BRISTOL POETRY INSTITUTE
Report from 2013 Poet-in-Residence, Rachael Boast
February 13th – March 22nd 2013
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Writer-in-residence Comments
Student’s Poems
Course Structure
Reading List
Students’ Comments
Looking back over my time as writer-in-residence for the Bristol Poetry Institute I am left
with a sense of gladness and exhilaration. I was glad for the opportunity to nurture the talent
of others, guide them, introduce them to some core values of the poetic tradition, and to
share with them some of ‘the secrets of the craft’, to borrow the words of the Russian poet,
Akhmatova. I was exhilarated to see that within a couple of weeks – a very short space of
time indeed – the students’ own work showed signs of them having absorbed and reflected
both on the material we’d looked at in the residency sessions and on the lively discussions
we had. Each individual was making rapid strides forwards, as is evidenced by the quality of
the poems that follow.
One of the highlights for me – if I can select a single moment from what was such a rich
experience – was bringing along to the last session some of my ‘juvenilia’. During a
consultation with one of the students, I was commenting on how the piece she’d brought
along was far better than what I was writing in my late teens and early twenties; how I never
worked on anything properly until I was in my thirties, mainly due to lack of guidance and
real mentorship. Somehow she managed to persuade me to bring something along. And so,
that evening, I set about rummaging through my early efforts, several hundred of them,
relegated to the unpublishable pile. I was reminded not just of the ‘hundred thousand hours’
it takes to develop a body of work, but also of the quality of the journey itself, something I
wouldn’t hesitate to encourage.
The 6 residency sessions, outlined below, were designed so that the texts consulted
emphasised and mirrored some of the key interests of the Bristol Poetry Institute. The figure
of the singer, Orpheus, was present throughout proceedings, and the theme of Ekphrasis,
where poetry encounters other art forms (whether song, music, painting, dance, film, etc.),
was discussed in relation to Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem on a torso of Apollo and to Don
Paterson’s film poem ‘Rain’. We also looked at the issue of translation and adaptation of
poetry in other cultures and languages – other music – especially Ciaran Carson’s versions of
Arthur Rimbaud’s Illuminations. Both Paterson and Carson have worked extensively in the
field; Paterson producing versions of poems by Antonio Machado, Salvatore Quasimodo,
Robert Desnos and Rilke, and Carson well versed in crossing language divides through his
own bi-lingual up-bringing, and through versions of Brian Merriman, Dante, Baudelaire,
Mallarme and Rimbaud. And as both are accomplished musicians, it was interesting to touch
on how musical structures and motifs fed into their work with language.
Each poem we studied gave students the opportunity not only to be introduced to a new
poet, but to a new poetic form and its principles, whether of the sonnet, the rhyming couplet
or the prose-poem. We saw how different stanzaic structures affected the pace of a poem –
from the rapidity of the couplet and the spare vigour of the tercet, to the slower measure of
the quatrain. We saw how not to end a poetic line, how a good start and finish makes all the
difference, with attention to tempo and turning-points in the poem, to Orphic moments of
pure song where the writer and the word, the sound and the singer, fuse. Other poetic feats
encountered in our workshops included doubling the length of a poem and/or editing it back
down again, cutting material for the sake of a particular effect with the assurance that what
was cut might well belong in a different poem, rearranging lines or even entire stanzas and
then reworking the poem.
I wanted also for emphasis to be placed on the craft of recitation, on the ear, on listening, on
the importance of hearing the poem come alive as it is spoken aloud – poetry as song, poetry
as music – and so we enjoyed various audio recordings of the poets whose work we studied.
And on that note, I’m glad to say that the residency closed, as it should, with a special poetry
reading. In some cultures, it would be unthinkable not to combine music and poetry in some
way or another, and so the Bristol Poetry Institute were delighted to welcome Ciaran Carson
and Andrew Jamison to read on March 22nd, an evening which began with an impromptu
air on the flute from Helen Jenner of the Bristol-based duo Hat in Hand, setting the scene for
Jamison, who was followed by Carson, bookending his reading with traditional Irish airs on
the penny whistle. I’m sure all who attended would agree, the evening was highly
memorable.
It remains for me to offer thanks to Daniel Karlin for the invitation to be the first poet-inresidence at the University of Bristol, and for his kindness and consideration; to Sam Thomas
for her pragmatism and for remaining on the ball at crucial moments; and last but not least to
our performers: Helen Jenner, Andrew Jamison, and Ciaran Carson.
RACHAEL BOAST
Bristol
April 14th 2013
POEMS
Henry Bolan
For Léopoldine Hugo
Your skirts rose round you in the water
as you sank, reeds swaying a sunlit waltz
at the small propulsions of your feet.
