tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41150239168449027432024-03-12T18:50:45.155-07:00Mentioning The War: blog of poet, critic & workshop facilitator Kevin Higgins"Likely the most widely read living poet in Ireland", The Stinging Fly magazine.
If you wish to invite Kevin to give a poetry reading, do a talk or facilitate a writing workshop email kphiggins@hotmail.com or phone 087-6431748.Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comBlogger376125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-41248476982042368842021-08-01T15:57:00.002-07:002021-08-01T15:57:49.920-07:00'Thrills & Difficulties...' available soon from Beir Bua Press <p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WWK5zT0l0Bw/YQcksJug-VI/AAAAAAAADkY/hYZ2z7MdsgAMHXZ6Imx2Pwt_Iy7Tk2i8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2000/Beir%2BBua%2BCOVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="2000" height="452" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WWK5zT0l0Bw/YQcksJug-VI/AAAAAAAADkY/hYZ2z7MdsgAMHXZ6Imx2Pwt_Iy7Tk2i8wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h452/Beir%2BBua%2BCOVER.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">cover of <i>Thrills & Difficulties</i></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> My extended essay <i>Thrills & Difficulties: Being a Marxist Poet in 21st Century Ireland </i>will be available soon from <a href="https://beirbuapress.com/">Beir Bua Press</a>, edited by the fabulous <a href="https://twitter.com/MoloneyKing">Michelle Moloney King</a>. <br /></p>Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-16075570397567603032020-11-29T07:47:00.002-08:002020-11-29T07:50:38.589-08:00SPECIAL OFFER poetic jewellery in aid of Galway COPE <p class="MsoNormal"> <span class="d2edcug0"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gunilla
Andersson</span></b></span><span class="d2edcug0"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, whose photograph
features on the cover of Kevin's <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/a-poet-with-a-chronic-illness-tackles-covid-19-with-dark-gallows-humour-1.4412445">latest book</a>, has made some jewellery – brooches,
earrings, and necklaces<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- featuring
lines from Kevin’s poems. This jewellery is now on sale, with 100% of the proceeds going to <a href="https://www.copegalway.ie/homeless-services/">Galway Cope</a> Homeless Services. Below is a short artistic
statement from Gunilla about the jewellery. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“On a misty day
just before Christmas 2019 at the shores of Lake Vanern in Sweden inspiration
struck. It was one of those magical days when everything is beautiful and wherever
you swing your camera there is a Hallmark moment, only grey and dreary,
drizzling with fog. Later, during the Covid lockdown, some of the pictures got
a digital transformation and I worked them into brooches, necklaces and
earrings. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I met Kevin at a
poetry reading in a wine cellar in Galway late 90s when I was spending a summer
working with Macnas, preparing for the Arts Festival. We have been friends ever
since and somehow now was the time for a collaboration. He needed a cover
picture for his latest poetry bundle and I suggested randomly adding his words
to my pictures, printing them out, and cutting them up to see what happened.
This jewelry is the result.” </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aEZS7OEORqM/X8O-7GLPriI/AAAAAAAADbc/WdJGU1FO3gkD7uE7mSkovKpjo2o4IFhiwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Jewellery%2Bmore.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="427" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aEZS7OEORqM/X8O-7GLPriI/AAAAAAAADbc/WdJGU1FO3gkD7uE7mSkovKpjo2o4IFhiwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h427/Jewellery%2Bmore.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ff9JbBQPvlg/X8O9UFbsYvI/AAAAAAAADbA/OEa1b5yTQDcHPlmDsR4w8F6wUQZaZIo0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/Jewellery%2BOUR%2BPHOTO%2Bno%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ff9JbBQPvlg/X8O9UFbsYvI/AAAAAAAADbA/OEa1b5yTQDcHPlmDsR4w8F6wUQZaZIo0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Jewellery%2BOUR%2BPHOTO%2Bno%2B1.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rqZgBnKjzas/X8O9jYxcZ2I/AAAAAAAADbE/ikcOVrvRuI8TYljxJscYpKBNlqq8fVpJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/Jewellery%2BOUR%2BPHOTO%2Bno%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rqZgBnKjzas/X8O9jYxcZ2I/AAAAAAAADbE/ikcOVrvRuI8TYljxJscYpKBNlqq8fVpJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Jewellery%2BOUR%2BPHOTO%2Bno%2B2.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Gunilla Andersson</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> was born in Sweden. Exploring art and different
techniques, she realized that theatre was the right direction for her to
pursue. She spent a lot of time in her 20s in the Kinnegad area of County
Westmeath, where she found her big love and worked as a waitress at Mother
Hubbards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She collaborated with a number
of different theatre companies in Sweden, later studying at Gerrit Rietveld
Academy in Amsterdam. For the past 20 years she has lived in Amsterdam where
she has her own décor studio and works with theatres, museums, on film and
other arts events. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We are selling each brooch, necklace, and pair of earrings for €20.This offer is specifically available to those in Galway and surrounding counties as you must contact Kevin on 087-6431748 to make an appointment to choose and collect your favourite necklace, pair of earrings, or brooch. As well as being something you might wear, these could become collector's items for poetry afficionados. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To purchase a piece of the jewellery, and a copy of Kevin's book see below. You will receive the book in the post but should arrange collection of the jewellery with Kevin on 087-6431748. <br /></span></p>
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<option value="Jewellery PLUS poetry book">Jewellery PLUS poetry book €34.00 EUR</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 €34.00 EUR</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 €34.00 EUR</option>
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Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-30893799644941520302020-11-07T07:50:00.009-08:002020-11-07T07:58:44.833-08:00The perfect stocking filler for Chistmas 2020: Negative Thoughts That Helped One Man Mostly Retain His Sanity During 2020 <p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S27pWD9Yt70/X6bAU44bzqI/AAAAAAAADaU/wvL0jUqkayE86fgniA8mqd_Ar_vfqDGUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/COVER%2BFRONT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1369" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S27pWD9Yt70/X6bAU44bzqI/AAAAAAAADaU/wvL0jUqkayE86fgniA8mqd_Ar_vfqDGUwCLcBGAsYHQ/w428-h640/COVER%2BFRONT.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The perfect stocking filler for Christmas 2020</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In
a mix of poetry and prose Kevin Higgins takes a darkly humorous approach to
finding himself designated one of the “vulnerable” during the year in which
plague again stalked the Earth. He also, as is his way, finds time to drop
acerbic comment on the heads of the ungood and the ungreat, and to comment in a
fairly unrestrained fashion on world affairs. This is the ideal Christmas or
Birthday present for Irish Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan and for those who,
when the time comes, hope to be invited to Kevin’s funeral. It is also the
perfect gift for the posh liberal in your life. </span></i></p>
<p><b>Just published by <a href="http://www.nuascealta.com/index.php?id=57">Nuascéalta</a></b>. <br /></p><p><b> Buy a copy directly from Kevin here</b><br /></p><form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="paypal">
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Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-57309046689367906982020-01-23T04:09:00.000-08:002020-01-23T06:24:54.643-08:00Joint Statement from Susan Millar DuMars and Kevin Higgins<span class="css-901oao"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When faced with the choice, we side with
those who don’t have power rather than those who wield it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said, it would not be appropriate for us
to comment about any of the issues surrounding #WakeUpIrishPoetry. </span></span><br />
<span class="css-901oao"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span class="css-901oao"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Except to say
this: the issue has been raised as to what redress individual artists and arts workers
have when faced with a possible abuse of power situation of any sort. The
complaints procedures within most arts organisations are in reality heavily
biased in favour of those who have power and against those who don’t. They are
often not worth bothering with. The arts sector has hardly any trade union
representation and the artistic world is, sadly, an extremely individualistic
place. In our experience, people don’t tend to stick together. So what is one
to do when faced with power being wielded inappropriately against you in the
arts sector?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="css-901oao"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Each
situation is different. But we would recommend that artists and arts workers
faced with such a situation consider doing the following: contact a left wing
TD and supply them with details of your case, which you can do in absolute
confidentiality, and ask them to put in a written question to the relevant
government minister about your case. Written questions must be answered and
cannot be waffled around in the way that oral questions asked in the Dáil often
are. </span></span><a href="https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2019-12-18/?questionType=written"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2019-12-18/?questionType=written</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span class="css-901oao"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span class="css-901oao"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The TD can frame
the question in general terms and supply additional specific details pertaining
to your case to the relevant minister and her or his departmental officials. You
need not be named in the question. When selecting which TD to approach, do not
bother with any of the establishment parties as they will likely not support
you. But most left wing TDs will, even if you do not live in their
constituency. Remember, TDs are national, not local, representatives and are
meant to represent the whole country. </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="css-901oao"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Well
over a decade ago, we briefly worked for a (now defunct) arts organisation
where there were issues regarding late payment of wages, lack of contracts for
employees, and related matters. We left after working there for less than a
