Happy New Year everyone!
Hope you're all doing well and had a nice Christmas. So far 2017 has had an uneventful start here in Frynwys, but things are definitely looking up for the new year. As for myself, I am currently searching for a job while I make the transition from postgraduate education to the world of work. I tried getting a part-time job at Frynwys's only shop, but they were looking for people with checkout experience. Not the best omen, but I will persevere in my search.
Poetry-wise, there is a lot to look forward to. Some of the poetry I wrote for my master's course is due to be published in my university's pamphlet, though who knows if anything will come of that. As for this blog, you can expect many new poems starting from the end of this week. I have had a bit of a writing spree of late, which is odd because Christmas was very quiet here.
Anyway, that's just a taster of what's to come. Thank you for stopping by, and I'll see you soon.
Showing posts with label university. Show all posts
Showing posts with label university. Show all posts
Thursday, 5 January 2017
Wednesday, 16 November 2016
The Tiger Poet Returns
Hi guys. It's been quite a while.
I'm happy to confirm that blogging will recommence in due course. Having been gone for the last year, much needs to be sorted out. Since my last post I graduated from university and started a postgraduate course, a now that the course is almost over I now have the time to share some new writing with you. Hopefully the first of several new poems will be up by this weekend.
It certainly is good to be back.
I'm happy to confirm that blogging will recommence in due course. Having been gone for the last year, much needs to be sorted out. Since my last post I graduated from university and started a postgraduate course, a now that the course is almost over I now have the time to share some new writing with you. Hopefully the first of several new poems will be up by this weekend.
It certainly is good to be back.
Sunday, 5 April 2015
NaPoWriMo #5 | The Plot Thickens
Just a small poem for day five of NaPoWriMo. However, this is more of a personal poem than usual as it's inspired by a sign I see every time I go into uni for the day. Hope it's not too bad.
The Plot Thickens
In a glass bus shelter,
a sign adorns the window.
Everyone sees it,
those arriving for work
and those leaving for home.
Small, square, neon green.
The Plot Thickens
In a glass bus shelter,
a sign adorns the window.
Everyone sees it,
those arriving for work
and those leaving for home.
Small, square, neon green.
Thursday, 5 March 2015
The Tiger Poet vs. Spoken Word
So far this year, I've seen more spoken word than ever before. I've spent the last couple of months going to a few spoken word nights while at university. Some of the results were surprising to say the least, but it also got me thinking about the practice of spoken word in general. I found myself wondering about what the ideal tone of a spoken word night should be, and why I have not attempted performing spoken word myself.
The spoken word nights I've been to so far have displayed varying degrees of seriousness and comedy. Quite often they start with a performance poet reciting purely comedic poems, only to undercut that when the next poet performs a poem containing social commentary. The acts which follow tend to be somewhere in the middle, performing serious poems about important issues with a tinge of comedy thrown in for effect. I noticed this last year when I saw Kevin P. Gilday at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, but having seen more spoken word since then, it seems that the blending of comedy and seriousness is a common trend.
I am not too fond of serious poetry. Although I recognise its significance and why such poetry is a valuable part of literature, I hardly ever write it. I suppose I have never been too serious. As I result, when I listen to poetry at spoken word nights dealing with subjects such as problems in the Middle East or the complications of human relationships, I tend to count the minutes until the next comedic poet comes on. It's not that I don't see merit in serious poetry; it's just that I find it hard to take serious poetry all that seriously.
That said, most of the spoken word artists I've seen are great. They certainly have a way with words, and they also have a way of delivering poems in interesting ways. Watching them perform onstage has gotten me thinking about why I've never attempting performing spoken word myself. The main reason is that I used to hardly venture out of the independent house I live in at university, although I've been making efforts to be more outgoing in recent months. The other reason is that I don't feel the poetry I write is suited to the environment of spoken word.
Anyone who's been reading this blog on a regular basis (not suggesting there are many), will know that I write poems in the hope that they will be read. There is a difference between writing poems for a reading audience and writing poems for a live audience. Spoken word is as much about the performance of the artist as it is about the words they're reading. They have to engage the audience with their poetry while adopting a stage persona. With written poetry you can concentrate on the more technical things such as stanza length, line breaks and (especially in my case), narrative structure. You tend to be more concerned about what an individual reader will take from it, rather than engaging a live audience.
