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Poetry newslog November 2003
January 18, 2006
Zephaniah in OBE Row
British rastafarian poet Benjamin Zephaniah has publicly refused to accept an OBE, the Order of the British Empire, on the account that he is "profoundly anti-empire". "It reminds me of slavery, it reminds of thousands of years of brutality," he told The Guardian. He explains his reaction in a lengthy piece written for the paper: "Up yours, I thought."
November 19, 2003
Huge gathering of Fujian poets
Over 70 poets from China’s Fujian province, several prominent editors and many government officials met in Xiamen city last Friday for a three-day gathering to promote and enhance local poetry, reports Poemlife. It was the first time in 20 years that so many local poets had come together to discuss the state of the poetic art in Fujian, said Mao Zhenya, head of Xiamen City’s Federation of Cultural Circles. Older and younger generations were present, the latter discussing, amongst many other things, important new poetry webzines such as Ugly Stone and Zero.
November 15, 2003
Canada launches Digital Library for blind
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) has launched a Digital Library that is the most advanced collection of alternative formats in the world, writes the Globe and Mail. The library's vast on-line services include access to the the CNIB catalogue; talking books; newspapers, magazines and databases from across the world and a children’s library. The Digital Library also holds a large selection of poetry books.
November 14, 2003
Whitbread shortlist announced
The Whitbread Award has announced its shortlists for First novel, Novel, Poetry, Biography and Children's books. In the category Poetry, four books have been nominated: Minsk by Lavinia Greenlaw, Ink Stone by Jamie McKendrick, Landing Light by Don Paterson and Hard Water by Jean Sprackland. The category winners will be announced on January 7, and will go on to compete for the Whitbread Book of the Year Award, worth 27,000 British pounds, on January 27.
Day Lewis under MI5 surveillance
Former British poet laureate Cecil Day Lewis was among the leftwingers and communists placed under MI5 surveillance before the second world war, The Guardian writes. The paper quotes documents, released by the National Archives, which show that the security service also had Stephen Spender and WH Auden in its sights.
November 10, 2003
Campaign to free boy imprisoned for writing poem
Prominent writers including J.M. Coetzee and Michael Chabon are campaigning to overturn the conviction of a San Jose teenager who spent 90 days in Juvenile Hall for writing poetry deemed too violent, AP reports. The boy was prosecuted in 2001 after he showed at least two classmates a poem with the line "For I can be the next kid to bring guns to kill students at school."
November 6, 2003
Egyptian poet defies fatwa on ‘obscene’ poetry
Renowned Egyptian poet Ahmed al-Shahawi has announced he will defy a fatwa by the highest religious authority in Sunni Islam, Al-Azhar University, which demands the withdrawal of his latest book because of its explicit sexual nature, The Straits Times reports. The University called the book, Commandments On How To Adore Women, an open invitation to obscenity. Al-Shahawi however said he would defy the order and reprint the book, which has already sold 27,000 copies – a large number by Egyptian standards.
Charles Causley, 1917-2003
The British poet, broadcaster and children's writer Charles Causley died last Tuesday at the age of 86, writes The Guardian in an obituary. Causley was awarded the Queen's Medal for Poetry in 1967, and the CBE in 1986.
November 1, 2003
Adopt a British Library poetry book
The British Library has launched an adoption scheme to help conserve its enormous collection, many items of which are suffering from decay through age and overuse. The Library has compiled lists of books, to be updated frequently, that can be adopted for 25 British pounds each. Among the poetry books to be adopted are an 1807 edition of Wordsworth's Poems, and letters from Robert Burns.
Zephaniah in OBE row
Huge gathering of Fujian poets
Canada launches Digital Library for blind
Whitbread shortlist announced
Day Lewis under MI5 surveillance
Campaign to free boy imprisoned for writing poem
Egyptian poet defies fatwa on ‘obscene’ poetry
Charles Causley, 1917-2003
Adopt a British Library poetry book
November 28, 2003Zephaniah in OBE Row
British rastafarian poet Benjamin Zephaniah has publicly refused to accept an OBE, the Order of the British Empire, on the account that he is "profoundly anti-empire". "It reminds me of slavery, it reminds of thousands of years of brutality," he told The Guardian. He explains his reaction in a lengthy piece written for the paper: "Up yours, I thought."
November 19, 2003
Huge gathering of Fujian poets
Over 70 poets from China’s Fujian province, several prominent editors and many government officials met in Xiamen city last Friday for a three-day gathering to promote and enhance local poetry, reports Poemlife. It was the first time in 20 years that so many local poets had come together to discuss the state of the poetic art in Fujian, said Mao Zhenya, head of Xiamen City’s Federation of Cultural Circles. Older and younger generations were present, the latter discussing, amongst many other things, important new poetry webzines such as Ugly Stone and Zero.
November 15, 2003
Canada launches Digital Library for blind
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) has launched a Digital Library that is the most advanced collection of alternative formats in the world, writes the Globe and Mail. The library's vast on-line services include access to the the CNIB catalogue; talking books; newspapers, magazines and databases from across the world and a children’s library. The Digital Library also holds a large selection of poetry books.
November 14, 2003
Whitbread shortlist announced
The Whitbread Award has announced its shortlists for First novel, Novel, Poetry, Biography and Children's books. In the category Poetry, four books have been nominated: Minsk by Lavinia Greenlaw, Ink Stone by Jamie McKendrick, Landing Light by Don Paterson and Hard Water by Jean Sprackland. The category winners will be announced on January 7, and will go on to compete for the Whitbread Book of the Year Award, worth 27,000 British pounds, on January 27.
Day Lewis under MI5 surveillance
Former British poet laureate Cecil Day Lewis was among the leftwingers and communists placed under MI5 surveillance before the second world war, The Guardian writes. The paper quotes documents, released by the National Archives, which show that the security service also had Stephen Spender and WH Auden in its sights.
November 10, 2003
Campaign to free boy imprisoned for writing poem
Prominent writers including J.M. Coetzee and Michael Chabon are campaigning to overturn the conviction of a San Jose teenager who spent 90 days in Juvenile Hall for writing poetry deemed too violent, AP reports. The boy was prosecuted in 2001 after he showed at least two classmates a poem with the line "For I can be the next kid to bring guns to kill students at school."
November 6, 2003
Egyptian poet defies fatwa on ‘obscene’ poetry
Renowned Egyptian poet Ahmed al-Shahawi has announced he will defy a fatwa by the highest religious authority in Sunni Islam, Al-Azhar University, which demands the withdrawal of his latest book because of its explicit sexual nature, The Straits Times reports. The University called the book, Commandments On How To Adore Women, an open invitation to obscenity. Al-Shahawi however said he would defy the order and reprint the book, which has already sold 27,000 copies – a large number by Egyptian standards.
Charles Causley, 1917-2003
The British poet, broadcaster and children's writer Charles Causley died last Tuesday at the age of 86, writes The Guardian in an obituary. Causley was awarded the Queen's Medal for Poetry in 1967, and the CBE in 1986.
November 1, 2003
Adopt a British Library poetry book
The British Library has launched an adoption scheme to help conserve its enormous collection, many items of which are suffering from decay through age and overuse. The Library has compiled lists of books, to be updated frequently, that can be adopted for 25 British pounds each. Among the poetry books to be adopted are an 1807 edition of Wordsworth's Poems, and letters from Robert Burns.
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