year. During the decade that followed, this organisation continued to
intermittently post hostile commentary about us and our work on its official
website and social media. This only stopped when we approached a left wing TD,
supplying them with details, and they put a written question to the relevant
minister. We were invited to meet with top officials in the relevant government
department locally and we supplied them with detailed evidence. The hostile
commentary ceased. The arts organisation in question no longer exists, while we
continue to work happily in the sector.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="css-901oao"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="css-901oao"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The approach we took may not suit everyone. But we think it could help
many. TDs’ email addresses are available on the Oireachtas website. </span></span></div>
Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-4389916152419245852019-12-13T18:28:00.002-08:002019-12-13T18:36:23.010-08:00It's loud and it's tasteless and I've heard it before <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioLpn7SY-4A/XfRJCFvt5KI/AAAAAAAADS0/Nzvtxal8yBYW3JpBp7lbCobsi3OvujJWgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Jeremy%2Bminers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="620" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioLpn7SY-4A/XfRJCFvt5KI/AAAAAAAADS0/Nzvtxal8yBYW3JpBp7lbCobsi3OvujJWgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Jeremy%2Bminers.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Jeremy Corbyn on a picket line during the 1984-85 miners' strike</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The defeat on Thursday will be seized upon by all the
gathering forces of reaction - many of them claiming to be 'progressives' or
'soft-left' - to try and permanently destroy the reborn socialist movement, not
just in the UK but elsewhere in Europe and especially in the US. The forces of
reaction - from the BBC to the editors of the Guardian, the New York Times, and
the Irish Times to Alistair Campbell, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Eoghan
Harris, Mock the Week and Fintan O'Toole - want all of the young people
inspired by the essential, the vital socialism of Corbyn, Sanders and others
around Europe to give up and drop out of political activity, to become sour and
cynical like all reactionaries-pretending-to-be-soft-left are. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZMdzhkd8BI/XfRJzj3GOLI/AAAAAAAADS8/YM0PXRxdcw0hdCjcNnrXi-nLAugqYyv0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Fintan%2BO%2527Toole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="620" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZMdzhkd8BI/XfRJzj3GOLI/AAAAAAAADS8/YM0PXRxdcw0hdCjcNnrXi-nLAugqYyv0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Fintan%2BO%2527Toole.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Fintan O'Toole receiving yet another award from the Irish establishment </span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Such people want parties such as the UK Labour Party
to go back to being empty shells with hardly any active members, which are
vehicles for the careers of future Tony Blairs, so that even when parties such
as the Tories (or Republicans in the US) lose an election, the people who gave
us the banking crash, the Iraq War, climate change, and poor people dying young
because they are poor have another political party through which to perpetuate
their rule. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These people will stop at nothing in the next few
days and their friends in the Arts establishment - people I'm all too familiar
with because of my area of work- will join in as joyfully as teenage boys
who've been let into their first orgy. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R1aRl_IwCBI/XfQ-ATUcphI/AAAAAAAADSc/J-rR0bcnfdEzKUoT1_jgGtPuSvNMhyl8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/kinnock%2Bneil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="510" height="218" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R1aRl_IwCBI/XfQ-ATUcphI/AAAAAAAADSc/J-rR0bcnfdEzKUoT1_jgGtPuSvNMhyl8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/kinnock%2Bneil.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The devil is on the
prowl this weekend and he (or she) is pretending to be a "soft-left"
"progressive" because he wants your help making politics safe for his
owners i.e. the people who are destroying the planet. You can help the devil if
you want to, I won't. In the words of David Bowie: "It's loud and it's
tasteless a</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">nd I've heard it before." And I will do everything
I can to resist it.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HN-Uiuz1sUw/XfRIoJxFr3I/AAAAAAAADSo/WQVyuO1MJfsqr0LMK9g8Z_POZVSQoecJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Jess%2BPhillips%2BJacob%2BRees%2BMogg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="960" height="359" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HN-Uiuz1sUw/XfRIoJxFr3I/AAAAAAAADSo/WQVyuO1MJfsqr0LMK9g8Z_POZVSQoecJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Jess%2BPhillips%2BJacob%2BRees%2BMogg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Jacob Rees Mogg with the next Tony Blair. </span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-19087144407198988492018-12-27T00:55:00.000-08:002018-12-27T00:55:56.766-08:002019 Poems for Patience competition ENTER NOW!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Galway University Hospitals
Arts Trust is seeking entries again for its exciting annual poetry
competition. </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LN_8Pjn3peM/XCSSMYkhGII/AAAAAAAAC-o/Tj6-aNdJzSsSgrrYfukwuT_FMCj5PBYpgCLcBGAs/s1600/2018%2Bpoems%2Bfor%2Bpatience%2Blaunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LN_8Pjn3peM/XCSSMYkhGII/AAAAAAAAC-o/Tj6-aNdJzSsSgrrYfukwuT_FMCj5PBYpgCLcBGAs/s640/2018%2Bpoems%2Bfor%2Bpatience%2Blaunch.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">2018 Poems for Patience launch</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">CRITERIA</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">: poems entered in the competition should
be no more than 32 lines long. They must be the original work of the entrant.
Poems previously published in magazines or poetry collections are eligible.
Multiple entries are accepted; poets can enter as many poems as they wish.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">PRIZE </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">*the winner will have her or his
poem published and displayed on the Arts Corridor of University Hospital Galway
as part of the 2019 Poems For Patience. Poems For Patience is a long running
series which over the past decade has featured poems by leading Irish and
international poets such as Seamus Heaney, Philip Schultz, Jane Hirschfield,
Michael Longley, Naomi Shihab Nye, Vona Groarke, Tess Gallagher and many more.
The poems after exhibition on the Arts Corridor are then displayed in waiting
areas throughout Galway University Hospitals.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">*the winner will be invited to
read his or her winning poem at the launch of the 2019 Poems For Patience at
the Cúirt International Festival of Literature in April 2019.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">*the winner will be provided with
accommodation in Galway if travelling for one night during the 2019 Cúirt
International Festival of Literature</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">*the winner will be given a copy
of their poem printed and framed as a Poem for Patience poster</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">*the winner will be asked to
submit six poems for consideration to be a Featured Reader at the Over The Edge:
Open Reading series in Galway City Library. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Z6TVaTB180/XCSShGwekpI/AAAAAAAAC-w/_wGuY-pcYCcDz99oCkHMbzyTmezCmzRTwCLcBGAs/s1600/Poems%2Bfor%2BPatience%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="560" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Z6TVaTB180/XCSShGwekpI/AAAAAAAAC-w/_wGuY-pcYCcDz99oCkHMbzyTmezCmzRTwCLcBGAs/s640/Poems%2Bfor%2BPatience%2B1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">ENTRY FEE</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">: to enter one poem the fee is €10. If you
enter two or more poems the entry fee is €7.50 per poem i.e. to enter two poems
it costs €15, to enter three poems €22.50 and so on.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Payment should be made by cheque
or postal order payable to Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust. Alternatively
for online transfer contact the arts office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Details below.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Entries should be sent by post to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bridget Cheasty, Arts Assistant, Galway
University Hospitals Arts Trust, Galway University Hospitals, University
Hospital, Newcastle Road, Galway</b>. Do not put your name on the poems; please
include your contact details on a separate sheet. </span><br />
<br />
<b><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">THE CLOSING DATE is Friday, February
22<sup>nd</sup> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2019</span></u></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">THE JUDGE</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">: The
competition judge is Kevin Higgins. Kevin Higgins is Writer-in-Residence with
Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">He</span>
is co-organiser of Over The Edge literary events, teaches poetry workshops at
Galway Arts Centre, Creative Writing at Galway Technical Institute, and is
Creative Writing Director for the NUI Galway Summer School. He is poetry critic
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Galway Advertiser</i>. His poetry
is discussed in <i>The Cambridge Introduction to Modern Irish Poetry</i> and
features in the generation defining anthology<i> Identity Parade –New British
and Irish Poets </i>(Ed. Roddy Lumsden, Bloodaxe, 2010) and in <i>The Hundred
Years’ War: modern war poems</i> (Ed. Neil Astley, Bloodaxe, April 2014).
Kevin’s poetry has been translated into Greek, Spanish, Italian, Japanese,
Russian, & Portuguese. In 2014 Kevin's poetry was the subject of a paper
'The Case of Kevin Higgins, or, '</span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://georgiasam.blogspot.ie/2014/05/the-case-of-kevin-higgins-or-present.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">The Present
State of Irish Poetic Satire</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">' presented by
David Wheatley at a Symposium on Satire at the University of Aberdeen. He
was Satirist-in-Residence at the Bogman’s Cannon (2015-16). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'2016 - The Selected Satires of Kevin
Higgins</i>' was published by </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.nuascealta.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">NuaScéalta</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"> in early 2016.