As it stands, I've been invited to two spoken word nights happening in the next week. If I was in charge of deciding the tone of these events, I would probably try to inject more fun into them. As I've already said, that's not to the detriment of the serious performance poets, but if spoken word nights were as fun as they are enlightening, I would definitely enjoy them more. Some performance poets handle both fun and seriousness with impeccable skill, and it would be great if spoken word nights had more of this, and if the artists and the audience had more fun in the process. It could be that these next two events will exceed my expectations, and I look forward to them.
In the meantime, the latest episode of Silent Animal Poetry is online and available for your viewing pleasure at this link: http://youtu.be/8foYQc4QdwY. Some new poetry will be released with in the coming week, along with an announcement about that First World War project I've been mentioning a lot. See you all soon.
The spoken word nights I've been to so far have displayed varying degrees of seriousness and comedy. Quite often they start with a performance poet reciting purely comedic poems, only to undercut that when the next poet performs a poem containing social commentary. The acts which follow tend to be somewhere in the middle, performing serious poems about important issues with a tinge of comedy thrown in for effect. I noticed this last year when I saw Kevin P. Gilday at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, but having seen more spoken word since then, it seems that the blending of comedy and seriousness is a common trend.
I am not too fond of serious poetry. Although I recognise its significance and why such poetry is a valuable part of literature, I hardly ever write it. I suppose I have never been too serious. As I result, when I listen to poetry at spoken word nights dealing with subjects such as problems in the Middle East or the complications of human relationships, I tend to count the minutes until the next comedic poet comes on. It's not that I don't see merit in serious poetry; it's just that I find it hard to take serious poetry all that seriously.
That said, most of the spoken word artists I've seen are great. They certainly have a way with words, and they also have a way of delivering poems in interesting ways. Watching them perform onstage has gotten me thinking about why I've never attempting performing spoken word myself. The main reason is that I used to hardly venture out of the independent house I live in at university, although I've been making efforts to be more outgoing in recent months. The other reason is that I don't feel the poetry I write is suited to the environment of spoken word.
Anyone who's been reading this blog on a regular basis (not suggesting there are many), will know that I write poems in the hope that they will be read. There is a difference between writing poems for a reading audience and writing poems for a live audience. Spoken word is as much about the performance of the artist as it is about the words they're reading. They have to engage the audience with their poetry while adopting a stage persona. With written poetry you can concentrate on the more technical things such as stanza length, line breaks and (especially in my case), narrative structure. You tend to be more concerned about what an individual reader will take from it, rather than engaging a live audience.
As it stands, I've been invited to two spoken word nights happening in the next week. If I was in charge of deciding the tone of these events, I would probably try to inject more fun into them. As I've already said, that's not to the detriment of the serious performance poets, but if spoken word nights were as fun as they are enlightening, I would definitely enjoy them more. Some performance poets handle both fun and seriousness with impeccable skill, and it would be great if spoken word nights had more of this, and if the artists and the audience had more fun in the process. It could be that these next two events will exceed my expectations, and I look forward to them.
In the meantime, the latest episode of Silent Animal Poetry is online and available for your viewing pleasure at this link: http://youtu.be/8foYQc4QdwY. Some new poetry will be released with in the coming week, along with an announcement about that First World War project I've been mentioning a lot. See you all soon.
Tuesday, 6 January 2015
New Year's Greetings
Hello everyone. Hope 2015 is proving to be a good year already. I know I covered some of my intentions for the new year in my last post of 2014, but I thought I'd outline them a bit more thoroughly in this one.
I've already stated my New Year's resolution to write at least one post every week, with the posts alternating between poetry and other exciting stuff. I recently mentioned that one of my future posts will be devoted to the First World War. Needless to say, I will be primarily discussing the on-going commemorations of the centenary of the war, but also about my own projects related to it. Keep an eye out for further announcements about a First World War writing project in the near future.
