Tag: poems

poems, poetry3 Comments

Products of a poetry course

Suzanne Conboy-Hill

FutureLearn took its reputation in its hands by letting me know about its ‘Making a Poem’ course run by Manchester Metropolitan university. It’s just three weeks and covers some basics, including sources of poetic ideas such as random text, images, and individual words, and the protocols governing feedback. For such a short course, it does its job quite well, introducing the elements of poetry and getting participants to engage in a bit of practice. Tutors are Helen Mort and Michael Symmons Roberts whose videos head each section. I’m not sure what they’d make of what I made though! A Found poem … Continue reading Products of a poetry course

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Unlocked: five more audio tracks of poems & short stories

Suzanne Conboy-Hill

All from the Let me Tell You a Story anthology. Here’s ‘Tantric Twister‘ by multi prize-winner Tracy Fells, who is also a very naughty girl! Lyn Jennings, who isn’t – here reading her poem ‘Heatwave’, and you know you need that as the nights draw in up here in the north! There’s Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s gentle poem, ‘Mrs Moreno’,  about grief and comfort, and Phillippa Yaa de Villiers’ insightful ‘Breastsummer‘, an awakening so many of us will recognise. Finally, a bit of sci fi; a tale of first contact but not as we know it, Jim. This is ‘When Gliese Met … Continue reading Unlocked: five more audio tracks of poems & short stories

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Rapture by Phillippa Yaa de Villiers

Suzanne Conboy-Hill

Rapture, by Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, is dedicated to the protection of South Africa’s rhinos and is reproduced here in support of World Rhino Day.  Rapture by Phillippa Yaa de Villiers We have to keep going as if there is a future, but it’s the end of the world, the rapture, screaming bodies hurled to heaven. Wars everywhere and the middle east burning: the smell of bodies lost to wonder, the callous mistake of statistics sunburnt holes in the sky and the ritual murder of elephants and rhinos almost industrialized, like our responses as automatic as breathing as automatic as pressing … Continue reading Rapture by Phillippa Yaa de Villiers

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poems, poetry6 Comments

For National Poetry Day: ‘Philosopher Stoned’

Suzanne Conboy-Hill

I wrote this in a poetry workshop so it must be a poem, yes? But when I sent it out into the world to be appraised for publication (I know, delusional) they said it wasn’t really. It’s been hanging around on my blog ever since, puffing out its chest and posturing to make up for its perceived inadequacies. So in honour of, or more likely a threat to, National Poetry Day, I give you: Philosopher Stoned He is brazenly, brilliantly, brassed off by the polished politics of the righteous right. He heats arguments on pupils bright as buttons of molten … Continue reading For National Poetry Day: ‘Philosopher Stoned’

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poems, poetry3 Comments

Climbing for Jesus

Suzanne Conboy-Hill

Climbing for Jesus I went Up Pen-y-Ghent I was spent Dumb wit! A fool From Sunday School A mule For Christ There was a fox and Horses’ hocks Up there on the rocks No shit! Stupid boots Catholic roots Home to roost In wet tights Aren’t they all bent, Hunters of souls’ rent? Tally ho I went ©suzanne conboy-hill 2011 Pen-y-Ghent is a fell in the Yorkshire Dales. This happened. Even the fox. Continue reading Climbing for Jesus

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Open University, poems, poetry4 Comments

Poetry is weird & quite possibly illegal

Suzanne Conboy-Hill

For the last couple of months, I’ve been immersed in the peculiar world of poetry in order to produce something passable for my OU course. Today, the product of my bemused labours went off to the university for judgment and the long wait for a grade begins. Actually, anything above ‘WTF is that!’ will suffice. I did the required 40 lines; I put my name on the paper; I didn’t take the mick. That’s a pass, surely? So did I learn anything? Well, for a start, I found that poetry describes itself in terms of both feet and meters, thereby … Continue reading Poetry is weird & quite possibly illegal

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