A pamphlet of Kevin’s political poems <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Minister For Poetry Has Decreed</i> was published last December by the Culture
Matters imprint of the UK based Manifesto Press. His poems have been praised
by, among others, Tony Blair’s biographer John Rentoul, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Observer</i> columnist Nick Cohen, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunday Independent</i> columnist Gene Kerrigan; and have been quoted in
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daily Telegraph</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Times </i>(UK), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Independent</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Daily
Mirror, Hot Press </i>magazine, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Tonight With Vincent Browne </i>and read aloud
by film director </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj1VHvjV23w"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Ken Loach</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"> at a
political meeting in London. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.stingingfly.org/sample/multimedia-revolution-poetry"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">The Stinging Fly</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">
magazine has described Kevin as "</span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.stingingfly.org/sample/multimedia-revolution-poetry"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">likely the most
read living poet in Ireland</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">." His most recent book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Song of Songs 2.0: New & Selected Poems</i>
was <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>published last year by Salmon and includes a
substantial number of new poems as well as selections from his six previous
poetry collections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">For further details: <span style="color: #0d0d0d;">Tel: +353 (0)91 544979 Email: </span><span style="color: #0d0dff;">guhartstrust@hse.ie</span><span style="color: #0d0d0d;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yaj1ccxePiM/XCSSw5M21EI/AAAAAAAAC-4/X5sNyEP35i05yHrjAOwFYYfwF_4Fk9yZwCLcBGAs/s1600/Poems%2Bfor%2BPatience%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yaj1ccxePiM/XCSSw5M21EI/AAAAAAAAC-4/X5sNyEP35i05yHrjAOwFYYfwF_4Fk9yZwCLcBGAs/s640/Poems%2Bfor%2BPatience%2B2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Competition judge Kevin Higgins</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-18417760021117685222018-08-31T16:55:00.000-07:002018-08-31T16:56:58.212-07:00Cultural liaison during Donald Trump's Irish visit <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fg75zU1iiNM/W4nT-8AGyGI/AAAAAAAAC5s/TBUlphI7hIATfWINxcCjv1gHNGstGAUiACLcBGAs/s1600/Josepha%2BMadigan%2BSeamus%2BHeaney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="506" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fg75zU1iiNM/W4nT-8AGyGI/AAAAAAAAC5s/TBUlphI7hIATfWINxcCjv1gHNGstGAUiACLcBGAs/s1600/Josepha%2BMadigan%2BSeamus%2BHeaney.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Minister
for Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, <a href="https://www.finegael.ie/our-people/ministers/dublin/dublin-rathdown/josepha-madigan/">Josepha Madigan</a> TD has asked me to help
with "Cultural liaison" during his Excellency President <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/donald-trump-to-visit-ireland-in-november-says-white-house-1.3614437">DonaldTrump</a>'s upcoming visit to Ireland. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Specifically, Josepha has asked me to access
"two retired adult film stars" to attend a special event at Club
Lapello on Dame Street "to attend to the needs of the President, his
entourage, and some of the Irish government ministers who will be in
attendance." </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At the same event my poem 'I Am Pleased To Congratulate On
Behalf Of The People Of Ireland' will be read aloud over a big microphone by
former Taoiseach Enda Kenny. You can get a preview of the evening's activities
<a href="http://claredaly.ie/i-am-pleased-to-congratulate-on-behalf-of-the-people-of-ireland/">here</a>. I am open to suggestions as to what other cultural events should be included in
the evening's programme, as I know is Josepha. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rmCwr8Ko7Ks/W4nU-cek94I/AAAAAAAAC58/vaNI3BJ7ebkf5dJr4VGKGU4QWgnehsASACLcBGAs/s1600/Shane%2Bross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="600" height="208" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rmCwr8Ko7Ks/W4nU-cek94I/AAAAAAAAC58/vaNI3BJ7ebkf5dJr4VGKGU4QWgnehsASACLcBGAs/s320/Shane%2Bross.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-77996151020795489672018-03-27T01:30:00.000-07:002018-03-27T01:30:51.259-07:00I am in Village Magazine <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LBUcrZ2bY28/WroAn3RsIQI/AAAAAAAAC4A/YF78Nypv2BsIl1ehvsrFSWbNzbzN8MKfwCLcBGAs/s1600/When%2BCalling%2BOut.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="575" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LBUcrZ2bY28/WroAn3RsIQI/AAAAAAAAC4A/YF78Nypv2BsIl1ehvsrFSWbNzbzN8MKfwCLcBGAs/s1600/When%2BCalling%2BOut.bmp" /></a></div>
Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-50260958487755649172018-02-07T17:44:00.000-08:002018-02-07T17:44:22.912-08:00Video of Ken Loach reading from one of my poems <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span><span data-offset-key="7aaim-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-size: large;">Video of <a href="http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/artist/ken-loach">Ken Loach</a> - director of <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRYvUpsrqmg">Kes</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhn5_gUcO5E">The Wind That Shakes The Barley</a></i>, & <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTeGscfMfFo">I, Daniel Blake</a></i> - reading from one of my poems at a meeting at Conway Hall in London on Monday, January 29th. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span><span data-offset-key="7aaim-0-0"><span data-text="true"> </span></span></span><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sj1VHvjV23w/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sj1VHvjV23w?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span><span data-offset-key="7aaim-0-0"><span data-text="true">The full poem can be read here '<a href="https://www.thepileus.com/culture/what-did-the-politician-get-his-wife/">What Did The Politician Get His Wife</a>?' </span></span></span><br />
<span><span data-offset-key="7aaim-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span></span>
<span><span data-offset-key="7aaim-0-0"><span data-text="true">The poem is a rewrite of Brecht's 'The Soldier's Wife' which is sung by PJ Harvey here.</span></span></span><br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/adUYkPUI-KQ/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/adUYkPUI-KQ?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span><span data-offset-key="7aaim-0-0"><span data-text="true">From now on, I plan to dress the way P.J. Harvey does in this video while reading this particular poem. </span></span></span><br />
<span><span data-offset-key="7aaim-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span></span>
<span><span data-offset-key="7aaim-0-0"><span data-text="true">For the background on the political controversy regarding this and some other poems see <a href="http://mentioningthewar.blogspot.ie/2017/12/letter-re-my-suspension-from-uk-labour.html">here</a>. </span></span></span>Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-36530499250151268692018-01-29T17:16:00.000-08:002018-01-29T17:16:04.966-08:00Ken Loach read one of my poems in London last evening So, apparently the film director <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-filmfestival-cannes/ken-loach-wins-second-cannes-palme-dor-with-i-daniel-blake-idUSKCN0YD0SN">Ken Loach</a> read one of my poems at a political meeting in London last evening.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Ken Loach reading out <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinHIpoet1967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KevinHIpoet1967</a> 's poem for which Kevin was suspended for satirising Tony Blair in... still suspended..</div>
— #LabourAgainsttheWitchhunt (LAW) (@LabourAW) <a href="https://twitter.com/LabourAW/status/958065432661028864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-obumRzF5UdI/Wm_F2Ak9GqI/AAAAAAAAC24/XL3VJIgAAlgDKBOPjpOeTQLUQPKvRWWogCLcBGAs/s1600/Ken%2BL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-obumRzF5UdI/Wm_F2Ak9GqI/AAAAAAAAC24/XL3VJIgAAlgDKBOPjpOeTQLUQPKvRWWogCLcBGAs/s640/Ken%2BL.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l3xziC-x4-0/Wm_GAS9iA6I/AAAAAAAAC28/8YDNF1eJz04wkF18vA5iaCnmBw3Mn-NLQCLcBGAs/s1600/LAW%2Bmeeting%2BKen%2BLoach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="717" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l3xziC-x4-0/Wm_GAS9iA6I/AAAAAAAAC28/8YDNF1eJz04wkF18vA5iaCnmBw3Mn-NLQCLcBGAs/s640/LAW%2Bmeeting%2BKen%2BLoach.jpg" width="403" /> </a></div>
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For further details re: the background see <a href="http://mentioningthewar.blogspot.ie/2017/12/letter-re-my-suspension-from-uk-labour.html">here</a>. </div>
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Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-91539287045677960172018-01-07T01:54:00.001-08:002018-01-07T01:58:02.983-08:00Infliximab Man - the continuing story of my lungs So, tomorrow I will spend most of the day at Merlin Park Hospital getting
my first intravenous infusion of a drug called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infliximab">Infliximab</a>. It's a new treatment for my
lungs' <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sarcoid-years-a-poem-for-your-troubles-1.3203944">sarcoidosis</a>.<br />
<br />
I had a <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sarcoid-years-a-poem-for-your-troubles-1.3203944">poem</a> and <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sarcoid-years-a-poem-for-your-troubles-1.3203944">article</a> about the condition in the <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sarcoid-years-a-poem-for-your-troubles-1.3203944">Irish Times health section</a> in September. See <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sarcoid-years-a-poem-for-your-troubles-1.3203944">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q_nnvWJZWDA/WlHtogopZiI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/Dj1LRJ0hP6oIh8l9lR6x5-7iB5nr6PHnwCLcBGAs/s1600/Sarc%2Bxray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="620" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q_nnvWJZWDA/WlHtogopZiI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/Dj1LRJ0hP6oIh8l9lR6x5-7iB5nr6PHnwCLcBGAs/s1600/Sarc%2Bxray.jpg" /></a></div>
For further details see <a href="http://mentioningthewar.blogspot.ie/2013/05/funeral-arrangements-for-kevin-higgins.html">here</a>. <br />
