Do you need a muse?

It had been a quiet time for me after the launch of Selected Poems in December. I had hopes of doing lots of writing, but that wasn't really happening. Then I was lucky enough to be selected to write a piece for Fickle Favours, https://www.facebook.com/FickleFavours
as part of an exciting new project. Somehow a deadline always seems to work for me - or make me work - and I managed to complete a piece of writing inside the time frame. Six 'sonnets' in the voice of the Dark Lady of the sonnets.
This got me thinking about inspiration and how if I sit around waiting for it, it doesn't happen. I don't think I need a muse as much as I need a strict overseer. Write a poem or else!
Anybody else feel the same way?

A lovely review

A really nice and thoughtful review of Selected Poems.

http://annaliviareview.blogspot.ie/2012/12/moyra-donaldson-selected-poems.html

Workshop for National Poetry Day

 I will be doing a workshop in Ballyhackamore Library, 6.45 to 8.00pm on Thursday 4th October as part of National Poetry Day. All welcome.

Catch Up

I haven't posted on here for quite a while, so thought I'd do a little catch up.

I took some time off work over the summer to give the writing a bit more space and managed to have quite a productive time. I spent a great week in Ty Newydd, the Welsh Writers' Centre in the company of a fantastic bunch of poets, including Carol Ann Duffy and Gillian Clarke. It got me really re-energised and thinking about poetry so I've been doing lots of reading and a bit of writing too. I came across a Canadian poet, M  Travis Lane, that I hadn't previously read and am really enjoying her work. I've also been revisiting Tess Gallagher through her book, 'Midnight Lantern' and I've been enjoying 'Furniture' by Lorraine Mariner from Picador Poetry.
On the writing side, I've just been trying to stick with it, defy that blank page and put some words down without worrying too much about what it 'is'.

A good resource, link here http://www.writershub.co.uk/poetry.php
have a look.

Of course the highlight of the year for me has been the publication of my Selected Poems from Liberties Press  http://www.libertiespress.com/
Hopefully I will have news of a launch date soon.

I've been doing some workshops; some fantastic poems from the participants at the Day Hospice, and I'm looking forward to attending a symposium in Newcastle upon Tyne next week to hear about working as a writer with people with dementia. I've also been mentoring a couple of poets working towards a first publication.

It's great to have a bit of support and critical feedback on your work, at least I find it very helpful! I've had a lot of that this summer from various sources; thank you to those poet friends who give so generously.

Museum Reading

Raising a Glass to Hewitt An evening of poetry on the 25th Anniversary of John Hewitt's death featuring Moyra Donaldson, Sinead Morrissey, Frank Ormsby, Damian Smyth and others Wednesday 27th June 2012 (6pm) in The Ulster Museum Admission: FREE Organised by The John Hewitt Society in association with NMNI

Liberties Press Blog

http://libertiespress.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/new-liberties-press-poet-moyra.html

Belfast Book Festival

Delighted to be reading with Bernie McGill at the Belfast Book Festival. Lots of other great stuff too. 

http://www.belfastbookfestival.com/

Poetry, R&R and B&B

I spent Saturday evening at the fantastic Laurel Villa Townhouse in Magherafelt for a poetry reading from three poets, two from Australia and one from America. Jeffrey Thompson is from Maine and is currently spending some time in Belfast as a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar in The Heaney Centre. Petra White and Paul Hetherington are Australian poets representing Australia on a tour of Ireland. There was a packed house for the reading and I really enjoyed hearing some new(to me) poets, all three with very different styles and subject matter; and all extremely talented.
Afterwards we had supper, including some luscious pavlova and several glasses of wine. I had a great time sitting out on the patio in the lovely warm evening, chatting and hearing about the Australian poetry scene from Paul who also tried to convince me me that really, red backed spiders were not a reason for me to stay away from Australia. I wasn't entirely convinced.
Sunday morning involved more food, all home made and delicious.
It's a wonderful place to stay, and Eugene and Gerardine are great hosts. To round off an excellent 24 hours, Eugene gave me a piece of bog oak to take home with me, thus fulfilling a long held wish of mine to possess a piece of this black wood.

Peace Camp, Love Poetry, Fiona Shaw and Mussenden Temple

As part of the London 2012 Festival, Director Deborah Warren was commissioned to create an installation to celebrate love poetry and landscape in collaboration with actor Fiona Shaw. Eight encampments will be set up in beautiful coastal settings and will be filled with lights, visual arts and a soundscape of love poetry. The camps are designed to be visited between dusk and dawn and there will be one set up at Mussenden Temple. I'm going to be working with two schools to enable the pupils to write and record their own love poetry to go into the tent. I think it's a wonderful and ambitious project and can't wait to see the finished installation.
I met Fiona Shaw at the Verbal Arts Centre last Monday and was privileged to read some work on stage with her. She was wonderfully inspirational and her performance of a range of poetry was amazing. I particularly enjoyed listening to her perform part of A Game of Chess, from The Wasteland - it was fantastic!

If you want to learn more about the whole Peace Camp project and how you can contribute on-line, go to
http://www.peacecamp2012.com/

Love Poems Wanted

I'm going to be sharing a stage with Fiona Shaw at the Verbal Arts Centre on Monday 23rd April at 7.30 to talk about love poetry. Marie-Louise Muir will be interviewing Fiona and it promises to be a great evening. Here is a link to the event           
https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/296949313719278/

I'd really appreciate it if you would let me know which is your favourite love poem. I have a few in mind but would really like some more ideas!
Thanks