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Black Poetry Course 2008

Callaloo Magazine Update

Fri, 28/03/2008 - 13:41 — Cultureword

A brief update on our guests from Callaloo Magazine. Ten writers met up with Charles (and Marcus) who explained what they were looking for. Callaloo is a USA based literary magazine. They want t make it an international one. They visited Manchester to build contacts and solicit creative work. Here's the info from them...

Two Poems

Sun, 23/03/2008 - 14:54 — Cultureword

I looked at the poems/pieces I wrote while in Pakistan and found these. Can either of them be moulded into a classical shape? (PS I showed them to Martin via his comments section - so you can check his comments on them via his blog.

1.
Grey trees spider the grey skyline
Mr Mehmood’s cell phone battery is fading.
He speaks quickly in 3 languages

2.
A bird whistles an evening chorus.
The rope bed sighs as I shift a limb.
Somewhere in UK it is raining.

Redraft after workshop

Thu, 20/03/2008 - 11:52 — Anwen

Hi guys - many thanks for the great crit last night, I've had a go at tweaking, though the layout is lost in this context - just imagine alternate lines gradually convening....
If you think it's heading in the right direction (!) let me know :)
Many thanks
Ax

I must split myself in
two, like the flesh of a ripe peach
scored with a small sharp
fruit knife
then twisted to reveal
the gnarled hard heart
it’s the pits

I reach forward and fetch back
gathering my mothers towards me
stretching my line of horizons
to vanishing point

both hold me

Message from China

Wed, 19/03/2008 - 06:28 — Metal Monkey

Hello Everyone,

Apologies for abandoning the cause! Managed to get myself to China for the summer. I have been here exactly one week now and finally feeling steady enough to write a hello message with an 'I'll be back in full force' shout out attached. Hope the picture gives a nice touch to the recent classical chinese workshop, it is taken from the Summer Palace in Beijing.

MM

Criss Cross Cable With Twsts

Sun, 16/03/2008 - 17:10 — Anwen

Hi guys - been a while since I uploaded, apologies. Been working on a collection from which I've drawn the below as a 'homework' response. Loosely based along the lines of image (peach) setting (vanishing point) and conflict (maternal) so I can get some feedback for your good selves. Thanks for any reads and comments.
Till the next sess
Ax

I must split myself in two
like the flesh of a ripe peach
scored with a small sharp
fruit knife
then twisted to reveal
the gnarled hard heart
it’s the pits

I reach forward and fetch back
gathering my mothers towards me

This is one of my praise poems, appreciate comments. Wrote for my sis.

Mon, 10/03/2008 - 15:00 — Yvonne

MY SISTER

SIBLING

my sister is a lagoon

a rippling counterpart

of erudite serenity

on Moon struck waters

phospherescent ribbons mirroring

the luminosity

of her smile

2008 Yvonne Mc Calla

Overspread

Mon, 10/03/2008 - 14:56 — Yvonne

Pete
I'll hire you as my publicist when i make it...

Here's the poem i won the competition with...

Overspread

touch me feel me
delicate buds
of candyfloss
I have soothed
torn skin
drank the fever from sodden brows

seen the heart torn
from living souls
until their eyes
no longer reflect
a spark of light
my softness stretched and taut

on the wheels of
spinning jenny’s
that worked me
endlessly remorselessly
day & night
until they had manipulated

my milky unblemished flowers
into the warp & weft
of misery & servitude
painted my face
transformed me

Manchester Cotton & Slave Trade Competition Results

Thu, 06/03/2008 - 14:04 — Cultureword

The winner of this competition was this Course's very own Yvonne McCalla, with her poem, Overspread. Perhaps she will post it here? Congratulations Yvonne!

Oral poetry

Wed, 20/02/2008 - 16:20 — Yvonne

I didn't get to the African Oral Poetry Class but did look at the work and had some attempts which i'm not entirely sure of. Maybe there is something here i could work with.
here goes!

MY FAVOURITE PIECES? FAMINE, love the humuorous treatment of a very serious situation. BLUE GREY BULLS for reasons already touched on by Martin & others and ZEBRA. lOVED THE LINE

'One on which the eye dwells all day, as on the solitary cow of a poor man'

says so much in such simple language.
ok. my pathetic attempts...

FAREWELL
You stand at your mother’s bed
You brood on words unwrapped

Oral Light

Mon, 18/02/2008 - 20:01 — Abiodun

Its like someone switched on the light recently and I've been going over some poems and working them so i came up with this oral thoughts, so what do you think? am i a listening student or should i hot foot it out of the house?

WEEDS IN MINE HUSBAND'S STRENGHT

Mo le jo l’ori oko mi o
Mo le jo l’ori oko mi
G’oko mi gbami l’aye o
Mo le jo (2) l’ori oko mi
G’oko mi gbami l’aye
K’ori ope!

My husband’s strength is an Italian tower
Tall, proud, standing
Leaning a bit to the left
Still magnificent in every way

My husband’s strength is an oak tree

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