Yup, Joanna, but the matters I've related did not arise from any
confrontation between myself and Ken Berry - I've known him for 10 years and
try to encourage him to, well, develop his style into something more
flexible, shall I say?

The aggro that happened came from people who do not read poetry nor have any
interest in it but somehow perceive Ken and others similar as writing work
that 'communicates' and has 'accessibility'. which virtues they say I lack.

People devoid of interest in poetry who are employed by an arts centre.

The social coding is that I (and others like me) offend against, erm, what
can I call it, a kind of collective ego by demuring from a certain standard
of mediocrity. It is not an issue of my being confrontational but rather
failing to display enthusiasm .

Best

Dave


----- Original Message -----
From: "Joanna Boulter" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 12:38 PM
Subject: Re: Local Poetic Culture


> But David, we all come across stuff like this, and in person too. It's
> perfectly possible to steer a path between being confrontational about its
> undoubted awfulness and giving it tacit approval. I usually go for a
tactful
> 'not my cup of tea, I'm afraid', which may be a bit of a cop-out but is
> surely better in a social situation.
>
> If you've been engaged to write a review of something, that's a different
> matter, though I personally do still try for a modicum of tact. In
> conversation in the local Arts Centre strikes me as not exactly the place
to
> wield a critical bludgeon. And, as you've seen, your point did not get
> across.
>
> Of course I know damn well that you are a far better poet than this
K.Berry.
> But if he can't see this for himself, he's sure as hell not going to take
it
> on your say-so.
>
> best    joanna
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Bircumshaw" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2006 11:45 PM
> Subject: Local Poetic Culture
>
>
> > Slightly recovered here now, as matters have now risen to the level of
> > apparent death-threats to me, or at least being 'cut up' or 'bled' or
> > 'skinned' by persons unknown. I might re-iterate that behind all this
was
> > my
> > lack of veneration for a local poet, who, I must add, was in now way
> > directly responsible for what developed, and is from all reports quite
> > appalled by it all, but my original crime, which has now been compounded
> > from talking too loud without respect to ruining a drug-dealer's pitch
and
> > trade in our dear arts centre, hence the alleged threats (if real)
> >
> > but here's an example of the maestro's work, for not liking which
> > sufficiently I have been hit, threatened, insulted, barred, vilified and
> > generally trod upon:
> >
> > The Dodo
> >
> > It's sad the dodo is extinct
> > when once the creature winked and blinked
> > and in a manner so succinct;
> >
> > on that far-off Mauritius isle
> > the sailors treated dodos vile -
> > were only out to make a pile
> >
> > they introduced domestic pets
> > and caught the dodo in their nets,
> > on its survival hedged their bets
> >
> > and, growing grossly overweight -
> > its diet got in such a state -
> > ship's crews ate dodos off a plate!
> >
> > With quaint physique it might have filled
> > the place of some bright bird that trilled
> > of slimmer, more athletic build
> >
> > but that was not to be the case -
> > odd beaks and feet, and funny face,
> > it's disappeared without a trace!
> >
> > from 'Building New Bridges'
> >
> > copyright K. Berry 2000.
> >
> >
> > best
> >
> > Dave