It was a day of boats and parasols
in September, the season for falling,
but slowly, a leaf buoyed up by wind.
The pale sun shone on, warming your neck
and I doubt you thought of drowning
when ripples circled the oars and keel.
A mood would have kept you on the bank,
or a cloud, dulling the green Seine brown,
but departing summer was in your sails.
And it blew until the cold filled your ears
and even the dogs knew to be quiet.
Sam Elmi
Portrait of Orpheus as a Busker
“Strangest of the Ancients,
must I walk with you?”
Wilhelm Müller
You will not see him in the underpass;
you’ll be caught in the lonely traffic
on your way home, as he huddles
between an ever-shrinking shadow
and a stage, botched together out of tat
and a battered leather Fender bag.
Someone will throw him a fistful of coppers.
Someone will pause for a moment to listen
to themselves listening. Others will inquire
about the oriental tuning, the mixolydian mix
of feelings, smug with the little they know
about the Aegean Lyre.
Yet he plays until collapsing into sleep;
the urban underworld unearthing itself
with pissed up clubbers who wake him
by the butt of a boot, to demand a song
in the dead of night, to pelt and bruise him
because they can.
George Kirby
Tinctures
In his sable lair, the lion mauls tradition.
Some would paint him argent,
but he's gules by nature.
His defiance is not absolute:
there's a nod to convention
in his classic rampant attitude.
Combatant, against an unseen foe,
he's a charge for freedom.
He heralds change.
For his maverick ways
some blazon him sinister;
he's a blot on the escutcheon.
But his azure claws
are frozen and blunt;
his ferocity, nothing special.
A relic from a more regal time,
no ordinary, granted, yet still
he's trapped in the field.
Jenny Messenger
Phenomenon
By instinct, they thresh and jerk
from belfry rocks through rope-holes
and swaddle the Virgin of the gilded hands,
their own sloughed skins calling them back
yearly – tongues, foreheads cross-marked,
hallowing pixelated bodies.
By habit, they migrate to the pull
of the icon, in shrinking figures
that portend a sceptic's age it is customary, we're told,
for them to loop around the fingers
of our children, their blunt heads taut they will lick you like cats, sluggish
with prophecy, sponsors of luck
that chances almost like clockwork.
Or else by pious taper-light
in fierce, quaint devotion locals hunt
these tame miracles.
Millie Morris
Birthday Wish
Light a candle.
Flicker past, open present
and dance across the sheltered room.
The grandfather clock beats, beats, beats,
another year of hours, pendulum sings
memories.
Clap me an ageless rhythm;
let it shower minds like bursting gold
and dissolve the taut lines of confinement.
Youth is you,
spark-eyed and aglow, sprung
with the silver of promise.
When rain and sun fleck their matter,
sweep up the glitter
that replaces dust.
Then let the faces crowd, fresh and bright.
Extinguish the flame.
The rest is yours.
Peter Naumann
Imlac
bells at odds in the town
below, each flight
reiterating
ever so
slightly
inconsistent exegeses of the tropic
night, he led
me to a chamber in the north
keep, up six hundred
steps, where the derelict flying
machines of the eighteenth
century were stored –
silk, nickel
wire and balsa wood,
wings, tails and pedals warped
with too much winter
light and summer rain;
‘take whatever serviceable
gear may remain’,
he said; ‘for me
these relics serve a moral,
rather than an aeronautic purpose’
[The poet and philosopher Imlac appears in Samuel Johnson’s History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia,
making his entrance during the rainy season, which had ‘confined all the princes to domestick
amusements’; in the previous chapter, Johnson an ‘artist’ who had attempted to fly by means of
artificial wings, and ended up in a nearby lake]
Samuel Richardson Velmans
My Friend
you have no care for these unborn
freckled days
so, play with the now
like a toy
lay down your arm like a dead bird,
with the blood
blossoming
like jam
caressing the pin, gently,
so these sticky petals
weave shapes around
the rump
now, reside with the shadows,
for they are the only ones left
who will dance to your tune.
Freya Young
Jazz
Sometimes you just have to start off a flow,
Run like a river, never think of the picture
That’s getting bigger each time that you grow,
It’s so obviously unbearably slow.
He told me not long ago, that life’s
Smallest tricks are constantly sticking
His dignity to the edge of the road,
Don’t say I didn’t tell you so,
Each time you think you’re so big
And clever, but its hard to wear that disguise,
I’d rather climb inside the maze we write for our lives,
Take shelter in the delta of my own design,
Did you see that thing on TV the other day?
