Welcome to our website

Poetry Online Slam was created by Bristol based Poet Matt Duggan who won the erbacce prize for poetry this year and has his prize winning collection Dystopia 38.10 (erbacce-press) coming December 2015.

 https://www.mattduggan.webnode.com  

The Poetry Online Slam Winner for September is .........

wait for it.......

.......Damian O'Vitch

Congratulations on winning the Slam for September

See you in the Finale come March...

Biography

Damian O'Vitch is a poet and musician.  He is a finalist in the 2015 Hammer & Tongues National Poetry Slam.  Damian O'Vitch has been guest poet at events with Liz Berry, Lucy Furlong and Alex Gwyther.  He also performs regularly at local events and festivals and is one of the Poetry on the Spot Players (improvised performance poetry group). 

Q & A

1. Congratulations on winning the slam do tell us more about the winning poem?

The poem "Unexpected Item" is autobiographical. At the checkout, my wife pointed out that a baby, opposite, looked like me. The idea and several images and memories immediately sprang to mind.  The text of the checkout till gave me the structure - and the constraint (which was important as an 'autobiographical poem' could have the potential to be meandering or obscure). The title and hook-line was easy: I almost died as a baby; so, I've always been aware that my whole life is an unexpected item. 

2. What drives you to write?

 The usual stuff:  observing other people's behaviour, daily life, events; listening to TV, radio or music; watching/reading other poets, having a deadline (real or imaginary), anxiety about the quality of my writing. (The last 3 are also the reasons that stop me writing). 

3. What was the last poetry book you read?

An excellent anthology, "Saving Lives". (I'm still reading it - 500 poems). It covers lots of different forms and styles and has led me to a wide range of writers that I hadn't read. I'd recommend it whether you're a reader or a writer.

4. Do you have a favourite poem?

I've been writing for about 18 months now and I've been given a huge reading list by other poets (Thanks!).  So, I am still in, what Freud might call, an "oral phase" of development; where I'm basically sticking every poem in my mouth to see what it tastes like.  So, my long answer to your short question is: "Yes, but it constantly changes".

5. What's next for you and poetry?

 On a general level, I want to continue to enjoy reading, writing and performing and getting involved with the local poetry community/scene.

 I've been fortunate enough to win a place at the Hammer &Tongues National Final in Jan 2016. So, I'm focusing on writing new material and improving my performance skills.

 I also want to improve the quality of my writing to a level for publication. I think both written and spoken poetry have a lot to offer. I've seen some very interesting work performed and I'm interested in the 'page to stage' interface

Thanks Damian

Congratulations.....

Our winner for August is Paul Point, below you can read a Q & A between me and Paul

plus check out his profile...  

Hi Paul, Congratulations again on winning Poetry Slam Online (August)

1. Please tell me more about how and why you wrote your winning poem?

I've not told anyone this before, but I wrote this poem to be performed around the house due to a recurring conversational theme when chatting with my Mum. She had a way of ending our conversations with the rhetorical accusation - "Can't you just be a normal Son?"

This infuriated me, so I eventually wrote her this poem. Today she rarely uses the above phrase, so perhaps this poem was the best way to win that conversation. 

2. What poets have influenced you ?

 Tough question, mostly I find the poetry in everything, everywhere and remain open to being influenced by that. However, back in college I studied Simon Armitage, specifically Dead Sea Poems. More recently though I am inspired by the likes of Anthony Anaxagorou; his delivery, confidence and tenderness woven with compelling voice inflexion and intonation.

3. What plans do you have for the future ?

Plans? Follow the rainbow, find the hidden treasure!

No, with my writing I've a greater sense of confidence now and so have begun submitting more poetry to magazines. I have a YA medieval novel - the concept of which arrived over coffee and also some films planned. 

4. Sounds great Paul! So, how would you describe your poetry ?

 I tend not to, art has a rough history of being categorised instead of being enjoyed. Though perhaps my work is an effort to bring frayed ends back into partnership, to bring fragmented echoes into arrangement and to tell a story as though it is simply being remembered. I hope to craft poetry that resists definition.

5. Tell me Paul why do you write ?

 I seem to have touched upon this already but to expand I write as a form of therapy. I write with a purpose that changes every day, but mostly I write because I want to know that I can, and prove to myself that beyond every wrinkle on every knuckle there is a story waiting to live.

