A new poem Challenger (1986) has been published in Stone’s Throw Magazine. It references the Challenger disaster which I remember watching and re-watching as a kid in Mrs. Ewar’s 4th grade Social Studies class. You can read it right here.
A while back I was asked to write a poem for The Syllabary project. To be honest, I’m still not sure how to explain this thing but, basically, there are hundreds of syllables. Each syllable has a word or multiple words which can be made out of it. Poets then write a poem using all the words for the syllable they were given. By way of example – I was given the syllable FiP which can only make one word – FLIP. So, I wrote a poem which contained the word “Flip”.
Now, if you are confused – check out Cleikit site and if you spin the wheel around you can find my poem – titled “Whiff of Winter”. My voice shall be on it shortly.
Also, Peter McCarey is looking to open the project up and may be willing to give YOU (yes you!) a syllable to work with and will publish it along side mine and others. See the site to contact him!
Our friend Aiko explained all of this already on her blog in a much clearer and more interesting fashion. (Also, I stole the above pic from her site. Sue me!) So go there if you want more details.
It was a pleasure to sit down with Stuart Kelly who has recently launched a fiery new literary blog. I can’t say enough good things about the man / site so have a look yourself and enjoy the podcast. Please – please subscribe. It’s free. Below is the spraff:
Ryan chats with editor and author Stuart Kelly about the poet John Berryman and they muse the current state of modern poetry, its future, the purpose of the critic and chew the literary cud. Presented by Ryan van Winkle. Produced by Colin Fraser. Incidental music by Ewen Maclean. Follow us on Twitter: @anonpoetry & @byleaveswelive. Mail us: splpodcast@gmail.com
The Golden Hour Highland TOUR!
Join us for a literary cabaret which has played to sold-out audiences in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, London and The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It is poetry and prose, original eclectic songs and visual amazement. It is physical and mental. It is a reading. It is a gig. It is a party.
Featuring:
Readers / Writers:
Ryan Van Winkle – poems & stories from the Reader in Residence at the Scottish Poetry Library.
Ericka Duffy – Southern (Ontario) Gothic fiction & Poetry
Jason Morton – Shouts from the barroom floor.
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Jane Flett – winner of the Scottish Book Trust New Writer’s Award and seamstress of many fetching stories
Music / Song Writers:
Billy Liar – starter of many a folk-punk riot
Hailey Beavis – an angelic voice, but devilish on six strings
Jed Milroy – bouncin’ bluegrass from the banjo balladeer
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Toby Mottershead – a rare solo set from the Black Diamond Express frontman. Old time rock n’ roll goes stomp box blues.
Special Guests:
@ Moniack Mhor:
Chiew-Siah Tei – new fiction.
John Glenday – The poet launches his crazy shining diamond – Grain.
@ Ullapool
Jon Miller – the poet, musician and Tom Waits fan graces us.
@ Aberdeen
Sarah J Stanley – big songs on a tiny uke
Tour Dates
* 25 March
Glenurquhart High, Drumnadrochit
1.45 – 2.45pm
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Moniack Mhor – Teavarran, Kiltarlity, Beauly
7pm
Special guests: Chiew-Siah Tei & John Glenday
NB: John Glenday is one of my favourite poets and he produced the most stunning and quietly beautiful book of the past year. If you have not bought Grain – do buy it. It is the real deal and everything that poetry should be. You can hear my interview with him here:
Listen now…
* 26 March
Stornoway Library, 19 Cromwell St.
5.30 – 7pm
* 27 March
The Ceilidh Place 12-14 West Argyle Street, Ullapool
8pm
£5 entry (Free Stolen Stories Book for ALL!)
Special guest: Jon Miller – the poet, musician and Tom Waits fan graces us.
• 28 March
The Blue Angel – Findhorn – The Park, Universal Hall, Findhorn / Forres, Morayshire
7.30pm
* 29 March
Blue Lamp – Aberdeen – 121 Gallowgate, Aberdeen AB25 1BU
7pm
Special guest: Sarah J Stanley – big songs on a tiny uke.
