Garyswordz

This was the last event in the 2011 season for Fizz, and featured the second live performance of the Cork Poets on tour with a radio appearance still to come. The move from the Refectory to the Tithe Barn was a success with the more intimate and comfortable surroundings accommodating a good turn -out, and was a credit to organisers Mal Dewhirst and Antony R Owen. The presence of several newcomers to Fizz was particularly welcome both in welcoming the guests and in providing some new voices to the second half open mic section.

Following their Coventry appearance, the Cork Poets read fresh material, with Afric McGinchley opening up the evening in very strong style. She introduced us to the Zimbabwe Tokoloshe. Zimbabwe’s Tokoloshe is large, covered in fur with long talons and a bony spine reaching all the way down its back from the top of its skull with glowing red eyes and emits a foul stench, speaking in a rasping voice. Fear of them is such that many people will not sleep on the floor, and will raise their beds higher by placing bricks underneath the legs. This enables them to see one hiding underneath the bed before they retire for the night. There’s a good reason to fear a Tokoloshe – it is claimed they will climb into the bed with the inhabitant and bite off a sleeping man’s toes and have their wicked, Tokoloshe way, with the women. Some people will not even mention the name Tokoloshe for fear of summoning this extremely unwelcome guest. A person can summon one to inflict harm upon another, and if this happens then a Nyanga – witchdoctor – may intervene and chase the evil being away. Only the victim and the culprit dealing with it can see a Tokoloshe, apart from children.

So when the farm workers on Afric’s farm downed tools because of the presence of a Tokoloshe, this was bad news both for the collection of the harvest and the well being of the farm workers, time to call in the Nyanga to resolve the situation, and for Afric to write Exorcism about the incident. Raw material does not get much better than that. The poem was fabulous. What impressed me most about her was the versatility of her writing. The emotion of her poem to her son leaving home captivated the room ,complete with plaintive cry to “ grab the tender moments”, Yes a stream of consciousness poem about a young virgin’s first sexual encounter was erotic and compelling, while Fish Paste and Star Jumps was the most innovative poem about being stuck in a traffic jam I have heard for a long time.

Com Scully has mastered the art of dry wit and humour, always eschewing a belly laugh in favour of a wry smile. The Schism of Antioch was a great title which he chose to develop independent of the facts, no matter, it was impressive and fun. He told of when he was nearly undone by a Professor of near east history of the first millennium, but successfully blagged his way through, no doubt resulting in a frantic search by the academic for this fresh source material, a search that will be forever doomed! Sceilig Mhichíl, is a steep rocky island, one of a pair, in the Atlantic some nine miles from the coast of County Kerry. It is home to a monastery founded in the 7th century in which the monks lived in stone ‘beehive’ huts, clochans, perched above near vertical cliff walls. As such it was rich and evocative ground for Return to Red Abbey to explore. Two poems inspired by his daughters, Isabel and Middle Age, revealed Colm’s soft side, but the most striking poem for me was his last, God’s Footballer, which marvelously conjured memories of childhood sporting endeavour.

Jennifer Mathews works in concise, understated forms. Some poets wring the maximum out of their inspiration, Jennifer does just enough, making each word work hard, and she knows a rich image when she spots one. After two weather poems she read Firsts , which explores unsuitable youthful infatuation inspired by spotting an initially striking young man sitting on some steps ,who then revealed himself as a ravaged drug addict. So although” Thin and tall as a long wicked flame,
he is white hot—white everything” he then morphs when “ he opens his mouth— a missing tooth, others rotting at their bases. I feel them curl in their little deaths.” Anyone who has lived in more than one country tends to be sharp in spotting local foibles and idiosyncrasies. Jennifer did just that in A Taste of More a playful and affectionate twist on the English phrase “moreish”.

The open- mic half gave the Cork Poets an opportunity to both relax and appreciate the work of others, and numerous poets were on top form. I shall pick out just two poems which edged above a very strong field, Antony R Owen’s Mother Russia, and Gary Carr’s Fish. And so , for a night, the spirit of O Bheal in Winthrop St, Cork, lived in Polesworth. We live in a time of international financial uncertainty , self interest and mistrust. Over a pre-poetry pint I mused with our visitors about the connection which most poets instinctively recognise when in poetic company. Perhaps it is the poetic quest to ask questions, whilst respecting and welcoming differences which is part of that bond? The value of the Cork/Coventry Poets exchange unquestionably strengthens that desire to celebrate what we share and demands to be nurtured and grown.

