Three years ago today, as a way of dealing with Covid lockdown, the former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins started a poetry broadcast on Facebook. That first evening – cocktail time where he lives! – it was his birthday.
Since then the little community of viewers and comment-makers has grown. Billy and his wife Suzannah have continued the broadcasts, even though the world has opened up and he is in demand for live events and readings. A second book has been published since the broadcasts began.
Some of the regulars sent birthday and thank you cards to celebrate the third anniversary. Last night’s broadcast was fun. What blew my mind was that the birthday boy read out one of my Burren poems, Super Moon.
Chuffed. That’s what I am.
Here’s a link to the broadcast. Hell, you might even join the rest of us on Tuesdays and Thursdays! Once the clocks go forward at the weekend, it’s at 10.30pm Irish time.
Copy link to the Poetry Broadcast 21 March 2023 when BC read my poem Super Moon.
It has been a manic few days, getting ready for this year’s #PoetryDayIrl
This morning, I was at the DeValera Library in Ennis; giving a poetry workshop to 3rd and 4th class from Ennis Educate Together school. Eighteen young poets turned up with their teachers- and taught me a thing or two about poetry! Thanks to all of the children for their energy and interest. They were really great. And thanks to Samantha at Clare Library Services for the invitation. We’ll be doing it all again on the 23 May with another group of Ennis schoolchildren.
All prepped for LabelLit
Yesterday was spent tearing around the Burren: from Carron, to Finavarra, to Bishop’s Quarter; then out the coast road to Fanore, stopping off on the way back at Black Head, Murroohtoohy, Ballyconry, & Sans Souci; more stops at the old pier, the Coast Road, the Cottages, the new pier; to the school, looking back to Cappanawalla; and finally to a nook or two in the village. ALL in aid of Label Lit – the brainchild of the dynamo that is Maria McManus – who already has brought the Poetry Jukebox concept to Ireland.
From ‘Super Moon’. LabelLit at the Burren Perfumery
Label Lit has been going for a few years now, on each Poetry Day Ireland. Maria organises the whole thing and we poets are sent 20 labels. We write a line of poetry on each one and then sign them on the back, where there are links for the finder to use. This year we also recorded our poems. Finders of the labels – and you – can click into poetrymapp.com here, and listen to the complete poem. This year poets from abroad are also taking place: you’ll find LabelLit in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Australia. I had my labels prepped since Easter, and a ‘keeper’ sent off to Ursula in the Poetry Collection project at the library in U.C.D. I’ve left labels all around my part of the Burren for you to find. Many of the places mentioned above are mentioned in my poem Super Moon. At Sea was in response to a reported incident just off Black Head. If you’re not in Co. Clare at the moment, look at the map: there may be labels where you are!
Karen J McDonnell 