The joy people had back then,
When work didn’t start ‘til ten,
And then they jumped on a bus
Full of wanderlust, so swell to be
So wonderfully free,
On a coach to a town by the sea,
Colours from red to green, and the vintage
Look which now plasters our streets,
And pours out from our style magazines
Because everything used to be better,
At least that’s what they say,
But better is a thing that’s never quite seen,
We forget just to live for the day.
COURSE STRUCTURE
The residency sessions ran on Wednesdays 5-7.30pm. 5-6pm: Introducing the students to a
new author and examples of their work with close reading of one poem. 6-7.30pm: Group
feedback on student’s original work. Consultation Hours were available on Tuesdays and
Fridays, 4-5pm.
Sessions
Week 1: Introductory session focusing on student’s original work, followed by the Award
Ceremony for the Bristol Poetry Institute Inaugural Poetry Competition for Young
People, with readings from the winner George Holt (Bristol Grammar School) and the
runners up, Belinda Brusoni (Gordano School) and Patricia Yaker Ekall (BGS) and from
the judges, David Punter, Vanessa Kisuule, and myself.
Week 2: Andrew Jamison, ‘Orpheus’ from Happy Hour (Gallery Press, 2012)
Week 3: Rainer Maria Rilke, ‘Archaic Torso of Apollo’ in Selected Poetry, trans. Stephen
Mitchell (Picador, 1987)
Week 4: Don Paterson, ‘Rain’ from Rain (Faber, 2009)
Week 5: Arthur Rimbaud, ‘Fleurs’, from ‘Les Illuminations’, in Collected Poems, trans, Oliver
Bernard (Penguin Classics, 1986)
Week 6: Ciaran Carson, ‘U’, from ‘Letters from the Alphabet’, in Opera Et Cetera (Gallery
Press, 1996)
READING LIST
Aside from the author studies, this is a comprehensive list of the other texts consulted:
Primary Texts
Ciaran Carson, In the Light Of (Gallery Press, 2012) – Carson’s versions of Rimbaud’s ‘Les
Illuminations’.
Don Paterson, The Eyes (Faber 1999) – Paterson’s versions of Antonio Machado
Orpheus (Faber, 2006) – Paterson’s versions of Rilke’s ‘Sonnets to Orpheus’
Rimbaud, ‘Voyelles’ – Rimbaud’s famous sonnet on alchemical colours
Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet, trans, Stephen Mitchell (Random House, 2001)
Secondary Texts
Joseph Brodsky, On Grief and Reason (Hamish Hamilton, 1996)
Eds., Clare Brown and Don Paterson, Don’t Ask Me What I Mean: Poets in their Own Words
(Picador, 2003)
Eds., W.N. Herbert and Matthew Hollis, Strong Words: Modern Poets on Modern Poetry
(Bloodaxe, 2000)
Osip Mandelstam, Collected Critical Prose and Letters (Collins Harvill, 1991)
Graham Robb, Rimbaud (Picador 2000)
Enid Starkie, Arthur Rimbaud (Faber, 1961)
Mark Strand and Eavan Boland, The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms
(Norton, 2001)
Other Resources And Links Consulted
Poetry Archive: audio recordings of Don Paterson and Ciaran Carson
http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/home.do
Illuminations Gallery, Maynooth, NI, website: audio of poems from Carson’s In the Light Of
http://illuminationsgallery.wordpress.com/in-the-light-of/
The Poetry Society:
http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/
Poetry Foundation:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/
Poetry London:
http://www.poetrylondon.co.uk/
STUDENT’S COMMENTS
I found the BPI Residency an incredibly useful and enjoyable experience. Rachael is the first
published poet I have met. Her enthusiasm, optimism and pragmatism made trying to write
seem a lot less daunting. She also introduced me to a number of poets I hadn't previously
read which expanded my sense of the different directions from which poetry can be
approached.
The second great strength of the Residency was the other participants. I was blown away by
the quality of their poems and it was encouraging to watch everyone develop over the six
weeks and find ways around difficulties they encountered.
I can't recommend participating in the Residency strongly enough to people interested in
writing poetry. I think it's an especially good kick start for those who would like to be more
disciplined about how often they write, as the format encourages you to produce a poem a
week.