<br />Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-18363408825154899682018-01-03T05:49:00.000-08:002018-01-03T05:51:22.057-08:00First publications of 2018 Had two poems newly published in the past few days. My tribute to the soon to be forgotten entirely <a href="http://en.calameo.com/read/004739059e6b76a8b81a1">Rupi Kaur</a> is published in issue 56 of the Mexico City based literary magazine <a href="http://en.calameo.com/read/004739059e6b76a8b81a1">The Ofi Press</a>. You can read the poem, titled '<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://Uncrease Your Forehead and Do Not Swea' ">Uncrease YourForehead and Do Not Sweat</a>', <a href="http://en.calameo.com/read/004739059e6b76a8b81a1">here</a>. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GcxMFbj_MR8/WkzdXxXJsBI/AAAAAAAAC0k/wg-c5KTVVaAFHuVuX6riIws6YLMk3QB4ACLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BOf%2BPress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="719" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GcxMFbj_MR8/WkzdXxXJsBI/AAAAAAAAC0k/wg-c5KTVVaAFHuVuX6riIws6YLMk3QB4ACLcBGAs/s400/The%2BOf%2BPress.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Meanwhile, the title poem of my <a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=428&a=108">New & Selected</a> poems '<a href="https://rascaljournal.com/addie/song-of-songs-2-0/">Song of Songs 2.0</a>' is published in issue no. 2 of the excellent U.S. based magazine <a href="https://rascaljournal.com/addie/song-of-songs-2-0/"><i>Rascal</i></a>. In this <a href="https://rascaljournal.com/addie/song-of-songs-2-0/">poem</a> I rewrite a section of the Bible. </span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h5yTb8b2Rpk/Wkze9TB0c5I/AAAAAAAAC0w/UtzH32DHZ5ceCpxRHMpz8P4bKOO9hBqCQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Rascal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h5yTb8b2Rpk/Wkze9TB0c5I/AAAAAAAAC0w/UtzH32DHZ5ceCpxRHMpz8P4bKOO9hBqCQCEwYBhgL/s400/Rascal.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-39154787539596472582018-01-01T08:45:00.000-08:002018-01-01T08:46:05.118-08:00In the running for the Nobel Prize It's only January 1st and someone has already suggested me as a possible winner of this year's Nobel Prize for Literature. Albeit the person in question thinks I should be awarded the prize jointly with British poet Ian Duhig. I've always fancied a trip to Stockholm. Have to say, I am liking 2018 so far.<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Happy New Year! May you and <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinHIpoet1967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KevinHIpoet1967</a> jointly win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2018.</div>
— Knight of Ni (@rmltpie) <a href="https://twitter.com/rmltpie/status/947784443376361472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-58438364675402280082017-12-31T00:06:00.000-08:002018-01-12T07:25:49.813-08:00Letter re: my suspension from UK Labour Party signed by 38 writers & activists<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dGj33Mew0sE/WkiV56UilkI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/strnpYMsVCQmgfQvrmxwZFOhYtN42D0_QCLcBGAs/s1600/Portsmouth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dGj33Mew0sE/WkiV56UilkI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/strnpYMsVCQmgfQvrmxwZFOhYtN42D0_QCLcBGAs/s320/Portsmouth.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin campaigning with <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000884">Stephen Morgan MP</a> who gained the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000884">Portsmouth South </a>seat for Labour in the June election </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">30-12-2017
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
whom it may concern,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On June 27<sup>th</sup> 2016 poet
Kevin Higgins was suspended from the British Labour Party, of which he is an
overseas member in the Labour International CLP (</span><a href="http://www.labourinternational.net/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://www.labourinternational.net/</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Kevin’s offence was, apparently,
that he had written satirical poems about several of Jeremy Corbyn’s then critics
in the Parliamentary Labour Party. This occurred at the start of the
unsuccessful attempt to force Corbyn to resign as Leader in the aftermath of
the Brexit referendum. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After receiving what he describes as
a “peculiar series of emails” from UK Labour HQ in early 2017,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on March 15<sup>th</sup> last Kevin wrote to
the party’s Governance & Legal Unit informing them that he wished to make a
Subject Access Request under current UK Data Protection legislation. Under this
legislation the UK Labour Party are legally obliged to disclose to Kevin,
within forty days, all documents relating to him in their possession. Nine
months later they have yet to respond to Kevin’s request, putting them in clear
violation of their legal obligations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In April UK Labour HQ invited Kevin to
be interviewed by telephone about the accusations against him, one of which was
announcing on social media that he had rewritten Bertolt Brecht’s poem ‘Ballad
of the Soldier’s Wife’ and turned it into a satire on Tony and Cherie Blair.
Kevin’s interview was to take place on Tuesday April 18<sup>th</sup> but was
cancelled by UK Labour HQ when Theresa May called a General Election that
morning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Kevin has heard nothing from the UK
Labour Party since, though he continues to pay his membership fee and
campaigned for the party while on holiday in the UK during the General Election
campaign in May. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We think it absurd that someone can
remain suspended from the UK Labour Party for eighteen months for the supposed
crime of writing satirical poems and call on the party’s Legal and Government
Unit to immediately clarify this situation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Your
faithfully,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ruth
Aylett </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Joe Bilsborough </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pat
Byrne </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matthew
Caley</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ailbhe
Darcy </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kate
Ennals </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Martina
Evans </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luke
Ming Flanagan MEP </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Neil
Fulwood</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Frankie
Gaffney </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Owen
Gallagher</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lisa
Goldman </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">David
Graeber </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chris
Guiton </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gillian
Hamill</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ian
Horn</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Steve Hudson </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mike
Jenkins </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Darrell
Kavanagh </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paul
Laverty</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Quincy
R. Lehr </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jessie
Lendennie </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dave
Lordan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tricia Neda McLaughlin </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Terry
McMahon </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Anne
McShane </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Andy
Newman</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Marcus Nicholson </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Harry
Paterson </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Steve
Pottinger </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mike
Quille</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Penelope
Shuttle</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nick
Toms</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Clare
Turner</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Vivien
Walsh</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Helen
Watson </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cathy
Wilson</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Susan
Millar DuMars</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>For background to this case see <a href="http://mentioningthewar.blogspot.ie/2017/03/my-ongoing-love-affair-with-governance.html">here</a>. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>UPDATE 3/1/2018 </b>the above letter has been published in today's issue of <a href="http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/h-150-kevin-higgins"><i>The Morning Star</i></a> newspaper and there is also <a href="http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/h-150-kevin-higgins">an article</a> about the case which you can read <a href="http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/h-150-kevin-higgins">here</a>. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>UPDATE 4/1/2018 </b>article about the case in this week's <a href="http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/97665/galway-poets-suspension-from-labour-party-described-as-absurd">Galway Advertiser</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>UPDATE 5/1/2018</b> I am interviewed about the case on <a href="http://www.broadsheet.ie/2018/01/04/broadsheet-on-the-telly-tonight-10pm-8/">Broadsheet on the Telly</a>. Apologies for bad sound quality on my link, entirely my fault. I am. in some senses. a technological troglodyte. But, in the words of Manuel, "I learn. I learn!"</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MtFTzePmzC8/Wk7bSZ1RrwI/AAAAAAAAC1A/AAUO_UCRGh0fKIIT1s22Hh-qE4js66QzQCLcBGAs/s1600/Manuel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MtFTzePmzC8/Wk7bSZ1RrwI/AAAAAAAAC1A/AAUO_UCRGh0fKIIT1s22Hh-qE4js66QzQCLcBGAs/s1600/Manuel.jpg" /> <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>UPDATE 11/1/2018 </b><a href="http://azvsas.blogspot.ie/2018/01/suspended-by-labour-for-writing.html">article</a> about the case on <a href="http://azvsas.blogspot.ie/2018/01/suspended-by-labour-for-writing.html">blog of Tony Greenstein of Labour Against The Witch-hunt</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>UPDATE 12/1/2018 </b></span></span></b>Letter that's been sent to newly elected National Executive Committee of
British Labour Party. When was the last time the ruling body of a major
political party discussed poetry<b>?</b></span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="a09g2-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>UPDATE 12/1/2018 15.25pm </b></span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">article on <a href="http://www.labouragainstthewitchhunt.org/campaigns/the-curious-case-of-kevin-higgins-suspended-for-writing-satire/">Labour Against The Witch-hunt</a> website <i><a href="http://www.labouragainstthewitchhunt.org/campaigns/the-curious-case-of-kevin-higgins-suspended-for-writing-satire/">The Curious Case of Kevin Higgins Suspended for Writing Satire</a></i>. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-20541357585765361812017-12-25T01:29:00.000-08:002017-12-25T01:29:17.268-08:00Santa <span data-offset-key="8uqmj-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-size: large;">So, I wonder if Santa has brought me <a href="http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/12/08/i-dont-want-a-lot/">what I asked for</a>. It was a very particular <a href="http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/12/08/i-dont-want-a-lot/">list </a>but nothing unreasonable. </span></span></span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="8uqmj-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span>Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-4093883255470959222017-12-23T09:19:00.000-08:002017-12-23T12:43:56.473-08:00personal review of 2017 - poetry <span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">2017 was a big, if slightly peculiar, poetry year for me personally. My <a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=428&a=108">New & Selected Poems</a> <i><a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=428&a=108">Song of Songs 2.0</a> </i>was published by Salmon in April and launch at the <a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/event-details.php?ID=285">Cúirt Festival</a>.</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">You can hear my talking to <a href="https://soundcloud.com/advertiserpodcasts/arts-podcast-2-2017">Kernan Andrews</a> of <a href="https://soundcloud.com/advertiserpodcasts/arts-podcast-2-2017">The Galway Advertiser</a> about the book <a href="https://soundcloud.com/advertiserpodcasts/arts-podcast-2-2017">here</a><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The book was launched at <a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/event-details.php?ID=285">Cúirt</a> by <a href="https://www.tcd.ie/English/staff/academic-staff/philip-coleman.php">Dr.
