Vengeance refers to a performance I saw a couple of weeks ago, performed by students of King's College, London at the Greenwood Theatre. This was Euripides 'Hecuba' - in Greek but with computer generated subtitles - which didn't always match the action on stage but no matter, the theme was clear enough. I say action but there was little of that except for a bloodcurdling human sacrifice off stage and a blinding in a tent. Fearful stuff which led me into writing a poem of my own on the theme of revenge - giving myself haunting dreams in the process.
The Sandpiper is, of course, Elizabeth Bishop's. I have been reading her poems in preparation for a workshop and came across this video clip of the poem on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZyj3gXEUis I had read an article about 'Sandpiper' which said how the author kept tightening the focus as if adjusting the eye piece on binoculars or a telescope - and then I saw this clip which had exactly the same idea.
What else - Well the wonderful Alice Oswald who spoke the whole of 'Memorial' at the Purcell Room - completely by heart, looking into a very dark auditorium. An emotionally shattering experience.
I have been asked, by the poetry prRO project via poetrypf, to send 4 poems for translation and broadcasting on Romanian radio, so feel very honoured.
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