6. Finally, Any plans for a pamphlet or a new collection ?

Yes, I do have a plan for one since audiences have surprised me by beginning to ask for manuscripts of my performances at shows in Dorset, London and others. Should one emerge I would certainly like to come back and talk to you about it.

That would be great Paul, thanks!..

Our First Winner for July is Myriam San Marco  

INTERVIEW - BETWEEN MATT DUGGAN AND MYRIAM SAN MARCO

1. How long have you been writing?

This is a question I often get asked and always feel hesitant in answering. My poetry mentor advised me the first time I was asked, to lie, and in so doing, keep the mystery alive, and this because a judgement follows whatever answer you give. It seems that worth as a writer is associated with the length of time you have spent at your craft. I prefer to be measured by what I write and not by how long. Consequently, I don't think I have ever given a straight answer. The truth is always more complicated than a simple date. Before putting things on paper, I write in my head, tell myself stories, and play with words and sentences. If I reflect back, I have been telling myself stories since early childhood, writing them down in colouring crayons. I have been writing ever since, stories, poems, diaries and long Facebook statuses. But I have only been calling myself a poet for the last 18 months. That was when I finally accepted that being a poet has always been my identity, who I was, who I am.

2. Where did the inspiration come from for your winning slam poem?  

The Murder poem has very little to do with being inspired. It came about after discovering Julia Copus and the mirror poem form at a writing workshop. I wanted to challenge myself to write using that specific form because I mostly write prose poetry and free verse and my competitive nature demanded it of me. I felt driven to write it and for the poem to be good and to get it published. I started with the first line 'Last night, limping, I walked all the way to the edge of myself.' which I wrote at the top and bottom of a blank page. I then worked solidly for about 60 hours in a gloriously sunny week to wrestle a story down on paper. The editing process took about the same time, mostly working out where to place a comma or a full stop. I had a guest slot coming up and I started to learn it to perform. This proved nigh on impossible because of the way the piece is structured and I kept making mistakes. After performing it a few times, I made further changes in the rhythm and pacing, which altered the punctuation in the written piece. Eventually, I submitted it to Interpreter's House and it was published in TIH #58. Writing this poem gave me a deeper understanding of what it means to work and perfect your craft as this quote from Flann O'Brien illustrates: "What you think is the point is not the point at all but only the beginning of the sharpness."

3. What type of poet would you say you were, and what poets inspired you growing up and why?  

I am a poet who tries not to be labelled. It is difficult, especially with my pain-orientated mind, my writing has a bent towards the grit that gets stuck in your eyes after a long day on the beach. I aim to bring the page to the stage and vice-versa. I feel there shouldn't be a divide between page poetry and performance poetry so I try to blend both in my writing. I want my poems to work on the page and as performance pieces because, for me, this defines what a poet should be.

Growing up, I was inspired by a gang of French poets: mostly Rimbaud, Baudelaire, Verlaine and Apollinaire. I saw myself, Heathcliff-like, joining in with their wine and opium soirees in which they would read to each other, the essence of being a romantic poet. But I was and still am also inspired by music: Jim Morrison, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Robert Johnson, The Cure and many others as well as by movies. I nearly always write with music playing in the background and my writing style tends to vary according to the style of music I am listening to.

4. Finally Myriam, what are your future writing plans?  

I am at the start of the process of putting a collection together. I am writing a story told from the perspective of the tree who listened to it and exploring the meaning of 'Haragei', which a Japanese concept, literally translated as 'stomach art'. The intent is to express real intention and true meaning through implication, exchanging thoughts and feelings that are implied instead of explicit. There will be prose as well as poems interweaving throughout in a non-linear fashion so that the reader would be able to pick and choose where to start and finish to find different strands of the story. This will be accompanied by a memory stick with audio and videos of some of the pieces. Although I have a definite idea of the finished product, it is a work in progress at the moment which I hope to get a press interested in.

Thank you Myriam, and Congratulations again on winning our first SLAM, and best of luck with your future plans.

PROFILE MYRIAM SAN MARCO

https://www.facebook.com/jerichoartgroup?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Check out the Winning Poem for JULY

HERE youtu.be/rv460t6Xxak