Gutter Magazine is a compendium of new Scottish writing published out of Glasgow. It is a diverse, eclectic, sometimes edgy read. Not only that but it looks beautiful, has insightful reviews of contemporary literature and features one of my best poems. If you’ve heard me read in the last two years, you’ve probably heard me read “Babel”. It has a few F-bombs in it. But, at the heart, I assure you, it is deeply tender despite this vulgarity.
As you can imagine, an independent Scottish literary magazine needs support to survive and none of this content is available on-line. Please consider buying issue two or subscribing if you can afford it. (When is the recession?)Those of you who know about the magazine industry know that a magazine lives or dies after the third of fourth issue so a subscription now means a lot to a good and ambitious magazine like this. Further, aside from containing “Babel” it also includes works from the following excellent writers of quality: Rodge Glass, Ron Butlin, Anneliese Mackintosh, Colin Will, Jo Swingler, Gordon Legge, Alan Bissett, Kapka Kassabova and Sophie Cooke all of whom, I declare, are more than worth the price of admission. Rodge, Ron, Anneliesse, Jo, Alan and Kapka have all graced us with readings at The Golden Hour for which I’m totally grateful. If you saw Rodge read, than this is your chance to get a copy of his debaucherous “Weekend of Freedom”. Ron delivers a tense slice of life on Newington Road while Anneliese goes all deadly and kind of surreal. Anyway, I hate writing about people’s writing — it is all interesting stuff so you’re best to have a read for yourself.
If you want to support new writing, and (more importantly) enjoy it — Gutter is the horse to bet on. You won’t be disappointed.
I am pleased, honoured, proud, confused, shocked (and a whole host of other superlatives) to say I’ve been awarded Salt Publishing’s Crashaw Prize.
What this means is that by the end of 2010 you’ll have a full-length collection of Ryan Van Winkle poems available in the UK, US and Australia. Salt makes beautiful books and has a huge list of brilliant poets including local-favourites Rob A Mackenzie and Andrew Philip whose excellent books recently celebrated their one year anniversary. I am thrilled to join them and the other wonderful writers whom Salt publishes.
Salt works with over 400 authors and contributors and is now close to publishing its 1,000th ISBN. Their books are stocked in over 1,000 bookshops around the world and are currently celebrating their 10th Anniversary.
I’m too dumbfounded to say much more about all this now.
I feel like a dog who has finally caught his own tail.
Woof, said Jack.
R xxl
ps: Thanks to everyone who has sent congratulations and words of kindness my way since the announcement. I totally appreciate that!
I’ve been invited to read some poems at the Glasgow Comedy Festival as part of DiScomBoBuLate — Glasgow’s great spoken word / comedy night. I’m not sure who else is appearing with me but I know Alan Bissett will be there and a host of other luminaries. The gig is at The Arches, 23 March, 7.30pm £4/2. You can get tickets here. If you can’t make that — don’t forget the Golden Hour is in Edinburgh on the 24th, then in the Highlands from the 25th – 30th. Plenty of chances to see my flesh.
The nice people at Conte Magazine have published a brand-new, never-before-seen poem that I wrote. The poem, Castles, refrences a Siegfried and Roy magic show that my father once took our family to see in Las Vegas. This was before Roy was mauled by aWhite Tiger. If you happen to not be aware of this magical mega-duo — here is a little video.
<httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jun11ng8WaM>
If anyone would like to have a sit-down in the Scottish Poetry Library with me – I have my regular office hours on Tuesday the 2nd of March. I’ll be in the poetry library from 4 – 6 and will be available to talk about poems, poetry, the library, milk trombones, future events, workshops, your favourite books, great poems, The New Avengers and whatever happened to MC Hammer?
First, the bad news:
Now, the amazingly good news!
On 10th March, poet Don Paterson, Scottish poet, writer and jazz musician will be reading from his work at the University of Edinburgh. Don, who has collected all the major UK awards for his work, was made an OBE in the 2008 Birthday Honours List and this year was awarded the (rarely bestowed) Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry. Don is Picador’s poetry editor and also teaches in the School of English at St. Andrews. This free event will take place at 6pm in the Appleton Tower, Lecture Theatre 1.(11 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9LE.)
<httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZjY–OCR3w>
<httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcFZ1uR3QG8>