Philip Coleman</a> who had this to say:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">"It is a
great pleasure to be here to say a few words to launch Kevin Higgins’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Song of Songs 2.0: New & Selected Poems</i>,
but I do feel like a bit of an interloper talking about Kevin’s work here in
Galway, at the Cúirt International Festival of Literature…. I’m sure there’s
not much I can tell a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Galway</i> audience
about Kevin’s work and its importance – given the importance of this city and,
indeed, this festival to the development of his work over the years!</span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Quite
apart from his involvement with the festival over the years as a reader of his
own poems, Kevin’s work as a teacher of creative writing here in Galway has
helped many others to </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">feature in prominent ways at Cúirt. Students of his have won the
Cúirt New Writing Prize, for example, and the Cúirt Poetry Grand Slam. As you
know, Kevin is also co-organiser of the hugely successful <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Over The Edge</i> reading series here in Galway, which specialises in
promoting new writers. H</span><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">e also </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">teaches poetry on the NUI Galway Summer
School programme and the NUIG BA Creative Writing Connect programme. This
evening, though, we are not here to celebrate and listen to the work of Kevin’s
students – as brilliant as they may be – but to welcome and applaud the
publication of Kevin’s </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">New & Selected Poems</span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">, which
has been brought into the world by Salmon Poetry.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It is
appropriate, in fact, that we acknowledge and thank Jessie Lendennie and
Siobhán Hutson at Salmon for the amazing work they have done over there in
Knockeven by the Cliffs of Moher, not just in preparing Kevin’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New & Selected Poems </i>for publication,
but for all they do, year in year out, to promote the art of poetry. Thank you,
again, Jessie and Siobhán: you have done a stunning job with this book, but we
wouldn’t have expected any less from you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now I
mentioned that Kevin is a teacher of poetry, like myself, but I did have to
stop and think for a minute when I read these lines from the poem called ‘My
Wishes For You’ from the New Poems section of the book:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>That your son at Trinity
College</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>may graduate</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>to become a rogue
gynaecologist….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Because I
not only work but also live in Trinity, I wondered who the poor creature might
be walking around with such a hex on him – the curse of the poet! As I’m sure
you all know, the Irish poetic tradition has many fine examples of curses, and
this one used to be my favourite, by John Millington Synge, best known for his
plays but also a really fine poet. He wrote this poem, called ‘The Curse’, to
the sister of someone who disapproved of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Playboy of the Western World</i>: </span><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Lord,
confound this surly sister, <br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Blight her brow
with blotch and blister, <br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Cramp her larynx,
lung, and liver, <br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>In her guts a
galling give her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Let
her live to earn her dinners <br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>In Mountjoy with
seedy sinners: <br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Lord, this
judgement quickly bring, <br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>And I'm Your
servant, J. M. Synge. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As I say, this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">used</i> to be my favourite<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>
Irish curse poem, until I read Kevin’s new poem ‘My Wishes for You’, which is a
masterpiece of this particular subgenre of poetry. Maybe Kevin will read it for
us later, but one of the key things about these curse poems is the fact that
they are both terribly nasty and, at the same time, extremely funny.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">What happens when you combine
those two things – darkness and comedy? Some would say that these are the
essential ingredients of satire, and certainly when we think of the great
satirists throughout the history of western literature we can see that there is
something in this. From Horace to Jonathan Swift, and from H.L. Mencken to Melissa
McCarthy, the satirist claims our attention by making us laugh but in the same
gesture we will be disturbed by some image or idea that seems just too absurd,
too horrible, to countenance. At this moment, then, we take a kind of second
take on the world we think we already know, reconsider our sense of it,
re-evaluate our beliefs and opinions. Given all of this, then, it is no
surprise that the historian Diarmuid Ferriter has described Kevin Higgins as
‘Ireland’s most accomplished political poet and satirist’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But hang on
a minute, what would a historian like Diarmuid Ferriter know about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">poetry</i>? I am kidding, of course, but
only a little, because I think it is important – and this is the place to say
it – because I do not believe that Kevin Higgins should be categorised or
labelled solely as a ‘political poet’ or, indeed, as a ‘satirist’. There is
nothing wrong with those classifications, as such, but I want to celebrate
Kevin Higgins tonight as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">poet</i>,
first and foremost, who has dedicated himself to the art of poetry now for a
number of decades, as a teacher and as a critic, but first and foremost as a
writer himself of some of the most memorable and significant poems to have been
written by an Irish poet. The consistency of his commitment to his art may be
matched by the commitment he has made to politics, but when his political views
and allegiances have shifted his sense of the importance of poetry has stayed
true to its course. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Song of Songs 2.0 </i>will
give new readers of his work a clear sense of this because it provides a
generous selection of his work going back to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Boy With No Face</i> (2005), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Time
Gentlemen, Please</i> (2008), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Frightening
New Furniture</i> (2010), and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Ghost
in the Lobby</i> (2014). I very much hope that Salmon will keep these
individual volumes in print because in a selected poems there are always going
to be things left out, but we shouldn’t complain. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Song of Songs 2.0 </i>gathers work from each of Higgins’s published
volumes to date, including the pamphlets <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Ministry for Poetry Has Decreed</i> (Culture Matters, 2016) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Selected Satires of Kevin Higgins </i>(Nuascéalta,
2016).</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The title of
Kevin’s book is bound to be discussed by reviewers and commentators, and I’d
like to say a few words about it here. As you all know, the ‘original’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Song of Songs</i> is known by various
titles, including the ‘Song of Solomon’ and the ‘Canticle of Canticles’, and it
is found in the holy texts of both Christianity and Judaism. It is tempting to
say, then, that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Song of Songs 2.0</i> is a
twenty-first century secular take on a spiritual classic. The poem ‘Song of
Songs 2.0’ certainly sends up the ancient piece, in a way, and it is full of
images that will be read, and heard, as instances of Kevin’s searing and dark
poetic comedy in performance. Consider, for example, these verses from the
original ‘Song of Songs’ (if we can speak of such a thing as an original of
that text):</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Behold, thou art fair,
my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are as <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>doves behind thy veil; thy hair is as a flock of goats,
that trail down from<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mount
Gilead.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Thy teeth are like a
flock of ewes all shaped alike, which are come up <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>from the washing; whereof all are paired, and none faileth among
them.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Thy lips are like a
thread of scarlet, and thy mouth is comely; thy<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>temples are like a pomegranate split open behind thy veil.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Thy neck is like the
tower of David builded with turrets, whereon<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>there
hang a thousand shields, all the armour of the mighty men.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">That’s
great, all well and good – each to his or her own, and all that – but now
consider this:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How glorious your feet stuffed into
trainers</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Oh lavatory attendant’s daughter.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The joints of your thighs pop</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>out like cuckoo clocks;</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>the work of a drunken assembly line
operative</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>on his last day at the factory.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This is
poetry at its darkest, envisioning our world in all of its stark brutality.
There is no room for romance or the sentimental here. Towards the end of the
poem the speaker says:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Let us get up early to the canal</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>by the chemical weapons factory</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>and see what dies there.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This is an
invitation to view the world in all its contemporary decay, where the solace of
religious or, indeed, secular, succour is no longer possible to attain – not
that it ever was. What is attainable, however, out of the bleakness of this
vision, is a new, more honest and more humane, form of understanding that
surpasses the surfaces of satire as mere entertainment.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In one of
the most important essays I know on the subject of poetry and politics,
‘Poetry, Politics and Dorothy Gone Horribly Astray’, Kevin Higgins writes:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If we don’t at least convince
ourselves that poetry can matter, then how on <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>earth
can we expect to convince anyone else? The truth is poetry can <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>sometimes play a role in actually
challenging people’s minds, by <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>convincing
the reader (or listener) emotionally of an idea to which he or she<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>may be intellectually opposed. If a
poem can win the ideologically hostile<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>reader’s
heart, then his or her head will surely follow. Such a heightened <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>experience of poetry can lead to a
transformed world view for the reader. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Song of Songs 2.0</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> presents
the reader with arresting and often disturbing representations of the self and