The Cork Poets, Jennifer Mathews, Afric McGlinchey and Colm Scully flanked by Mal Dewhirst (left) and Tony Owen (right)

Gary Longden 3/11/11

A strengthening artistic bond between Coventry and Cork was reinforced tonight with the latest exchange visit between the two cities, which this time brought Colm Scully, Jennifer Mathews and Afric McGlinchey across the water. An unexpected bonus of the evening was the American and African heritage which Jennifer and Afric respectively, brought with their writing, in addition to the Cork/ Irish nexus. All three poets had impressive literary credentials, but as Afric later opined, it is better to let the poetry itself do the talking – which is exactly which they did, in some style.

Colm Scully

Colm Scully playfully boasted that he had the only authentic Cork accent, but his poetry was far from parochial. The satire Ode to Capitalism in an era of global financial crisis was safe opening territory, before he switched from macro-economics to the personal imagined life story of a 103 year old lady who had recently died- and then moved to an unlikely fascination with hats. Colm is a chemical engineer by profession, and that discipline was evident in his meticulous and fond description of the manufacture of millinery. Origins of Superlatives was witty, my favourite from his reading was The Minarets at Little Island a fine evocative industrial landscape piece.

Jennifer Mathews

Jennifer Mathews is a recently naturalised Irish citizen of Missouri, USA, descent, a reverse of the emigration trends of the past two centuries. After opening with Scavenger Hunt , a reprise of the theme of the collapse of global capitalism, she then ventured into the less well known excesses of the Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas with Protesting the Tornado a piece whose power transcended the physical phenomena it described, as did Severance. Panda took us on an unexpected, and delightful trip to China before she explored ,tongue firmly in cheek, on how a woman is supposed to keep her man. Jennifer’s easy manner was equally at home with the more profound opening section as it was with the lighter closing pieces.

The last of the Cork Trio to perform was Afric McGlinchey who defied the demands of a long day to produce a sparkling set. Red Letter Day was a poignant paean to the suicide of three immigrants in Glasgow, executed by jumping from the top of a tower block, Red Shoes a wonderful piece of whimsy about a girl’s best friend. On Hold offered the sharply observed tale of some males preference to withdraw when the going gets tough in a relationship , and scored with every line. Her cautionary advice to neither lie to a partner, nor tell him the whole truth either, had an air of veritas about it, whilst Migration, about her time in Zimbabwe, was lyrical and beautiful.

Antony R Owen hosted in his usual relaxed, but authoritative style with Mal Dewhirst remembering his time in Cork with three poems in tribute to his time as guests of the Cork Poets. Writing in detail about someone else’s home town is always high risk with cursory familiarity vulnerable to error and misinterpretation. It is a tribute to Mal’s writing, and attention to detail, that neither flaw was apparent, indeed the natives Poets as one reflected that it was about time that they got around to writing about home turf themselves!

The Cork Poets appear at Fizz 10, Polesworth on Thursday 3rd November at the Tythe Barn, Polesworth , 7.30pm,free admission.

Gary Longden 1/11/11

Colm Scully performing in 2009

Afric McGinchley performing in 2009

Afric McGinchley gave the following interview to Whohub:http://www.whohub.com/africmcglinchey

What did you first read? How did you begin to write? Who were the first to read what you wrote?
After the fairy tales – Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm come to mind – and comics – I was an Enid Blyton fan. I devoured everything she wrote!
I started writing plays, at the age of ten. My sister Paula, and three friends, who acted in my plays, were my first readers. Then I moved on to songs. I played one on the radio when I was fourteen. Poetry came next. Fiction only came much later.

What is your favorite genre? Can you provide a link to a site where we can read some of your work or learn something about it?
Literary fiction is my favourite genre, but as I’m a book reviewer, I get sent a real eclectic selection of books to read, and I read them all, sometimes finding to my surprise that I rather enjoy thrillers too. Good ones, obviously. You can see my work on my website:
http://www.africmcglinchey.com

What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?
I have to clean the space around me first. Eat something and have some tea. Check my mail (and FB and play with my website, which is a work in progress!) and then, when all the distractions have been dealt with, I’ll get down to writing, which I find a real meditative experience. I immerse myself in another world. Until about 4, when I suddenly realise I’m starving, when I’ll stop for a snack, and maybe a walk. Later on, I might write until well into the night, and then crawl, exhausted and stiff, to bed.

