Well, now. This is big. Several major poets shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize, the UK's equivalent of the Pulitzer in terms of prestige, have asked to be removed, in protest at the sponsorship by a hedge fund, Aurum. This seems like very bad news for The Poetry Book Society. I wonder how come no one noticed until now that in an age of austerity, poets might not want to be associated with capitalist institutions? I am not sure the protest entirely makes sense - is Alice Oswald against all capitalism? Her publisher markets and sells her books, and no doubt has a business account with a bank, and investments. It seems a staggering gesture, but one that in some ways seems self-defeating. Poets can appear aloof. Now they appear begrudging of a potential major prize, when many people would work a year for £15,000.
THAT HANDSOME MAN A PERSONAL BRIEF REVIEW BY TODD SWIFT I could lie and claim Larkin, Yeats , or Dylan Thomas most excited me as a young poet, or even Pound or FT Prince - but the truth be told, it was Thom Gunn I first and most loved when I was young. Precisely, I fell in love with his first two collections, written under a formalist, Elizabethan ( Fulke Greville mainly), Yvor Winters triad of influences - uniquely fused with an interest in homerotica, pop culture ( Brando, Elvis , motorcycles). His best poem 'On The Move' is oddly presented here without the quote that began it usually - Man, you gotta go - which I loved. Gunn was - and remains - so thrilling, to me at least, because so odd. His elegance, poise, and intelligence is all about display, about surface - but the surface of a panther, who ripples with strength beneath the skin. With Gunn, you dressed to have sex. Or so I thought. Because I was queer (I maintain the right to lay claim to that
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Katy posted on the same subject and has had quite a lot of reaction on her blog.
Best wishes from Simon