the world on almost every page, but its greatest achievement may be in forcing
us to think again about what poetry can do, what it is for, and what role it
may have in helping us to negotiate the terrifying times that lie ahead. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If you have not read Kevin
Higgins’s poems, now, more than ever, may be the time to read them. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Song of Songs 2.0</i> provides a brilliant,
timely introduction. There’s been a lot of talk in the media recently about
things being launched. The North Koreans have been having fun launching their
missiles, while the Americans keep threatening to launch theirs against them,
all the while continuing to practice their own missile launching skills week in
week out in other parts of the world. The launching of a poetry book may seem
insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but I believe, like Kevin Higgins,
that poetry matters because it can challenge and sometimes change people’s
minds about themselves and the world they live in. It is a real pleasure, then,
to launch <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Song of Songs 2.0</i>, but the
real work of its launching will happen when the poems get out into the world,
when you read and hear them read, and begin to think about the things they are
saying for yourselves. In this regard poems may be more powerful than the most
sophisticated weaponry. Congratulations, Kevin. Long may you and your work
thrive."</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">However, as the man says:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j6lBv_gZiiE/Wj5yr_kRDdI/AAAAAAAACxo/F4bN-vYcBCYX7Yl-kQFP5BOB0JWSmB0LACEwYBhgL/s1600/Lincoln.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="850" height="187" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j6lBv_gZiiE/Wj5yr_kRDdI/AAAAAAAACxo/F4bN-vYcBCYX7Yl-kQFP5BOB0JWSmB0LACEwYBhgL/s400/Lincoln.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri light" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
On Comradeship & Copping On.<br />
Part 2: Plutonium Pants Suit. By me ;) <br />
<a href="https://t.co/ixqykfB0cx">https://t.co/ixqykfB0cx</a></div>
— Just Izzy (@IzzyKamikaze) <a href="https://twitter.com/IzzyKamikaze/status/870267189802262528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
He'd lick the hole of Hitler if he thought more people would read his poetry.</div>
— Mark Hoskins (@MarkHoskins) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkHoskins/status/868881458362036225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Yeah and it's disgraceful</div>
— Roisin Kelly (@RoisinEAKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoisinEAKelly/status/869554845140881408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The c<a href="http://www.broadsheet.ie/tag/kevin-higgins/">omments sections</a> on the batch of poems I published during the year on <a href="http://www.broadsheet.ie/tag/kevin-higgins/">Broadsheet.ie,</a> a new outlet for me, are also worth a <a href="http://www.broadsheet.ie/tag/kevin-higgins/">look</a>.<br />
<br />
During 2017 I was invited to regularly contribute poems to two left of centre sociopolitical websites based in the U.K - <a href="https://www.thepileus.com/author/kevin-higgins/">The Pileus</a> and <a href="http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2017/07/16/poem-irish-government-minister-unveils-monument-to-victims-of-pro-life-amendment/">The Platform</a> - and subsequently published several poems there.<br />
<br />
I also published poems on <a href="http://culturematters.org.uk/index.php/arts/poetry/item/2610-national-poetry-day-ciunas-quiet">Culture Matters</a>, in <a href="http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-af50-On-the-Departure-from-Office-of-Barack-Obama-1">The Morning Star</a>, <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sarcoid-years-a-poem-for-your-troubles-1.3203944">The Irish Times</a> (<a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/exit-a-brexit-poem-by-kevin-higgins-1.3316277">twice</a>), The Stinging Fly special homelessness issue, the Chichester Festival's Poetry & All That Jazz, the U.K. based Red Poets #23, <a href="http://northwestwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/North-West-Words-Issue-8-Autumn-Winter-2017.pdf">North West Words</a>, The Galway Advertiser, <a href="http://spontaneity.org/issue-13/epithalamium/">Spontaneity</a>, <a href="http://anomalyliteraryjournal.com/blog-montauk/">Anomaly Lit</a>, Light Journal (USA), <a href="http://claredaly.ie/ode-to-the-russian-revolution-kevin-higgins/">Clare Daly TD</a>'s website, <a href="http://socialistunity.com/things-keep-tim-awake-winters-night/">Socialist Unity</a>, ROPES, Crannóg, Skylight 47, <a href="http://cajaderesistencia.cc/caja-de-imprenta/caja1-numero2/higgins/">Caja De Resistincia</a> (Spain), <a href="http://the-scum-gentry-alternative-arts.com/kevin-higgins-poetry-beige-heterosexuals.html">Scum Gentry Alternative Arts and Media</a>, <a href="https://poethead.wordpress.com/2017/10/30/after-the-revolution-by-kevin-higgins/">Poethead</a> (edited by Chris Murray), and elsewhere.<br />
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<br />
In August my <a href="https://player.fm/series/rt-arena-podcast/review-song-of-songs-20-a-new-collection-of-poetry-by-kevin-higgins">New & Selected Poems</a> was reviewed on <a href="https://player.fm/series/rt-arena-podcast/review-song-of-songs-20-a-new-collection-of-poetry-by-kevin-higgins">RTE Radio One's Arena Arts programme</a>, and later in the month - in what must surely go down as one of the more hilarious moments in Irish poetry broadcasting - a poem from it, <a href="https://player.fm/series/rt-arena-podcast/my-wishes-for-you-by-kevin-higgins">My Wishes For You</a>, was broadcast on the same programme. <br />
<br />
In September my new poem '<a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sarcoid-years-a-poem-for-your-troubles-1.3203944">Sarcoid Years</a>' - about my chronic lung condition - was published in <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sarcoid-years-a-poem-for-your-troubles-1.3203944">The Irish Times</a>, with an accompanying <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sarcoid-years-a-poem-for-your-troubles-1.3203944">article</a>. This poem apparently led to hopes in certain quarters that I might be about to die. But sadly it wasn't to be.<br />
<br />
In the past month <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/poetry-reviews-kevin-higgins-paul-muldoon-and-david-wheatley-1.3315382">John McAuliffe</a> reviewed my <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/poetry-reviews-kevin-higgins-paul-muldoon-and-david-wheatley-1.3315382">New & Selected Poems</a> in <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/poetry-reviews-kevin-higgins-paul-muldoon-and-david-wheatley-1.3315382">The Irish Times</a> (alongside books by <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/poetry-reviews-kevin-higgins-paul-muldoon-and-david-wheatley-1.3315382">David Wheatley</a> and <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/poetry-reviews-kevin-higgins-paul-muldoon-and-david-wheatley-1.3315382">Paul Muldoon</a>); <a href="http://www.poetryireland.ie/publications/poetry-ireland-review/online-archive/view/hero">Poetry Ireland</a> made my tribute to <a href="http://www.poetryireland.ie/publications/poetry-ireland-review/online-archive/view/hero">Robert Mugabe</a> their <a href="http://www.poetryireland.ie/publications/poetry-ireland-review/online-archive/view/hero">Poem of The Month </a>on their <a href="http://www.poetryireland.ie/publications/poetry-ireland-review/online-archive/view/hero">website</a>; The Irish Times republished my Brexit poem '<a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/exit-a-brexit-poem-by-kevin-higgins-1.3316277">Exit</a>' and <a href="https://player.fm/series/rt-arena-podcast/the-art-of-political-rhetoric-by-kevin-higgins">RTE's Arena programme</a> broadcast my poem '<a href="https://player.fm/series/rt-arena-podcast/the-art-of-political-rhetoric-by-kevin-higgins">The Art of Political Rhetoric</a>'. These last four led to grave concern in certain quarters that the Irish literary establishment might finally be grasping me to its bosom.<br />
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It's understood this possibility led a few to consider suicide. But sadly it wasn't to be.<br />
<br />
In the last days before Christmas the book received the following generous mentions:<br />
<br />
"With endlessly colorful wit, Irish poet and satirist Kevin Higgins
offers an assortment of new and selected poems that rip into life and
politics with teeth or, at least, dentures. Bursting with bathos as he
riffs off of Wordsworth, Milton, and Burns or turning to absurdity the
psalmic similes in the title poem, Higgins s verse revels in pastiche
and political irreverence." --<a href="https://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2018/january/nota-benes-january-2018">World Literature Today</a><br />
<br />
"In Ireland, <a href="http://stephenbyrne.org/book-review-mentioning-the-war-by-kevin-higgins/"><b>Kevin Higgins</b></a> launched his <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1910669849/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1910669849&linkCode=as2&tag=poetandchef-20&linkId=e23d717ba984dc27607836e080792076" rel="noopener"><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: 16px;">Song of Songs 2.0: New & Selected Poems</span></a><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: 16px;"></span>, published by <i><b>Salmon Poetry</b></i>
and gives us a selection from his 4 previous collections as well as new
poems. Knee deep in the political, sometimes brutally savage and often
very funny, Kevin’s work over the years has kept me entertained." -<a href="http://stephenbyrne.org/a-year-of-excellent-book-reading-and-40-recommendations-from-2017/">StephenByrne.org </a><br />
<br />
p.s. over the next week or so I will post my ideological review of the year. If you're worried, then you absolutely should me. In fact if I were you I wouldn't sleep a wink the next several nights. Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-9046377638507709032017-08-26T10:36:00.001-07:002017-08-26T10:42:24.578-07:002017 Bluefire Stree Fest in Smithfield <div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: large;">I will be reading at the <a href="http://bluefirestreetfest.ie/lineup/street-performers/">2017 Bluefire Street Fest</a> in Smithfield, Dublin around 4pm on Saturday, September 16th. For details see <a href="http://bluefirestreetfest.ie/lineup/street-performers/">here</a>. Others taking part in the Spoken Word section of the festival are <span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Nita Mishra, </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">James Moran, FeliSpeaks, </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Stacey Lotsy, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">& Ben Bernie. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I will also be reading at a 2017 Bluefire Festival <a href="http://bluefirestreetfest.ie/bluefire-after-hours/">After Hours</a> Spoken Word event at 8pm The Cobblestone, also in Smithfield.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">On the festival website it says this about the evening event: <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">"<i>With all
that’s going on in the world, we are delighted to offer an evening to explore
local and global issues. Come and see Ireland and the world through the lens of
these writers and poets</i>." </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">For more about the Bluefire Street Fest see <a href="http://bluefirestreetfest.ie/">here</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">See you there. </span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-37892977293610327192017-05-16T01:19:00.002-07:002017-05-16T01:19:26.578-07:00 Reading in Ennistymon this Saturday <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cyGEes8oucg/WRq1Abvlj5I/AAAAAAAACwA/zF8P3k7j5gkI8jJWm8hIanYiNk5tS4QlACLcB/s1600/Salmon%2BBookshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cyGEes8oucg/WRq1Abvlj5I/AAAAAAAACwA/zF8P3k7j5gkI8jJWm8hIanYiNk5tS4QlACLcB/s400/Salmon%2BBookshop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">This Saturday (May 20th, 2pm) I will be reading from my <a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=428&a=108">New & Selected Poems</a> at the Salmon Bookshop in Ennistymon alongside visiting
