FLARESTACK

                  Last evening (8th November) I was delighted to be able to go to Exeter Cathedral and hear a concert by the Exeter Festival Chorus that included the premiere of Living Tree, a work by Peter Nickol for choir, harp and brass ensemble. Most of the words for the piece are drawn from Joan Poulson's book of poems onetree singing. Later this year we shall be publishing an edition of the journal section of the book, with watercolour illustrations from Elizabeth Stuart-Smith.

Negotiations are proceeding with Roberta Burnett, from Tempe, Arizona, whose first collection we hope to publish next year. For a preview of her poetry (reminiscent of Elizabeth Bishop and even Miss Marianne Moore) take a look at OWP 40, which includes a number of examples. Other poems by Roberta will be appearing in future issues of the magazine.

         London Water, by Mark Leech, is a sequence of poems that relates events from Mark’s life to the old, now hidden, rivers of the city. Currently at the proofing stage, due to be published later in the year, is Russian literature scholar belinda Cooke's collection Resting Place.    

Robert Hamberger has written a sequence (or is it a long poem?) dealing with John Clare’s nightmarish return from his ‘madness’. Heading North has just had a successful launch at Leicester Guildhall.

Ivan Silverberg's poem Equine encounter  (from Obsessed With Pipework) appears among the Highly Commended  poems in the 2007 Forward Book of Poetry.

 Obsessed With Pipework number 40 (the autumn issue and also our tenth anniversary number) has now been mailed to subscribers & contributors. We continue our policy of including up to half a dozen poems by a poet where the quality of their submissions warrants this - which gives readers a much better idea of the poet's range. As usual, the magazine includes new voices alongside some OWP  regulars.

         One of Flarestack’s recent projects is a Grasshopper Inscriptions, pamphlet of work by South Birmingham poet Meredith Andrea. Meredith writes with great subtlety.