Name change

Poetry Nottingham is to change its name to ASSENT, as a result of securing new funding from the University of Derby.

The move came after the magazine had its Arts Council grant cancelled in 2007, so the new money ensures the survival and development of one of the real stalwarts of the small mag scene.

Editor Adrian Buckner said that the new name would "combine nuances of openness and aspiration to excellence", but added "if you are interested in the clinching 'that's it!' moment of decision, I would point you to Elizabeth Bishop's poem Anaphora".

Anyway, as a long-time reader of the magazine, as well as someone who has appeared in it a number of times, I'm delighted to see that it's moving ahead under Adrian's leadership.

Poetry Nottingham

The new Poetry Nottingham arrived yesterday, and I spent a fair part of the day browsing it. This issue contains the winners of the PN Open Competition, so there's less space for reviews than normal, but there's an excellent appraisal of DA Prince's HappenStance collection, Nearly The Happy Hour.

The poems include work by the reliably excellent CJ Allen, and there's a definite HappenStance flavour to things too, with Patricia Ace, Gill McEvoy and myself also appearing in there.* My poem, His Old Tricks, was one of the winners of the mini-competition in the last issue - the other winner was Knock-Off Country, by Jon Stone (highly recommended).

*Because the poets in PN appear in alphabetical order, my poem appears opposite Gill's - the second or maybe even third time this has happened, I think. Always nice to be among friends!

On the Horizon

The first edition of Horizon Review, Salt Publishing's new online magazine, is now live. Edited by Jane Holland, it includes poems by, among others, Alison Brackenbury, George Szirtes, James Midgeley, Rob Mackenzie, Andrew Shields, Andrew Philip, Zoe Brigley and Katy Evans-Bush, plus art, fiction, reviews and articles. It looks a great read - ideal for a quiet Sunday afternoon.

I also received the new Tears In The Fence yesterday and have been dipping in and out of it since. So far I've liked Julie Lumsden's poems, and enjoyed Tom Chivers' regular column and a review of a book by Elisabeth Bletsoe. I like the look of her poems a lot, and will have to get hold of the volume in question.

Finally, Poetry Nottingham arrived in the week. I've got a poem, Troglodyte, in there, and there's loads of good stuff by the likes of DA Prince.

Competition time

I received this from Poetry Nottingham editor Adrian Buckner. Have a go - I've sketched something out, and far from feeling constrained by the imposed beginning, I think it took me somewhere I wouldn't otherwise have gone...

Poetry Competition (with a difference, or two)

RULES:
1. Your poem must begin with:
She lay on the lounger, watching
the rabbit nuzzle the lobelia
2. There is no line limit
3. Only one entry per person
4. Closing date: 3rd October 2008
5. Entry fee is 66p in postage attached to an unaddressed A5 envelope
6. Entries can be typed or handwritten.
7. Name and address must appear on the manuscript.
8. Entries to: Adrian Buckner, Poetry Nottingham, 11 Orkney Close, Stenson Fields, Derby DE24 3LW

YOU MAY:
1. Include your entry along with other poems to be considered for inclusion in Poetry Nottingham. (Entry fee still applies)
2. Alter the lineation of the required opening.
3. Inform everyone in your family, creative writing class, writers’ workshop, about this ground-breaking venture/editor’s whimsy and encourage them to enter.

PRIZES:
1. The best two entries in the opinion of the editor will appear in the next issue of Poetry Nottingham (winners to be informed prior to publication)
2. The winners will also receive a year’s subscription to Poetry Nottingham or, if already subscribing, a year’s extension to their subscription.