American poets <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=708409786" href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=708409786">Ron Houchin</a> and <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1514307025" href="https://www.facebook.com/art.stringer">Art Stringer</a>.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-67501979603294870332017-04-05T13:06:00.000-07:002017-04-05T13:10:40.326-07:00You are invited to the Galway launch of Song of Songs 2.0 - New & Selected Poems<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The <a href="http://www.cuirt.ie/event/launch-song-songs-2-0-new-selected-poems-kevin-higgins/">Cúirt
Festival of International Literature</a> and <a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=323&a=108">Salmon Poetry</a>
invite you to the launch by <a href="https://www.tcd.ie/English/staff/academic-staff/philip-coleman.php">Dr
Philip Coleman</a> of Trinity College Dublin of <i>Song of Songs 2.0 – New & Selected Poems</i> by Kevin Higgins at The
House Hotel, <span class="tribe-street-address">Spanish Parade, Latin Quarter,
Galway City Centre</span><span class="tribe-address"> on Monday, April 24<sup>th</sup>,
7.30pm.</span></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wyEO9gC4slo/WOVNB1xmNgI/AAAAAAAACvg/4gDBR9C6EcEcwqDgWRQsMdBUf03XeLVbgCLcB/s1600/Kevin-Higgins-Songs-of-Songs-Cover-Image-no-finished-book-cover-1-e1488234620974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wyEO9gC4slo/WOVNB1xmNgI/AAAAAAAACvg/4gDBR9C6EcEcwqDgWRQsMdBUf03XeLVbgCLcB/s640/Kevin-Higgins-Songs-of-Songs-Cover-Image-no-finished-book-cover-1-e1488234620974.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-emF-yiUq-Yc/WOVNomEPLhI/AAAAAAAACvk/qOsYb1sSrYgZL4d3J0_K8OU6j-aqW2XUwCLcB/s1600/coleman%2Bpic%2B3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-emF-yiUq-Yc/WOVNomEPLhI/AAAAAAAACvk/qOsYb1sSrYgZL4d3J0_K8OU6j-aqW2XUwCLcB/s400/coleman%2Bpic%2B3.jpeg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Dr Philip Coleman </span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Kevin Higgins is co-organiser of Over The
Edge literary events in Galway. He teaches poetry workshops at Galway Arts
Centre, Creative Writing at Galway Technical Institute, and is Creative Writing
Director for the NUI Galway Summer School.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Kevin has published four collections of
poetry with Salmon, <i>The Ghost In The Lobby</i> (2014), <i>Frightening New
Furniture</i> (2010), <i>Time Gentlemen, Please</i> (2008), and his
best-selling first collection, <i>The Boy With No Face </i>(2005), which was
short-listed for the 2006 Strong Award for Best First Collection by an Irish
poet. His poetry is discussed in <i>The Cambridge Introduction to Modern Irish
Poetry</i> and features in the generation defining anthology<i> Identity
Parade –New British and Irish Poets </i>(Ed. Roddy Lumsden, Bloodaxe, 2010)
and in <i>The Hundred Years’ War: modern war poems</i> (Ed. Neil Astley,
Bloodaxe, April 2014). A collection of Kevin’s essays and book reviews, <i>Mentioning
The War</i>, was published by Salmon Poetry in 2012 and <i>2016 – The
Selected Satires of Kevin Higgins</i> was published by NuaScéalta in early
2016. <i>The Stinging Fly</i> magazine recently described Kevin as “likely
the most read living poet in Ireland.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Song
of Songs 2.0: New & Selected Poems</b></i> is published by Salmon and includes a substantial number of new poems
as well as selections from his six previous poetry collections, poems written
between 1996 and 2017. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Praise
for Kevin Higgins’s poetry:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>Ireland’s accomplished political poet and
satirist Kevin Higgins</i>”, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Diarmaid Ferriter, The Irish Times </span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>I read this twice. Now, will make a coffee
and read it again</i>.” </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Gene Kerrigan of The Sunday Independent </span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“</span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">The satirist trades balance for excess,
overstatement and savagery, uncovering the hidden dissonances of the social
process. Prominent among the younger poets to have set themselves this
challenge is Kevin Higgins…Satire is a form of war by other means, and…Higgins
shows himself an enthusiastic (verbal) combatant</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">”. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">David Wheatley</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>Likely
the mostly widely read living poet in Ireland</i>”, </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">The Stinging Fly magazine</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>As nasty a man as he is poor as a 'poet'</i>”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">John McTernan, former advisor to Tony
Blair </span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>good satirical savagery</i>”.<b> The Cambridge Introduction to Modern Irish
Poetry, 1800-2000 </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>Higgins picks apart the human condition, its
disappointments and indulgences, with vigour and acumen</i>.”<b> Roddy Lumsden </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>His contribution to the development of Irish
satire is indisputable…Higgins’ poems embody all of the cunning and deviousness
of language as it has been manipulated by his many targets... it is clear that
Kevin Higgins’ voice and the force of his poetic project are gaining in confidence
and authority with each new collection.”</i> <b>Philip Coleman</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>With backstage guardians in Paul Durcan (see
his titles) and Patrick Kavanagh, Kevin Higgins's work has a buoyant spoken
immediacy (often taking the form of dramatic monologues), his poems springing
out of colloquial address and celebrating the ordinary through a use of
quotidian bric-a-brac, which he often pits - with positive effect - against
larger (but no more important) forces…Comedy is part of his poetics, and what I
especially like in his work is its swiftness of wit, its tone of buoyant
contrarianism and jubilant disappointment</i>”, <b>Eamon Grennan, The Irish Times</b> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>It is a profound compliment to the quality
of Kevin’s writing that you can disagree with the content and yet find yourself
still reading on and appreciating the style. You’d have to say that he is one
of the lead poets of his generation in Ireland at this stage</i>.” <b>Clare Daly T.D. </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>Gil
Scott Heron’s The Revolution Will Not Be Televised as re-told by Victor Meldrew</i>”.
<b>Phil Brown, Eyewear</b> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>Fluent and often as laugh-out-loud funny as
Paul Howard's Ross O'Carroll-Kelly</i>”, <b>John
McAuliffe, The Irish Times</b> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">“<i>Higgins is a genius, because he does
something only great poets do: he writes with a voice that is entirely his own,
in a style he has invented, about themes and concerns that now are instantly
recognisable as his terrain</i>.” <b>Todd
Swift</b> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“</span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ireland's
sharpest<b> </b>satirist my arse</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 115%;">.”
</span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Fergus Finlay</span></b></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“<i>Ireland's
best political poet</i>” <b>Mike Jenkins
former editor of Poetry Wales </b></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“<i>brilliant
satire</i>” <b>Peter Tatchell</b></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">“<i>Kevin Higgins writes political poetry of the
highest order, telling truth to power with Swiftian savagery and satirical
humour, dissecting and denouncing political doublespeak, pretension and
hypocrisy</i>.” <b>Mike Quille, Culture
Matters</b></span> </span></div>
Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-5087213147661604002017-03-28T19:39:00.000-07:002017-03-29T16:16:02.352-07:00My ongoing love affair with the Governance & Legal Unit <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of you will be familiar with <a href="http://mentioningthewar.blogspot.ie/2016/07/administrative-suspension-uk-labour.html">this story</a>. Last year, just after the Brexit referendum, I was suspended as a member of the British Labour Party which I had joined as an overseas member during the summer of 2015. I was born in the UK and so was entitled to join the party, which I did to support Jeremy Corbyn. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's pretty clear that the reason for my suspension was that I write the wrong kind of poem. The British Labour Party's Governance and Legal Unit are not alone in thinking I write the wrong kind of poem. Many other people also hate my poetry. Generally speaking, I take this as a compliment and am happy to wallow in the hostility of people such as them. I can think of nothing worse than being the favoured poet of people who in Ireland think water charges were a fab idea, in America think Hilary was preferrable to Bernie, or in the U.K. think the Labour Party should concentrate on trying to win the votes of aspiring estate agents in Leamington Spa. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the time of my suspention <a href="http://www.leftfutures.org/2016/07/the-party-kills-statire/">Left Futures</a> ran a story about it, as did <a href="http://www.thecanary.co/2016/08/10/labours-crackdown-on-free-speech-just-reached-ridiculous-new-heights-exclusive/">The Canary</a>. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2CvZHSHI2kc/WNsI3yLVaiI/AAAAAAAACtk/fd_xn7eW-9oq2qmRulhnIoYt1cvNtuw-wCLcB/s1600/leftfutures.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2CvZHSHI2kc/WNsI3yLVaiI/AAAAAAAACtk/fd_xn7eW-9oq2qmRulhnIoYt1cvNtuw-wCLcB/s1600/leftfutures.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S5XZrJzSXxE/WNsJJtytQHI/AAAAAAAACto/4FahyPMxvpUVyufs6itHL6GuybxZ0mWQQCLcB/s1600/Canary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="78" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S5XZrJzSXxE/WNsJJtytQHI/AAAAAAAACto/4FahyPMxvpUVyufs6itHL6GuybxZ0mWQQCLcB/s320/Canary.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can read these <a href="http://www.leftfutures.org/2016/07/the-party-kills-statire/">here</a> and <a href="http://www.thecanary.co/2016/08/10/labours-crackdown-on-free-speech-just-reached-ridiculous-new-heights-exclusive/">here</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </span></div>
