We were at The Queen Elizabeth Hall last night, to hear the ten shortlisted poets for the T S Eliot Poetry Prize 2009 read a selection of their poems. It was a really great evening where the poetry world - or at least the one that has London at its centre all came together.
We bought the books of the poets we thought had a good chance of winning and who we really liked. We chatted to them and wished them all the best for the announcement that was given today at 7.30.
We were really pleased that Philip Gross won. Katy built and manages his website and I've met him at The Troubadour in Earls Court where he read last year.
Another poet we thought was really good was Jane Draycott. I was invited to hear her read last summer at a club in Hampstead Heath along with other members of The Poetry Workshop. Hugh - my colleague and friend at Richmond College - is also a member of the workshop.
Katy also met up with an old colleague who was also shortlisted for the prize. Christopher Reid was poetry editor at Faber and Faber when Katy worked there. And since T S Eliot was one of the founding directors of the publisher, that rather neatly brings us full circle back to the T S Eliot Poetry Prize.
Anyway enough of this.
2 comments:
Thanks for the report! We were too jet-lagged to go to the reading.
I too am glad that Philip Gross won -- lovely person, excellent poet.
Happy New Year from both of us to both of you!
Love, Nancy & Mike xx
This sounds like a wondersful evening for you and K. I look forward to seeing people turing your way to applaud!
Px
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