The next post will be another poem. I expect the poetry output to be at least two poems a week from now on. I previously said that I will be writing more tiger related poetry, as I don't feel I posted many of them last year. There will of course be poems about other things such as other animals and Wales, but tigers will play a big part in it. Aside from poetry, I will also be writing a post covering the rise and fall of Project Tiger.
As for university, the work never ends. I realise that was somewhat ironic considering that I'll be graduating in July. A lot of the work will be to do with my poetry module, although I can't share any of it on this blog due to submission issues. I still have no idea what I want to do beyond graduation, although employment seems a good option. Whenever that happens, I'm sure there will be a post detailing it.
Anyhow, those are the updates so far for the new year. Hopefully I'll be able to stick to my resolution, and if I don't I might as well drop my poetry module.
So welcome to 2015, and here's hoping it'll be good.
I've already stated my New Year's resolution to write at least one post every week, with the posts alternating between poetry and other exciting stuff. I recently mentioned that one of my future posts will be devoted to the First World War. Needless to say, I will be primarily discussing the on-going commemorations of the centenary of the war, but also about my own projects related to it. Keep an eye out for further announcements about a First World War writing project in the near future.
The next post will be another poem. I expect the poetry output to be at least two poems a week from now on. I previously said that I will be writing more tiger related poetry, as I don't feel I posted many of them last year. There will of course be poems about other things such as other animals and Wales, but tigers will play a big part in it. Aside from poetry, I will also be writing a post covering the rise and fall of Project Tiger.
As for university, the work never ends. I realise that was somewhat ironic considering that I'll be graduating in July. A lot of the work will be to do with my poetry module, although I can't share any of it on this blog due to submission issues. I still have no idea what I want to do beyond graduation, although employment seems a good option. Whenever that happens, I'm sure there will be a post detailing it.
Anyhow, those are the updates so far for the new year. Hopefully I'll be able to stick to my resolution, and if I don't I might as well drop my poetry module.
So welcome to 2015, and here's hoping it'll be good.
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
The Tiger Poet vs. 2014
And so we've come to the end of another year. It seems like only last week that I started writing this blog, but considering that I started in June this isn't such a dramatic opening to a post. With New Year's Eve upon us and the inevitable revelries about to start, I've decided to take some time out and reflect upon the year just gone. To try and sum it up in full is a task for someone better qualified than me, so I'll give my own perspective on what has made 2014 a truly eventful year.
The first big event this year was this blog being created. Anyone who's read my first post will know that I decided to start a blog due to being on a creative writing course at university, and that it seemed quite appropriate. You may also know that I was originally called something else, but that I had to change my name when I discovered that somebody else had taken it. I chose my current name due to a lot of my poetry having a recurring theme involving tigers. I know I haven't discussed this theme in detail this year, so expect more tiger poetry in the New Year, as well as more stuff to start arriving on the YouTube channel.
Two other big events I saw this year as the Tiger Poet were the centenary of Dylan Thomas and my trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Seeing a poet as famous as Dylan Thomas being celebrated for his poetry gave me an extra boost to get my own work out there. Despite the fact that the only thing I have in common with Thomas is being Welsh, the discussion of his poetry inspired me to increase my own output and to further my understanding of poetry.
Then there was the Edinburgh Fringe, where I was astounded by the sheer volume of creativity on display, and where I first saw performance poetry somewhere other than university. Aside from the music and theatre I also saw, it was Kevin P. Gilday is the Man Who Loved Beer which gave me first-hand experience of how spoken word is performed in a live setting. I have always noted how performance poets always seem to perform their work at the same pitch and with the same tone. In Gilday's case however, his delivery was entirely suitable to the subject matter, and now I realise that this point can be modified if the poet has a strong individual voice. Gilday certainly had that and I look forward to seeing some more spoken word in the future.
The big event in Wales this year was of course the NATO summit held at the Celtic Manor in Newport. It was perhaps the single biggest event to be held in Newport in living memory, and the arrival of Barack Obama caused more than a stir in South Wales. The first US president to visit Wales left the Welsh people somewhat star-struck, and he brought a three thousand strong entourage with him. The most important outcome of the summit was the ceasefire in Ukraine, which was announced by President Poroshenko on the Celtic Manor's lawn. However my main memory of the summit will be the Osprey V22 which flew over my house. Never before had Frynwys seen anything like it, and I doubt we'll be seeing much like it again.
