I note that my website currently declares me as a writer of sonnets, and that whilst this was an early admission that perhaps I could not yet justify calling myself “a poet”, there was some deft logic behind it. This blog series is about sonnets. Many of the poems I write are guided by this … Continue reading Writer or Poet?
Decima – The Little Sonnet
For those who find poetic forms a source of inspiration, there is one that has been called the “little sonnet” that bears scrutiny in this series on sonnets. Even though it does not have some key characteristics of the sonnet form, namely fourteen-lines in length or a twofold nature separated by a turn or volta. … Continue reading Decima – The Little Sonnet
When is a poem finished?
When is a poem finished? The decision on whether your poem is complete depends on who is involved. By “complete”, I do not mean perfect, but stable such that no further changes may be foreseen by those persons it is reviewed by. These persons may be the author, trusted readers, workshop participants, editors, or the … Continue reading When is a poem finished?
Giving Feedback on Poetry
“What an amazing poem!” The appreciation of poetry is subjective. Where one reader may say what a great poem it is, another stares blankly. What is longlisted in one competition may be a winner in another. A poem should speak to the heart and the mind, but everyone has had different life experiences that make … Continue reading Giving Feedback on Poetry
Ulterior Atmospheres
This month’s blog is a review of a poetry collection just published by the Winner of the Live Canon Competition 2020, Samuel Prince. The striking cover photograph pictures a cityscape at night in a torrential downpour, the headlights of the cars on the autoroute rushing to far-flung destinations. Some of these landscapes and people they … Continue reading Ulterior Atmospheres
Clifford Liles 