Henry Bolan
One hearing about the BPI’s series of workshops and Rachael’s involvement as the writer-inresidence, I immediately felt that this was a golden opportunity to develop my writing and
deepen my overall appreciation of poetry. I am eternally indebted to her for introducing me
to Rimbaud and for helping me to (finally) ‘get’ the sonnet, which apparently is more than
just a fourteen line poem! Rachael’s generous and penetrating guidance made an immediate
impact on my poetry. I often found myself running to a quiet space after workshops, to put
the newly learned wisdoms into practice. One such poem was recently accepted by Magma. I
wish Rachael could have seen my excitement! Thank you
Samatar Elmi
I hadn't read or written much poetry outside of an English classroom before Rachael Boast's
workshops, but one of my dream careers would be a novelist, so I decided to take the
opportunity to work with a professional writer and rekindle my love of literature.
The workshops exceeded my expectations. With six or so people present each week, the
group interaction was great. I've made some good friends over the weeks, thanks to a lighthearted, informal atmosphere. That said, we weren't laid-back! We covered a lot of material,
critiquing each others' poems and those of professionals. I was particularly fascinated by the
life of Arthur Rimbaud and, as a result, I have bought his biography.
I have noticed definite improvements in the quality of my poems over the weeks, and it has
been eye-opening to explore themes ranging from heraldry to mysterious Italian snakes to
the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed the poetry workshops
and my self-confidence as a writer has risen. I am very grateful to the Bristol Poetry Institute
and, of course, to Rachael herself.
George Kirby – Philosophy & Politics Bsc, 1st year
Although I have always written creatively, the workshops with Rachael Boast were the first I
had been to - as a result, I was slightly unsure of what to expect. I needn’t have worried, as
Rachael offered exactly the right combination of encouragement and criticism for a group
which included beginners and more experienced poets. I thought the size of the group
worked well, as it enabled us to discuss everyone's work substantially and read our work
aloud without feeling too intimidated. I feel that this may not have been as successful if all
the people chosen had attended. I would absolutely recommend that the Bristol Poetry
Institute make the workshops a regular feature of its programme, as not only did my own
writing develop, but I also found it encouraging meeting like-minded students, hearing their
work and being able to identify everyone's individual styles as the weeks progressed.
Jenny Messenger - studying for a Masters degree in Classical Reception
I have really enjoyed the poetry workshop: what I have gained primarily is confidence in
redrafting and reshaping my poems once written. Having others provide constructive
criticism of my work has helped be to become less precious, private and sensitive about it;
equally, seeing what others have written has assisted with my own critical voice.
I enjoyed the introductions to renowned poets' work and the exploration of themes/
techniques/ devices, which I felt could inspire and support the group's own writing.
My suggestions for any improvement would perhaps include further in-depth discussion of
the origins of poetry and why we feel compelled to read and write it, but overall I was very
happy with the workshop and would certainly like to be involved with it again.
Millie Morris
Taking part in the BPI workshop series has been a stimulating, and also frequently a moving
experience, but most of all a great pleasure. I would like to thank Rachael Boast for giving so
much of her time and energy, and all my fellow participants for their thoughtful criticisms
and encouragement, and simply for the chance to get to know them and their work.
In the course of the workshops I was glad to have feedback on work which I had produced
some time ago, as well as help in thinking through the next steps to take with poems at a
much earlier and more fluid stage of development. It is a measure of the stimulation
provided by the group, and by the knowledge that anything I brought to it would receive an
attentive and sympathetic hearing along with incisive comment, that a poem which had
existed, albeit in a skeletal form, in my head for two years, emerged onto paper for the first
time during the final week of the workshop.
I have little doubt that my understanding of how and what I write has been enhanced
and sharpened by taking part in the workshops, and would echo a comment made by
Rachael, to the effect that the distinct voices of each member of the group became clearer and
more vibrant week by week – a sure sign of a process of growth and enrichment.
Peter Naumann
Being a first year undergraduate in Physics with Philosophy, I had not participated in many
literature-related opportunities within the university, and so I thought that Rachael’s
workshop would be a fantastic way to get more involved. I couldn’t have been more pleased.
The material that Rachael had chosen to cover was fruitful, and provided a fertile foundation
for discussion, and the development of our own ideas. Rachael herself was extremely
insightful and helpful, both in talking about the content of the material, and personally,
helping me with my own work. I enjoyed reading my own poetry and listening to the poetry
of others, as being in an environment where people could critique each other’s work meant
that everyone gained enormously. The workshop attracted interesting, open-minded people,
which contributed in creating a stimulating, educative environment. I have now bought
many of the books Rachael recommended, and have been instilled with a desire to write
more and more. It is a workshop like this that made me want to go to university.
Sam Velmans
Just to give some feedback on Rachael Boast - I never actually had the time to go to the
workshops, but she spent some time with me going through my poems. It was a really great
experience. She was very helpful to me. It's nice just to have someone's critical input. I really
loved the whole idea.
Freya Young