For me personally, starting my third and final year at university has been a defining event of 2014. Soon my studies will be at an end, and I face the daunting prospect of graduating and going off into the big wide world of work. Quite what I intend to do beyond that is a mystery to me at the moment, but I intend to carry on with this blog and to bring you content on a regular basis. This year my output has been on and off at the best of times, but going forward I will make it my New Year's resolution to bring you new posts at least every week. In the last few months I've tried to keep a consistent schedule, but with the new year will come more new and exciting things.
So, that's it. The year is done and dusted. All I can say now is goodbye to 2014. It's been a fun year, but all eyes are now turning towards the clock for the countdown to the New Year. Hope you all enjoy the fireworks and I'll see you all in 2015.
Happy New Year everyone!
The first big event this year was this blog being created. Anyone who's read my first post will know that I decided to start a blog due to being on a creative writing course at university, and that it seemed quite appropriate. You may also know that I was originally called something else, but that I had to change my name when I discovered that somebody else had taken it. I chose my current name due to a lot of my poetry having a recurring theme involving tigers. I know I haven't discussed this theme in detail this year, so expect more tiger poetry in the New Year, as well as more stuff to start arriving on the YouTube channel.
Two other big events I saw this year as the Tiger Poet were the centenary of Dylan Thomas and my trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Seeing a poet as famous as Dylan Thomas being celebrated for his poetry gave me an extra boost to get my own work out there. Despite the fact that the only thing I have in common with Thomas is being Welsh, the discussion of his poetry inspired me to increase my own output and to further my understanding of poetry.
Then there was the Edinburgh Fringe, where I was astounded by the sheer volume of creativity on display, and where I first saw performance poetry somewhere other than university. Aside from the music and theatre I also saw, it was Kevin P. Gilday is the Man Who Loved Beer which gave me first-hand experience of how spoken word is performed in a live setting. I have always noted how performance poets always seem to perform their work at the same pitch and with the same tone. In Gilday's case however, his delivery was entirely suitable to the subject matter, and now I realise that this point can be modified if the poet has a strong individual voice. Gilday certainly had that and I look forward to seeing some more spoken word in the future.
The big event in Wales this year was of course the NATO summit held at the Celtic Manor in Newport. It was perhaps the single biggest event to be held in Newport in living memory, and the arrival of Barack Obama caused more than a stir in South Wales. The first US president to visit Wales left the Welsh people somewhat star-struck, and he brought a three thousand strong entourage with him. The most important outcome of the summit was the ceasefire in Ukraine, which was announced by President Poroshenko on the Celtic Manor's lawn. However my main memory of the summit will be the Osprey V22 which flew over my house. Never before had Frynwys seen anything like it, and I doubt we'll be seeing much like it again.
For me personally, starting my third and final year at university has been a defining event of 2014. Soon my studies will be at an end, and I face the daunting prospect of graduating and going off into the big wide world of work. Quite what I intend to do beyond that is a mystery to me at the moment, but I intend to carry on with this blog and to bring you content on a regular basis. This year my output has been on and off at the best of times, but going forward I will make it my New Year's resolution to bring you new posts at least every week. In the last few months I've tried to keep a consistent schedule, but with the new year will come more new and exciting things.
So, that's it. The year is done and dusted. All I can say now is goodbye to 2014. It's been a fun year, but all eyes are now turning towards the clock for the countdown to the New Year. Hope you all enjoy the fireworks and I'll see you all in 2015.
Happy New Year everyone!
Monday, 29 December 2014
Half a Glass
I can't remember the last time
it was as sunny as this.
Whenever a roasting summer beckons
the downpour beats it
to the front of the queue.
The lush green fields have a slight
black tinge to them.
Even the sheep and cows look drab.
A group of strangers pass and smile.
Everyone seems happy today.
< They say that food feeds the mind.
as well as the stomach.
