Over the Edge - Skylight 47

 

The Over the Edge showcase event for Skylight 47 magazine/newspaper (it's sort of both) was a great success. Lots of the contributors attended and read their poems. I read my Conversation again. It's a suitable poem for reading aloud, simple and direct with a gentle punch in the end. 

I enjoyed the variety and the chat. I also met two contributors to the latest Boyne Berries and gave them their copies. The venue, the Kitchen in Galway Museum, was full. Nice to be able to have a coffee before the reading.

The format was Skylight readers, featured reader Galway poet Kevin Higgins, a short break, more Skylight readers, then Dublin poet Tony Curtis. Kevin Higgins was introduced as the "Sultan of Satire" and he lived up to the billing. He read new poems on the current austerity, on the table on which everything must be on, some modest money-saving proposals and a poem containing his directions for his own funeral which included a "get the coffin sponsored" request.

Tony Curtis was great. His introductions were long, interesting and amusing. He ranged from the USA, Dundrum Shopping Centre and the nearby Central Mental Hospital to Heptonstall and Sylvia Plath's grave. He read one of his poems for children, P is for Poetry, from his recent An Elephant called Rex collection. His The Skagit Valley Beekeeper went down very well. 

Skylight 47 is still open for submissions for its second issue.

Photo: Kevin Higgins reading at the event. More pics, including one of me, on their Facebook page.