Dedication
Here is the dedication on the flyleaf of my personal copy of The Phoenix Rising from the Ashes. The ‘R’ is Richard Vallance, Editor-in-Chief.
© Bookseeker Agency
Marie Marshall
Author. Poet. Editor.
Category: poetry
April 23, 2014
Chewbaccalaureate!
I have been asked to do some funny things in my time, but honouring the ‘Sacred Drunken Wookiee’ has to be one step beyond. Let me explain. Sort of.
I was recently approached by a member of the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus, which is a Mardi Gras parade organization from New Orleans, and asked to provide a series of short poems. The poems would be integrated into a number of ‘parade throws’ – items to give away to the street audience as the parade passes.
The Krewe consists (according to the person who commissioned me) of in excess of five hundred wonderfully nerdy ‘sci-fi geeks’, whose mission is to save the Galaxy… one drunken nerd at a time. Their parade theme is science fiction taken not-too-seriously, eco-friendliness taken slightly more seriously, and whooping-it-up taken in deadly earnest.
We’ll be producing the parade throws between now and February 2015, when the parade season begins in New Orleans. They’ll be in the form of little boxes, into which will be placed little pictures, gew-gaws, and found items, as well as a little baked-and-painted TARDIS. The outside of the box will be decorated as a TARDIS, and the idea is either to inscribe my words on the back of the box, or include them in a little scroll inside. Whichever, I get my name and © on each poem.
It’s rather exciting knowing I’ll be part of next year’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans, if even by remote control. It’s not my first remote connection with that city, as not only were several poems in my first collection, Naked in the Sea, inspired by what I knew of it, but also another poem was inscribed on an African drum which is now on display at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Not bad for someone frae Dundee…
April 19, 2014
A folk song from Inner Mongolia*
*Free rendering of Pastoral Song by Xixian Qu.
Marie Marshall, 19th April 2014.
Photo (detail), Wikimedia Commons.
April 12, 2014
‘Le Phénix renaissant de ses cendres’ – critique par Thierry Guinhut.
‘At Jenners, Edinburgh’ (detail) © Paul Thompson
For my Francophone readers, here is a review of the sonnet anthology The Phoenix Rising from the Ashes, of which I was Deputy Editor. The review is by Thierry Guinhut, a well-regarded reviewer in France. The image above is detailed from one which contributes to the visual layout of the anthology. Thierry’s review is glowing; most reviews have been good so far, with the exception of one ‘critic’ who seems to imagine some kind of Corsican vendetta exists between him and the Editor-in-Chief. The anthology is one of the many published items you can find under the ‘Works‘ tab on this web site.
April 2, 2014
Spring 2014 showcase at ‘the zen space’
The Spring 2014 showcase at the zen space is now published, and can be seen here. the zen space is my little e-zine for haiku and related in-the-moment poetry. I’ve been editing publishing it since 2011, honing my editorial skills. If you have never visited before, please feel free. There are now eleven showcases to browse through.
March 24, 2014
‘Milk of Female Kindness’ launched in Australia
Kasia James addressing visitors to the launch.
Lovely pictures from the other side of the world (as I look at it) from the Australian launch of the anthology The Milk of Female Kindness. You may recall this collection is the brainchild of Kasia James (pictured opposite); Kasia was kind enough to include some poetry that I wrote especially for the collection, and to ask me for some editorial consultancy. The theme of the anthology is Motherhood – the title is a quotation from Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, by the way – and it contains the prose and poetry of contemporary women writers from round the world.
The launch was held at Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne, Australia. This is an important cultural centre, hosting all kinds of events. The launch took place on 24th March – it seems strange, from my point of view, typing ‘took’ because that day is only just dawning here; of course in the Antipodes, as I write this, the day is coming to an end. Or is it? I get confused!
Anyhow, here are some pictures from the launch (c) Kasia James – there was food too, and a colouring table for kids. You’ll also see the table showing other works by contributors. If you want to read a quick review of the anthology, go here. I might have mentioned this before, but I am very pleased and proud to be associated with this venture, and I’m glad it is becoming successful.
A table full of milk…
An early visitor. Apparently attendance reached three figures.
Interest in the ‘Other works by Contributors’ table.
Amongst the material on this table you can spot my book ‘I am not a fish’, plus fliers for ‘Lupa’ and ‘The Everywhen Angels’.
Book-signing.
March 18, 2014
Mongolian Limericks
Five years or so ago, the late Vera Rich, poet and translator, let slip some ‘Mongolian’ Limericks just for fun. I replied in kind and tickled her. Here’s an exchange or two between us.
Vera:
A Mongolian dealer in koumiss
Told his daughter: “I’m angry with you, Miss!
Last night’s supper was spoiled,
For the tea was not boiled,
And the dumplings were sticky as glue, Miss!”
Me:
His daughter’s voice came from the yurt:
“To say the least, you’re very curt!
No need to be cocky –
Those dumplings were gnocchi,
Green tea is drunk tepid – I’m hurt!”
Apparently Vera wrote a whole series of these as a divertissement at a Mongolian Studies Conference in the 1980s – a far cry from her serious work translating Ukrainian and Belorussian poetry. Here’s some more.
Vera:
Said a PR man in Ulan Bataar,
“I really don’t know what’s the mataar!
But that cursed foreign press
Writes of us less and less,
Saying it has too much else on its plataar!”
Me:
The cleaner (whilst shoving her Huva)
Said, “No Mongol is the prime muva
Of things international.
Anonymity’s rational…
It could be worse – this could be Tuva!”
It does you good to let your hair down once in a while. Vera is very much missed by those of us who knew her and worked with her.
January 8, 2014
Song
Spring in the meadow
primrose in the grass
life is too new
to let it pass
Summer in the forest
laughter in the trees
lies and deceit
on every breeze
So the old man tells a riddle
and the girl plays tambourine
And it’s all for the pleasure
of a foolish king and queen
While the moments turning over
say it’s like they’ve never been
and we move on
Fall of the harvest
riches on the floor
colour of blood
in every store
Winter in the city
sleep is on your breath
life was a dream
but so is death
So the old man tells a riddle
and the girl plays tambourine
And it’s all for the pleasure
of a foolish king and queen
While the moments turning over
say it’s like they’ve never been
and we move on
Moon follows daylight
morning follows stars
silence dogs romance
of guitars
Janus follows Jesus
crosses follow birth
That’s just the spinning
of the earth
So the old man tells a riddle
and the girl plays tambourine
And it’s all for the pleasure
of a foolish king and queen
While the moments turning over
say it’s like they’ve never been
and we move on
December 31, 2013
A couple of nice things people said about me in 2013
“… an intellectual and creative juggernaut, with a rare combination of self-awareness and self-actualization…”
“… the Queen of Wow…”
(Just saying)
M.
December 25, 2013
‘What to do when Santa Claus comes a-knocking at your door’ and other weird stuff for kids.
I’ve been messing around lately seeing if I can write for a much younger readership than my usual target…
© Marie Marshall
© Marie Marshall
© Marie Marshall
© Marie Marshall
Marie Marshall 