Onward!

Jo Bell
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

Right then. It’s dark at 8.00, I’ve started lighting my stove regularly, and the boat and I are heading back to our winter moorings at the end of the month. Byron has done his last festival, you’re all over the post-Chill euphoria and the bloody trees are changing colour. This is when we all start digging little burrows and dragging in grass to make a cosy hibernaculum, right?

Wrong. Out there in the cold, Charlie Jordan is still slaving away at the poetic coal-face, hewing another gem from the mud of West Bromwich Albion – and we are regrouping, to work on her continuing residency. She’s had a little break but we are going to speak soon about how best to make use of her remaining time. I’d like to give her tips on how to keep herself going as a writer and performer – some kind of ‘performance targets’ like entering slams or competitions, submitting to online journals or running a podcast (ideal for Charlie, a professional broadcaster). What would you suggest, dear My Placers?

tagged under:

ABOUT THIS AUTHOR


Jo Bell
Once an archaeologist, Jo ran away to join the poetry circus. Since then she has been Cheshire Poet Laureate, published a collection (Navigation) and is now the co-ordinator of National Poetry Day. She is the producer and ringmistress of poetry roadshow Fourpenny Circus (fourpennycircus.co.uk). Living on a boat, she has sporadic internet access, which explains her hit-and-miss blog contributions. Have a look at www.bell-jar.co.uk to find out more.

  1. Dominic
    September 8th, 2009

    I’d love to help Charlie with a podcast – it’s something I’d do at the start of this project.

    Reply


  2. Tony Walsh
    September 8th, 2009

    What about taking Charlie’s WBA pieces into a variety of unlikely settings occupied by the club’s supporters. (Like the trophy room – couldn’t resist that one, sorry!)

    Seriously, from the more sedate “corporate hospitality” zones occupied by the “prawn sandwich brigade” to some of the rowdier, perhaps more poetry-phobic places. To come away from there with a victory for poetry “would be a massive result” for Charlie, “all credit to the girl”…etc. If you can hack it there as a performer then nothing else should hold any fear.

    What about performed or broadcast over the tannoy on match day? Or on the big screen? Perhaps with players and/or supporters reading the lines? Older fans reading the lines about how their family history is mapped out in club milestones.

    What about some sort of collaboration to either write or choose lines to be chanted by the fans – with a bit of co-operation. Such a buzz!

    All of the above would work well documented on audio/video.

    She shoots….she scores!

    Reply


  3. Jo Bell
    September 9th, 2009

    Brilliant ideas so far folks – especially the video of Charlie and WBA fans sharing the poem. Will run these by my poor mentee and see what she thinks.

    Reply


  4. Charlie Jordan
    September 13th, 2009

    Morning all, I feel a bit like a sleepy mole surfacing after a few weeks underground, rubbing my eyes and peering back at this site again:) Thanks for your ideas, scary but good – so I’ll get on the case…… although it’s inimidating enough getting your balti pie and Bovril on matchday at half time surrounded by 30, 000 lads getting beer and other match scores without trying to get them to listen to a poem or two… so I’ll work on that fear squashing. We’re getting some nice results now we’ve dropped a division!!
    I’m about to have a phone update with my stove stoking mentor…. so had better log off from this – is it possible to write a Goalkeepers sonnet in twenty minutes…….??

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Previous Post
Next Post
Click here to receive regular updates on this blog
et_footer(); ?>