Project Boast, and a poem for International Women's Day 2018

'These poems disturb the peace with a loudness hard won from centuries of humility'

If you're into poetry, you're usually spoilt for choice for readings on International Women's Day. Last night I went to the launch in Bristol of Project Boast, which was dreamed up by Doctors Rachel Bentham and Alyson Hallett, inspired by the Victorian engineer and inventor, Sarah Guppy. 

Amongst other things, Sarah, who lived in Bristol, came up with a samovar that made tea, cooked eggs and kept toast warm; a method for preventing barnacles from clinging to a ship’s hull; and an exercise bed for women to use at home (since exercising in public was deemed inappropriate for them). Her patented design for making safe piling for bridges was used by Thomas Telford (free of charge), and as a friend of the Brunel family, she was involved in the Great Western Railway project. However, there are no statues erected to Sarah Guppy, and her achievements have been all but dismissed. She herself once said 'It is unpleasant to speak of oneself – it may seem boastful particularly in a woman.' 

It was this quote that prompted the good doctors mentioned above to 'seek out contemporary women poets who are speaking out and who are making a fresh mark, registering the straitacket they have had to wear and celebrating the emerging possibility of real change'. And this, in turn, led to the book, the proceeds of which will go to the Malala Fund.

Last night women of all ages travelled from all over the West Country to read at the celebratory launch ...

... with Penelope Shuttle headlining  a packed venue.  












One of my poems included in the anthology was written especially for it. It's a period piece (of sorts), which takes as its starting point assertions by Pliny the Elder in Naturalis Historia on the subject of menstruation: namely, if a menstruating woman walks barefoot through fields at sunrise, with her hair dishevelled and her girdle loose, the crop will wither and dry up. Her glance at this time will dim the brightness of mirrors and dull the edge of steel.

Blooded

Then let’s blind this tyranny of mirrors

blunt the blades of our bright pink plastic razors

Let’s not be neat, compact, discreet

hide who we are in the palms of our hands or up our sleeves

We’ll smear our foreheads, noses, cheeks

not with the blood of hunted creatures, stain of killing sprees

but with our blood, this ferrous musk

fecund, nurturing, the russet of red fox

vixen-masked, in long soot gloves

we’ll blaze our clamorous ways through scrub

burn ash paths through suburbs, towns

singe the edge of meadows, commons, forests, downs

scratching sparks from burnt-out stars

chasing flames that leap from heart to heart

©Deborah Harvey 2018 

Project Boast is available to buy from the Triarchy website and usual outlets. A Kindle version will be available from April. It is hoped to raise enough money via crowdfunding to equip every school in Bristol - or the West Country - or the entire country - with a copy.

Salt on the Wind : Poetry in response to Ruth Stone

I've been so busy moving house, I haven't had the chance to post about this book, an anthology of poems written in response to the startling, funny, fierce work of the late American poet Ruth Stone, whose centenary was in 2015.  

The collection has been put together by North Somerset-based poets and poetry film makers, Chaucer Cameron and Helen Dewbury, and includes a foreword by Ruth's granddaughter, Bianca Stone.  I'm honoured that three of my poems are included among the thoughtful and thought-provoking contributions collected here.

'Salt on the Wind' is available to buy from Elephant's Footprint, or from any of the following readings that have been planned for the coming months, as follows:

Tuesday 26th January     Berkeley Square Club, Bristol                    8.30pm

Friday 5th February         Can Openers, Steam Cafe Bar, Bristol      Noon 

Thursday 12th May           Cheltenham Poetry Festival

Sunday 24th July              Buzzwords, Cheltenham                             8pm

Thursday 25th August      Words and Ears, Bradford on Avon        7.30pm

Thursday 6th October      Swindon Poetry Festival

Map Reading For Beginners - A Preview

I'm pleased to announce (in a screamy sort of way) that the web page for my new collection of poetry, Map Reading For Beginners, is up and running on the Indigo Dreams website, and the book itself is available for pre-order at £9.50 including postage ... oh, and the champagne's in the fridge.  My fervent thanks to Ronnie and Dawn at Indigo Dreams, and to the gracious Penelope Shuttle for her testimonial.

Do click here for a peek ... 

Artwork ©Dru Marland 2014

Inking Bitterns (after 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott)

'Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents,' grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

'It's so dreadful to be poor!' sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.  

'I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all,' added little Amy, with an injured sniff.  

'We've got Father and Mother, and each other,' said Beth contentedly from the corner, 'but best of all, there's Inking Bitterns, published by Gert Macky Books in association with Poetry Can, hot off the press and costing only £5 per copy! Just about everyone can afford to buy a few of these to give as presents.  And if they're really lucky, they might even get given one themselves, to treasure for ever!  Look, they're available to order from this handy website!  I'm going to buy one for everyone I know - even strange people who think there's something to 'get' about poetry which they feel is beyond them, because all of the poems in this book are enjoyable and accessible, and the illustrations by Dru Marland are just glorious!'

'Let me see!' said Amy, snatching the book from gentle Beth's gentle hands.  'Lawks, Jo, look at these! They're awesome!'

'Gosh, yes, I shall buy one for Laurie and Aunt March! Even that old bat will melt when she sees this beautiful cat in the wind!'

'No, I want to buy one for Aunt March!' cried Amy. 'I'll put it in her stocking. Wait, though, where's Meg?'

'She's online!' cried Jo. 'Quick, stop her before she buys the entire remaining stock! It's such a gorgeous little book (to quote esteemed poet, Penelope Shuttle) that it's sure to sell out if we don't get our orders in quickly!'

'Don't take on so,' soothed Beth. 'We could always get our copies from Acoustic Night Bristol at Halo Cafe Bar on Monday 2nd December. Lots of the featured poets will be there reading from the book and some of them might even be sober enough to sign it.  And failing that, there's another opportunity to hear the poems and buy a copy or four at Can Openers on Friday lunchtime, December 6th.   It'll be upstairs in Foyles as usual.  That'll be one in the eye for that sneaky cow, Meg!'  

And the remaining sisters all agreed that it bloomin' well would be.