What type of reading inspires you to write?
Reading a wonderful poem, or fantastic literature, or good, funny, light stuff. Or interviews with other writers.
What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?
A character the reader can relate to, a conflict, rite of passage, unexpected ending. Themes of love/sex/death/birth/quest.
What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?
First. Much more intimate.

What well known writers do you admire most?
What a question!! Well, the names are already flooding in to my head, so I’ll write fast, but this will only be the tip of the iceberg of course – so MANY wonderful writers out there, and I’m so grateful to them all: JM Coetzee, JK Rowling, Shakespeare, Dickens, CS Lewis, Roald Dahl, Lewis Carroll, Annie E Proulx, Doris Lessing, Josephine Hart, Michel Faber, Marian Keyes, Charles Mungoshi, Nadine Gordimer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, DH Lawrence, Flann O’Brien, Nick Hornby, Isabelle Allende, Zadie Smith, John Updike, Margaret Atwood….look, you’re not going to read any more, so I’ll stop now…I could type for hours though….

What is required for a character to be believable? How do you create yours?
An inner life. Flaws, weaknesses, endearing characteristics, a voice, opinions, a visual, three dimensional sense of the character. I create mine by mapping a life for him/her before starting my story. What’s in his pocket/fridge/wardrobe, his pets, his home, his idiosyncrasies, ex-girlfriends, memories, embarrassing family members etc…

Are you equally good at telling stories orally?
Probably better! I’m still learning to be a writer of fiction. Poetry is the genre I’m most at home in.

Deep down inside, who do you write for?
I write for myself – to make sense of my world, out of curiosity about the creative process, because I have an ongoing love affair with words, the worlds you can create – for escape – and then I want those I love to read my stuff, so they understand me better. And sure, of course, when I feel I’ve written something good, I’d like to be read by others – for the joy of earning a living from what I love to do.

Is writing a form of personal therapy? Are internal conflicts a creative force?
I think all creative processes are a form of personal therapy. And internal conflicts are an excellent creative force; writing is a way of channelling unresolved issues.

Does reader feed-back help you?
Reader feedback tends to confuse me! If I’m only on a first or second draft, I might be susceptible to their comments and suggestions enough to change something quite intrinsic. And later, I usually go back to the original idea. I think a lot of creative people are beset with doubts and can easily be sidetracked by the opinions of others. Better to complete the work to a point where YOU are satisfied, then put it out there – that way, your own feelings about your work have been distilled to a certainty and you’re more able to receive feedback in a detached manner.

Do you participate in competitions? Have you received any awards?
I’m a reader for a big competition, so I see some excellent writing – and don’t enter myself, mainly because I am cash-strapped (you have to pay to enter each competition), and aware of how MANY competitors are out there. So chances are minimal that I’ll win! Instead, I submit stuff to journals/magazines/agents/publishers. And sometimes I get accepted, which is gratifying enough for now.

Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?
I have done. But I don’t think I’ll do it again, until I’ve done several drafts myself first. It’s in too fragile a state at the early stages, and someone else’s opinions might colour the end result quite significantly.

Do you believe you have already found “your voice” or is that something one is always searching for?
I am always exploring.

What discipline do you impose on yourself regarding schedules, goals, etc.?
I’m not very organised, and tend to be a little haphazard about schedules. I love writing lists though, and sometimes I’ll have a madly productive day and send off manuscripts/poems to five agents/publishers, or complete three thousand words in a day. The next day, I might get nothing done.

What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate?
My notes, poetry books, pens (always black rollerball) and loads of paper to jot down ideas. And tea – or coffee, depending on the time.

Do you write on a computer? Do you print frequently? Do you correct on paper? What is your process?
For poetry, I write first in my little notebook which I carry around with me everywhere – you never know when the ideas are going to strike! Or when you might see something that inspires a poem or a detail for your novel. For fiction, I write on my laptop, and edit on screen. I only print it out when the draft is completed.

What has been your experience with publishers?
One small publishing company showed interest in a non-fiction book of mine (Through Ireland’s Revolving Door) for a year – and I went to see them four times! In the end, they decided it wasn’t the right time to take a risk on a book that would have a small market. So that was frustrating! Another publishing company showed interest in a couple of gift books (Advice to a Daughter and Advice to a Son) for four months, then wrote and told me they were sorry but they were publishing a similar series themselves!! So I went ahead and self-published quickly. Other publishers wrote encouraging rejection letters in response to my novel submission (Love in a Virtual Climate). So again, I’ve decided self-publishing is the way to go.

What are you working on now?
Getting all five of the books I’ve written so far self-published in the next month.