I'd beg to differ.
Thousands of sausage rolls cannot
fuel the hyperactive engine
behind my eyes.
Still people smile in my direction.
Maybe the sunshine has
brightened everyone up a bit.
Maybe the scent of summer
has made them cheerful.
A glance at a window reveals to me
the cause for their incessant jubilance.
The right lens of my glasses
is no longer there.
now the world is half bright, half dark.
Oh well.
(In case anyone was wondering, this poem was inspired by an incident at university where I walked round campus not knowing that one of my shades' lenses had popped out.)
it was as sunny as this.
Whenever a roasting summer beckons
the downpour beats it
to the front of the queue.
The lush green fields have a slight
black tinge to them.
Even the sheep and cows look drab.
A group of strangers pass and smile.
Everyone seems happy today.
< They say that food feeds the mind.
as well as the stomach.
I'd beg to differ.
Thousands of sausage rolls cannot
fuel the hyperactive engine
behind my eyes.
Still people smile in my direction.
Maybe the sunshine has
brightened everyone up a bit.
Maybe the scent of summer
has made them cheerful.
A glance at a window reveals to me
the cause for their incessant jubilance.
The right lens of my glasses
is no longer there.
now the world is half bright, half dark.
Oh well.
(In case anyone was wondering, this poem was inspired by an incident at university where I walked round campus not knowing that one of my shades' lenses had popped out.)
Sunday, 5 October 2014
University Updates
As readers of the poem I posted yesterday may or may not have guessed, I've been back at university for a fortnight. A lot can happen in a fortnight, and as luck would have it, a fair amount did happen. Fresher's Week aside, I've been settling back into the routine of seminars and lectures, which will be more intensive now I'm in my final year.
At my first seminar this week, I was told that I'll have to visit several public events where writers of all sorts will be speaking. I was given a list of possibilities, ranging from the Cheltenham Literature Festival to performance poetry nights in Bristol. The second seminar dealt with poetry, and it turns out I'm expected to produce a collection of the stuff. My last seminar was one for writing a novel. I'll have to write a large portion of this novel over the next year.
Life at university isn't getting any easier in third year. I discovered the other day that I already have an essay due in for the end of the month, along with a study of some event programs and at least a thousand words of a novel due for next week. For a village hermit like me, living in a different place is a very strange but rewarding experience, but all this added work has somewhat lessened my enjoyment of it.
So, how will the new workload affect this blog? Well seeing as I'm an amateur poet, I'll be reporting on my progress throughout the poetry section of the course in the coming months. Maybe I'll do some features on any writing events I go to and possibly include some excerpts from work in progress on my novel writing module. I also think this would be a good opportunity to introduce you to a few of my contemporaries who are undertaking similar challenges.
It's quite different to the quiet, almost sleep-inducing idleness of my village, but it will do. I'll see you all again very soon, possibly with another poem or too. Oh, and tigers will definitely be involved.
At my first seminar this week, I was told that I'll have to visit several public events where writers of all sorts will be speaking. I was given a list of possibilities, ranging from the Cheltenham Literature Festival to performance poetry nights in Bristol. The second seminar dealt with poetry, and it turns out I'm expected to produce a collection of the stuff. My last seminar was one for writing a novel. I'll have to write a large portion of this novel over the next year.
Life at university isn't getting any easier in third year. I discovered the other day that I already have an essay due in for the end of the month, along with a study of some event programs and at least a thousand words of a novel due for next week. For a village hermit like me, living in a different place is a very strange but rewarding experience, but all this added work has somewhat lessened my enjoyment of it.
So, how will the new workload affect this blog? Well seeing as I'm an amateur poet, I'll be reporting on my progress throughout the poetry section of the course in the coming months. Maybe I'll do some features on any writing events I go to and possibly include some excerpts from work in progress on my novel writing module. I also think this would be a good opportunity to introduce you to a few of my contemporaries who are undertaking similar challenges.
It's quite different to the quiet, almost sleep-inducing idleness of my village, but it will do. I'll see you all again very soon, possibly with another poem or too. Oh, and tigers will definitely be involved.
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