‘Fine Line Form & Function’ wins poem of the quarter – ‘Poems That Kick’

A simple post.

http://poemsthatkick.blogspot.com/2007/08/announcing-best-poem-of-summer-quarter.html

The poem itself may be found here:-

http://poemsthatkick.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html

you’ll need to scroll down a bit.

Booked In Brum – book recommendations for the summer

The Rotter’s Club by Jonathan Coe If, like me, you grew up in the 1970’s this book will remind you just how dismal the decade was with its strikes, terrorist attacks and growing racial tension. The story chronicles the growing pains of four Brummie schoolboys who inherit the editorship of the school newspaper and proceed to put their own spin on the turbulent events of the outside world. Essentially, it is a coming of age novel  and an amusing reminder that the 1970s was a period of great social and political upheaval. The Rotter’s Club succeeds in making some serious political points whilst simultaneously entertaining the reader with the exploits of the the four main characters: Philip, Sean, Doug and Benjamin.  

Turning Thirty by Mike Gayle Published in 2001 this is a follow-up to Gayle’s well received My Legendary Girlfriend and Mr. Commitment. Matt Beckford is hurtling towards the big 3-0 and reckons he’s got it sussed with a good job in New York a gorgeous girlfriend. When his relationship flounders he returns to his parents’ in Moseley and bumps into a childhood sweetheart, Ginny. Things start to become complicated as Matt embarks on a bizarre transatlantic love triangle involving himself, Ginnie and Elaine. A refreshingly funny, very truthful and also unsentimental read. 

Astonishing Splashes of Colour by Clare Morrall 

 This one is published by Birmingham’s well respected Tindal Street Press and I would recommend checking out their website. Tindal Street have a superb record or publishing high quality writing from new local authors. The central character in this novel, Kitty, suffers from synaesthesia, a condition in which feelings are experiences as colours. The youngest of a large bohemian family where she is the only one not to remember their mother, Kitty feels detached. Even her nickname was on hold until the death of its previous bearer, the family cat! Now drowning in bereavment, Kitty’s worsening psychological condition unravels in distressing ways, as the roots of her family’s dysfunction slowly unfold before her.

Cut on the Bias by Julie Boden Thought I’d throw in some poetry by the former Birmingham Poest Laureate. Cut on the Bias is Boden’s second Collection published in Summer 2002. This is a short collection of contemporary work with many references to Birmingham landmarks. Boden’s style is distinct and extremely accessible. A particular favourite of mine is Cafe Rouge which tells of an illicit meeting between a married man and his lover in a restaurant followed by a quick knee trembler beneath Alpha Tower. 

Nice Work by David Lodge This novel was adapted for television (as was The Rotter’s Club) and starred the excellent Warren Mitchell. Nice Work is a tale of academia and industry colliding as Robyn Penrose, temporary lecturer in English literature and Vic Willcox, MD of Pringle and Sons Industrial Engineering meet when they take part in an “Industry Year” scheme. The consequences of this ill-considered exercise are often hysterical although proabaly predictable as we watch the clash between the harsh 1980s world of West Midlands manufacturing and the more leisurly pursuit of academic research and teaching. Birmingham is renamed Rummidge but it will be apparent to anyone who has so much as sniffed a balti that Lodge is writing about the second city. 

The Big Boys Did It and Ran Away

This article first appeared in August’s Organic Life Magazine. 

There can’t be many people who would now challenge the overwhelming scientific consensus that carbon dioxide emissions are responsible for climate change. It is obvious that unless we do something within the next decade the ecosystem is likely to be irrevocably damaged. However, there appears to be a sinister blame culture prevalent amongst the wealthier nations, who somehow feel it reasonable to criticise the developing nations’ contribution to environmental pollution.  Wind the clock back a couple of hundred years to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and there was no gatekeeper prohibiting us from polluting. We had an unhindered opportunity to plan and execute rapid economic growth, leaving us in the enviable position of being able to realise considerable social and economic benefits. Furthermore, the history books show we weren’t exactly quick to clean up our own act either. In 2004, emissions from developing economies made up 73 per cent of the global growth in emissions. However, why shouldn’t developing economies be provided with their moment in the sun?  It is just too simplistic and too arrogant to blame developing nations. They are only doing what we did a few hundred years ago. They are trying to make better lives for their sons and daughters; they are trying to pull themselves out of poverty. They are only increasing their output because of demand. Most of this demand comes from the developed world due to the insatiable appetite for cheap goods and services. In other words, this is partly our own fault. But what can be done? Firstly our tax system should discourage businesses based in the developed world from farming out labour intensive processes to developing countries. This will slow down their growth for sure but perhaps it may encourage them to base future growth on a more skilled and knowledge based economy. Secondly, consumers should get savvy. Large corporations are sensitive to criticism and direct action based on their environmental record. It is easy to let them get away with trite statements about recycling and reducing packaging. Consumers should start demanding information about where manufacturing is outsourced and pointing out the direct link between such outsourcing and increased emissions. Only then will we start to realise we can’t blame others for polluting the planet. Finally, the stark truth is that we may just have to pay more for our goods and services, use less stuff or accept a less impressive economic performance!