Thursday 21 March 2013

WORLD POETRY DAY giveaway

 
Happy World Poetry Day!

In honour of the day I am giving away a copy of my last collection The Juno Charm (Salmon, 2011). Just leave a comment to go into the draw.

And here's a poem from the book for the day that's in it.

The Writer’s Room
after The Guardian’s photographs

My desk was a present from Margaret Atwood.
After Zen and the Art of Uterus Maintenance
sold its first million, she said I needed a place
to write, other than the local bus-shelter.

My view is of the bare wall, of course;
the window and the street are too distracting
for a mind as relentlessly creative as mine –
the very leaves on the trees inspire me.

I picked up the rug on a trek in Uzbekistan,
and that basque-shaped card is from Madonna –
she just adored my last little offering:
The Sex of a Good Enough Woman.

My chair, as you can see, is a bale of hay.
I will always be a simple farmer’s daughter,
with that need to stay close to natural things;
my oak shelves were salvaged from the Titanic.

My computer is Sony’s latest – trés posh –
but I, of course, prefer paper and ink, then
I bash out a final draft on my Remington,
and let my super editor deal with it all.

Have you bought the new collection yet,
Back-pedalling from Hell on My Menstrual Cycle?
It’s sort of Paul Muldoon meets Wendy Cope,
with a dash of Famous Séamus, for gravitas.

My agent says it will be my biggest book to date,
so I’ve left space on the shelf for a few gongs:
The T.S. Eliot, the Irish Times, the Nobel –
I’ll be content with whatever comes my way.

Yes, it’s in this humble room – where I am
unassailable – that all the magic begins.



15 comments:

Unknown said...

Yes Please! Put me in for the draw :)

Group 8 said...

You're in, Mother Dear :)

Merc said...

I would love a copy of The Juno Charm, especially since I´ve had the pleasure of seeing it in action.

Unknown said...

I'd love to engage with the Juno charm. Thanks

Vanessa Gebbie said...

I'd like to win a copy, not for me (I've got my own...) but to give away to someone else who'd love it. x

Caroline M Davies said...

I would love to receive a copy of the Juno Charm which has been on my 'to-read' list for too long now.

Brian Kirk said...

Count me in Nuala - really enjoyed the poem by the way!

MimsMemes said...

I'd love to win a copy!

Crafty Green Poet said...

I enjoyed reading your poem and would love to be entered in the draw!

creativepalabras said...

Yes please, I would like to win a copy. Thanks and happy poetry day!
alessia

Anonymous said...

Oh goodness yes please! I loved Mother America and the poem above is pure gold. Happy UNESCO World Poetry Day!

Nora Nadjarian said...

Belated happy poetry day. With love from bankrupt Cyprus.

Group 8 said...

Right back at ya, Nora, from bankrupt Ireland :(
I'll put you in the hat.

Group 8 said...

And the winner is Mims Memes.

Hi Mims. Congrats!
Please send me your address to nuala AT nualanichonchuir DOT com. Cheers!

MimsMemes said...

Thank you so much! I'm so happy!