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since last June I have inquired a number of times, via email, as to what the status of my suspension was. I received a ballot paper for the leadership and NEC elections last summer, but heard nothing more. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then, the week before last, I received an email from a Louise Withers Green of the Labour Party's very official sounding Governance and Legal Unit informing me that I was ineligible for party membership as I had announced my intention to run as an Independent candidate for Mauchline Ward on East Ayrshire District Council. Ms Withers Green appeared to be operating under the misapprehension that I was a Mr David Shaw which I am not, and as far as I know, have never been. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">I immediately emailed Ms Withers Green back saying that this was all very interesting but, as the man once said to Inspector Clouseau, "that is not my dog." I had never been to East Ayrshire and had no idea how to get there. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then the real fun began. Ms Withers Green emailed me back the following morning saying that the earlier email had been sent to me in error, attaching the following letter.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JGnCf7lL6tE/WNsL5KN7HCI/AAAAAAAACt0/RssTOI6yuAU8v5YWDXHx16-KpsvXdSk5wCLcB/s1600/Labour%2BParty%2Bletter%2BMarch%2B2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JGnCf7lL6tE/WNsL5KN7HCI/AAAAAAAACt0/RssTOI6yuAU8v5YWDXHx16-KpsvXdSk5wCLcB/s1600/Labour%2BParty%2Bletter%2BMarch%2B2017.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The evidence, which was also attached to Ms Louise Withers Green's email, included the following items.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BwZLSsFDPyE/WNsRfCkNwTI/AAAAAAAACuw/GXSSvChoVL86VeQPy3s4jFxAHyILIrx-wCLcB/s1600/image002.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BwZLSsFDPyE/WNsRfCkNwTI/AAAAAAAACuw/GXSSvChoVL86VeQPy3s4jFxAHyILIrx-wCLcB/s1600/image002.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">My personal favourite </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's not clear to me how posting a link to a satirical item about the impending victory of communism to a Facebook group dedicated to supporting the Latin Mass is relevant to my membership of the British Labour Party. But there you go. These are strange days at the Labour Party Legal and Governance Unit. More generally it is clear that someone has been complaining to Labour Party Headquarters that I have been publishing the wrong kind of poems in the wrong kind of publications and then sharing links to these poems in the wrong kind of Facebook groups. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course none of this is really Ms Louise Withers Green's fault. It's the fault of the person who, ultimately, operates her, Labour Party General Secretary Ian McNichol, pictured below on a recent Labour Friends of Israel trip to Tel Aviv. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U1pb3K5syXc/WNsTWGQUfsI/AAAAAAAACu8/WG2orOZRwTwQdZILhhuxH0RrfT6bbrumACLcB/s1600/Ian%2BMcNicol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U1pb3K5syXc/WNsTWGQUfsI/AAAAAAAACu8/WG2orOZRwTwQdZILhhuxH0RrfT6bbrumACLcB/s1600/Ian%2BMcNicol.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ian is the dude in the middle with more hair than the other two.</span> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But the story isn't over yet. Just when I thought it couldn't get sillier it did. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Half an hour later the beleagured Ms Withers Green emailed me again to say that this letter (and the attached 15 pieces of evidence) had also been sent to me by mistake. It was, she said, an "administrative error" and I should ignore the whole thing.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Later that day I sent a data protection request asking to see ALL the documentation British Labour Party HQ has relating to me; it's clearly quite a file. I have heard nothing more so far.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There is one simple way the boys and the girls of the Labour Party's Legal and Governance Unit can solve at least a couple of the issues here. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I am inviting them all, including both Ian McNichol and Louise Withers Green, to attend either <a href="http://www.cuirt.ie/event/launch-song-songs-2-0-new-selected-poems-kevin-higgins/">the Irish launch</a> of my New and Selected poems which takes place as part of this year's <a href="http://www.cuirt.ie/event/launch-song-songs-2-0-new-selected-poems-kevin-higgins/">Cúirt International Festival of Literature on Monday, April 24th</a>, 7.30pm at the House Hotel, Galway OR the <a href="https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/GHEJGK">Southern England launch</a> of the same book which takes place in <a href="https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/GHEJGK">Chichester on Thursday, May 4th</a>, also starting 7.30pm. Both Mr McNichol and Ms Withers Green clearly need to buy a copy of my new book to see if I have in fact been (a) writing the wrong kind of poem and (b) been publishing them in the wrong kind of publications. The book will include an acknowledgments list of publications in which the poems in it were first published. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In the meantime I have written the script for a comedy series titled 'The Legal and Governance Unit' which I'm expecting will appear on the BBC in the autumn and will, I'm told, star Hugh Bonneville as Ian McNichol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I haven't yet been told who will play me. But rumour is it's either Frankie Boyle or Ken Livingstone. </span>Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-46659300989836656712017-03-21T19:23:00.001-07:002017-03-21T19:25:37.836-07:00Councillor Keen Peter & Rahoonery <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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month, to wide acclaim, the Irish government finally granted Travellers the
status of an ethnic minority.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Rahoon
is an area in Galway City which lent its name to ‘Rahoonery’ - see <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rahoonery">https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rahoonery</a> - following a prolonged anti-Traveller
protest in the area in the late 1960s.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Cllr Peter Keane is a member of Galway City Council. Last week Cllr Keen's minions put a
newsletter through every door in the area which appeared to some residents to
be an effort to stir up a bit of latter day Rahoonery. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Cllr. Keane turning up in this way is a little surprising as he represents the neighbouring ward and actually lives on Taylor’s Hill, traditionally
the most exclusive street in Galway City. </span></span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">As
Cllr Keen is clearly in need of a creative writing class, I have gone to the
trouble of rewriting the relevant part of his newsletter in order to make the
meaning clearer for the common or garden gobshite. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">The Cookie Monster
pyjamas referred to belong to me, Kevin Higgins.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Cllr
Keen’s original is below my rewrite. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> Keen Peter's lesser-pinstriped original</span></span></div>
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Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-26589262099781173622017-01-19T00:25:00.002-08:002017-01-19T00:25:53.394-08:00Lock up your mothers (& your grandmothers) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5EXJw5_zviU/WIB1ZSHuCqI/AAAAAAAACsM/MRVbCzAF7HcnJ3r1PFQToc08bg6moJ_twCLcB/s1600/Stanzas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5EXJw5_zviU/WIB1ZSHuCqI/AAAAAAAACsM/MRVbCzAF7HcnJ3r1PFQToc08bg6moJ_twCLcB/s640/Stanzas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I will be reading some poems at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1901381403414004/">Stanzas</a> in Limerick this Friday evening. For full details see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1901381403414004/">here</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I have my passport to hand, have washed my thong and am all ready to go. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">People living in the general Limerick area are advised to lock up their mothers, their grandmothers, and - better to be safe than sorry - their great-grandmothers until myself and Mr Lordan have been safely escorted back to the border. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">All welcome. </span>Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-55514160557534517782017-01-03T17:48:00.000-08:002017-01-04T17:40:30.489-08:00New poem inspired by comments Vincent Woods made on the death of Anthony Cronin<span style="font-size: large;">A new poem ‘<a href="https://poethead.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/one-has-to-admire-his-ability-as-a-poet-by-kevin-higgins/">One Has To Admire His Ability As A Poet</a>’, inspired by <a href="http://www.rte.ie/culture/2016/1230/841811-writer-and-broadcaster-vincent-woods-pays-tribute-to-cronin/">these comments</a> Vincent Woods made on the death of Anthony Cronin, is <a href="https://poethead.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/one-has-to-admire-his-ability-as-a-poet-by-kevin-higgins/">just published</a> on the excellent <a href="https://poethead.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/one-has-to-admire-his-ability-as-a-poet-by-kevin-higgins/">Poethead</a> website.
Before you read the <a href="https://poethead.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/one-has-to-admire-his-ability-as-a-poet-by-kevin-higgins/">poem</a>, to get you in the mood, you should first put your <a href="http://mentioningthewar.blogspot.ie/2013/10/stephen-lennon-makes-me-think-of-red.html">underpants</a> on your head and play the Youtube video below.
</span><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ih9m0WvAwFo" width="1280"></iframe>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have To Admire His Ability "To share a roast leg with General Amin/& not mind which of his enemies was being eaten" <a href="https://t.co/Q0wGhdzltI">https://t.co/Q0wGhdzltI</a> <a href="https://t.co/TVAeVtTbH9">pic.twitter.com/TVAeVtTbH9</a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">— Kevin Higgins - poet (@KevinHIpoet1967) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinHIpoet1967/status/816411205887787009">January 3, 2017</a></span></blockquote>
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">UPDATE 5/1/2017 the <a href="http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/01/04/one-has-to-admire-his-ability-as-a-poet/">poem</a> has been republished on <a href="http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/01/04/one-has-to-admire-his-ability-as-a-poet/">Broadsheet.ie </a></span></b> </span><br />
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Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-9313709276995824162017-01-01T17:59:00.000-08:002017-01-07T18:35:53.363-08:00First poem of new year 'On The Departure From Office Of Barack Obama' <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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'On The Departure From Office of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BarackObama?src=hash">#BarackObama</a>' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/poem?src=hash">#poem</a> <a href="https://t.co/QhI2lx42jg">https://t.co/QhI2lx42jg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ShrewsMomentum">@ShrewsMomentum</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LiverMomentum">@LiverMomentum</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MomentumScot">@MomentumScot</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MomentumSoton">@MomentumSoton</a> <a href="https://t.co/PcDVTUM8SH">pic.twitter.com/PcDVTUM8SH</a></div>
— Kevin Higgins - poet (@KevinHIpoet1967) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinHIpoet1967/status/815735114265219072">January 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">The poem has since been re-published by <a href="https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-af50-On-the-Departure-from-Office-of-Barack-Obama#.WHGjKn1CzEo">The Morning Star</a> newspaper, by <a href="https://twitter.com/ClareDalyTD/status/815855216167882756?lang=en">Clare Daly TD</a> on her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClareDalyTD/posts/1630794973603096">social media</a> accounts, and on the UK based <a href="http://culturematters.org.uk/index.php/arts/poetry/item/2444-on-the-departure-from-office-of-barack-obama">Culture Matters</a> site. </span><br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115023916844902743.post-51260865010260421282016-12-30T16:07:00.003-08:002016-12-30T16:07:25.477-08:002016 - the year of me being quoted in UK newspapers <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B_c76g1SdiA/WGb1l-QESxI/AAAAAAAACrY/pzcxo1QotjcgcmMGUseYbTYOrE3hHnLdACLcB/s1600/Margo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B_c76g1SdiA/WGb1l-QESxI/AAAAAAAACrY/pzcxo1QotjcgcmMGUseYbTYOrE3hHnLdACLcB/s640/Margo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">One of the strange things that happened during the peculiar year that was 2016 was that poems of mine were quoted in <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/26/jeremy-corbyns-supporters-have-been-writing-poems-about-him-and/"><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></a> (pictured above), <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-corbyn-supporters-written-book-8924659"><i>The Daily Mirror</i></a>, and most recently <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-morning-star-poets-are-worthy-of-no-stars-rjhjp268j"><i>The Times</i></a> (London), in which former David Cameron adviser Lord Finkelstein took time out to take issue with one of them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I look forward to 2017 when I expect to be quoted regularly in both Pravda and The Wall Street Journal. </span>Jonathan Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013462226996351800noreply@blogger.com