Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Horizon Review, Issue 3
I’ve been reading sporadically from the brand new issue 3 of Horizon Review. So far, it’s excellent, a genuinely stimulating experience: interviews, articles, podcasts, reviews, fiction and poetry are all thrown into the mix. The Craig Raine interview is liable to be the most obviously controversial (and what magazine doesn’t appreciate a bit of controversy?), but there’s plenty of other good stuff, both serious and funny. I have a poem there called One Way to Be a Catholic.
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9 comments:
So far I've only had time to read the Craig Raine interview, which I found irritating and stimulating in about equal measure, so it probably succeeded in its aims.
I went there to read yours and Barbara's poems (jolly enjoyable) and ended up reading much more - including the interview with Hugo Williams, which I really enjoyed, especially as I'm currently reading 'West End Final'.
I am baffled by your poem. Is your character odd? or historical? What is your point about Hopkins? Are you saying that (some) Catholics are sex-obsessed and guilt-ridden? Do you know any like this? I don't, but there are two billion of us, so I obviously haven't met enough to be sure. As far as I know there haven't been any Papal Bull lately, and the documents that do come out under this Pope are complex to the point of obscurity and make very boring reading. They tend not to solve any questions, either.
I am aware I may be misreading this totally. As I said, I was baffled.
Colin, yes, that sums it up well.
Messalina and Elizabeth, thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked it, Messalina.
Elizabeth, I don't really want to 'explain' the poem, of course, but...
One of the sentences in the poem is a corrupted Hopkins phrase. The character clearly has problems and he's not getting the answers he's looking for. The poem is less dependent on logical argument or narrative - more on irony (he says, unashamedly), a melange of tenuous connections, and wit weighted with sadness.
Don't know if that helps... But thanks for engaging with the poem.
Oh that clears it up then
Glad to be of service, anon.
I don't mind critical comment, by the way, but I like anons to identify themselves.
Really enjoyed your poem, Rob. That first line is a cracker - haven't laughed so much at a poem for ages!
No, Rob, not helping at all! I did clock the Hopkins, but no. On the other hand, i remembered Hugh Hefner. I guess that's one way to be Catholic.
Cheers, sorlil.
And don't worry, Elizabeth. You don't have to like the poem. I dislike plenty of poems, even some from writers whose work I usually enjoy. Thanks for reading.
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