The postman had quite a job today, as a seriously weighty parcel arrived this morning. Earlier than expected (and promised) Matt Kish's epic art book. Moby-Dick in Pictures, was safe and sound and inside. And it's glorious. I opted for the hardback. It's beautifully produced and is going to be an absolute joy to own. My plan is to read Moby-Dick as I work my way through the illustrations.
The Kish originals (how cool is saying that!) are now framed as a triptych and hanging above the campaign chest in my bedroom.
What's more, the same postman was also carrying an extreme-sports-sealed envelope which, when I finally managed to get it open, contained the Poetry Bus 2. I haven't given it proper attention yet, but the A4 format is great, the illustrations fantastic and the absolute highspot for me is the CD. Not only is there is something very special about hearing poets read their own work, but I loved the variety and sheer internationalism of the voices.
Rachel Fox has a good review of PB2 here: http://slowlaneshuffle.blogspot.com/2011/09/points-of-interest-on-bus-route.html
Meanwhile, at Wigtown yesterday I got my hands on another fine A4 format magazine, Southlight. I had three poems in it - Barnet Fair, Once A Doll and A Book of Common Prayer - yay! - but rather more importantly it had the Wigtown Poetry Competition winning poems inside, which you can also read here: http://www.wigtownbookfestival.com/poetrycomp/
Southlight is the region's literary magazine, and was largely funded by dgArts. In a rather sad turn of events, dgArts has become insolvent, and simply shut up shop on Saturday. This was sudden, if not completely unexpected. The liquidators have been called in.
As recently as May this year Pat Smith, chairman of dgArts said: “The last year has been very challenging for the staff and board of dgArts and the board have put a significant amount of time into creating a new business plan and structure to best utilise the funding currently available. We look forward to working with artists, community organisations and partners across the region as well as our national stakeholders, to continue delivering more great arts experiences and cultural events in Dumfries and Galloway.”
That won't be happening now, which is all a bit pants really. And, of course, people who had a job this week don't have one on Monday.
But from the sublime, and the sad, to the deliciously ridiculous. Fankle 7 is out. Great fun, at a great price, the magazine is a sheet of A3 printed all over, and then cunningly folded to make a little book. Which you have to play with to get to all the poems and stories. This edition's theme was 'over a barrel'.
Next edition's theme: sex and drugs and bacon rolls.
Fankle is available here: http://thefankle.net/
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