More 2018 competition details coming in, see this page
Author: Polly
OUP Weekend—November
Looking forward to this year’s OU Poetry Weekend at Kewstoke with tutor Maggie Sawkins. The dates are 24-26 November and bookings have now closed. Watch this space for an update after the event!
Competitions
Some great competitions coming up, see our Competitions and News page. Thanks to the OU Poets who’ve sent links 🙂
National Poetry Day
Happy National Poetry Day! What are you doing to celebrate?
Announcement
A sad announcement today for all who knew the lovely smile of Helen Harvey, who died yesterday. A talented poet, past Chair of OUP, she was also events officer as many will recall. Our thoughts go to Andrew, her beloved partner, and her family. God rest.
New Poems From OU Poets
Delighted to see a set of new poems from various members of the OU Poetry Society published today on our Poems From OU Poets page.
Congrats
Congratulations to OU Poetry Society treasur(er) Barbara Cumbers — guest poet in Acumen issue 88
The Salopian Poetry Society’s Competition 2017
Good news!
Good news!
How wonderful to see that our OUP member Vicki Morley has won a competition. There were a few tweets about it but it wasn’t confirmed that it was ‘our’ Vicki Morley until Vicki emailed to say so!
Vicki has won the 2016/2017 Plough International competition prize of £1K with a poem called Double Zero Flour.
Huge, nay, HUGE, congratulations to you, Vicki. What a superb achievement. We will swell with reflected glory 😉
Here is Vicki’s winning poem:
The Plough Prize Open Poetry Competition 2016 – winning poems
1st PRIZE: VICKI MORLEY
Double Zero Flour
You can travel fifty thousand miles in America without once tasting a piece of good bread Henry Miller
San Francisco clocks chime the summer hour.
Rehearsed the route, left powdery footprints right across sidewalk,
the best double zero flour, weevils will dine well.
My head crusts, breaks through new white shirt.
It crackles, curdles, creaks along my arms,
sparks and conjures the new dawn with static.
Tie, the colour of an electric bruise,
shoes, best soft leather from Siena.
Look, a dangerous eggplant tie reflected
in coffee shop window. Is, a vivid purple, too vibrant?
No, not for a baker — before sunrise
I mix, pound, pummel, stretch, knead, knock the dough,
fill the maws of ever hungry ovens,
feel the heat, jaws of hell, fires of heaven.
Crisp the dough to beautiful bread babies,
ciabatta, focaccia, sour-dough, grissini, pizza, fruit pannetone.
I strut across the piazza, past nail bar
where slinky ladies flutter out to street.
An open window yawns,
a sharp-suited man hollers down to me.
Why it’s Antonio. Is he here for the chief baker job too?
Steady, breathe deep and slow, concentrate now.
I’m ready for probing questions,
about flour, yeast, pasta, bread-making, recipes.
Pour espresso, grappa, let’s celebrate!
My fruit panettone decided it.
Let’s stroll down to Venice Beach,
rinsed by the Pacific Ocean, and swim,
sip cold beers frosting our sticky palms,
sizzle fresh wolf-fish pan-roasted over hot coals,
watch bambini splashing in sea shallows,
while I dream new breads, like a salt-crust San Marino.
With acknowledgement to https://www.theploughprize.co.uk/index.php/2016 where you can see other prizewinners.