is subdivided into various provinces, which each have different, compelling histories and cultural experiences. Either all provinces are equal under the law, and each beholden to the federal system, or not. Saluting amporphous and emotionally-designated nations within provinces is disruptive and against the multicultural fabric of the larger nation of Canada itself, already a bilingual system that fully answers to Quebec's needs.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/parliament39/quebec-inownwords.html

Poem by Kimberly Burwick

Eyewear is very glad to welcome Kimberly Burwick (pictured) to this feature.

Burwick obtained her B.A in literature from the University of Wisconsin, and her M.F.A. in poetry from Antioch University- Los Angeles. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in The Indiana Review, The Literary Review, Fence, Conjunctions and others.

Her first book of poems Has No Kinsmen was recently published by California-based Red Hen Press.

She currently teaches at the University of Connecticut, and lives on a farm in northwestern Massachusetts.

I first met her in New York at the panel discussion on politics and poetry I was chairing, which featured Paul Muldoon, Pascale Petit, Mimi Khalvati, Glyn Maxwell and Simon Armitage, during the week-long series of events celebrating the launch of Short Fuse, an anthology I co-edited a few years back for Rattapallax.

Since then, I've been following her work with much interest, and have been glad to publish her at Nthposition. She strikes me as being one of the best innovative poets of her American generation.


Bright

There is shame
in marking the passage,
praise in objecting.
The mind is driven
to the not lush,
the feather
of no robin,
the symbol
of the lamb
and yet—
when you carry
her to me,
white as she is,
your hands
clayed with milk
and magnolia –
It is not ungodly.

poem by Kimberly Burwick

My favourite museum

Last week-end was one of the happiest in my life. I spent it with my wife in Berlin, as I was there for a poetry festival.

I was last there 19 0r 20 years ago. I have many memories of that time, but one of the best was when a painter friend of mine brought me to see the works of the artists kept in the Bruecke (The Bridge) museum - the earliest Expressionists, all of whom were later described by the Nazis as "degenerate".

One of the smallest museums in the world, it was designed to house just these artists, and its modern style, set among trees, makes it both beautiful and solemn.

Even the chairs were designed to be exactly where they are. I love sitting in them, quietly meditating on the work of Fritz-Rotloff. I hope to return again. Few places on the planet make me so glad. I think it is the passionate use of colour in these troubled painters that, in such thoughtfully-controlled surroundings, is so moving. Order and chaos together are always lovely when in tangible equipoise.

http://www.bruecke-museum.de/english.htm

Screenburn: New Writing Types 2006

I'll be chairing a panel called Screenburn on Writers and the Internet at the Norwich-based conference tomorrow. Hope to see you there.

ip.org.uk/nwp/site/programmelist.acds?instanceid=1515057&context=1515048