Love at First Sight in Edinburgh 1963
 

This poem has been accepted for the Spectator. That's the front half and something of an honour. It was workshopped here quite some time ago, o you share in the honour. Thank you.

You are welcome. We live to serve.

Thank you, Ann. I must say I think it curious that though I am published regularly in Amarica and Australia, nobody does so in the UK except the Speccie. I think it has something to do with the fact that in the US there has been a split between the rhymers and scanners and the free verse nuts, so you can accommodate both. In the UK no magazine except the Spectator publishes much that rhymes and scans. We have to get by with winning competitions and publishing our work in books. I am on my fourth publisher. How many have you had, Ann, since the sad demise of Peterloo? The others all fell by the wayside or had queues of aspiring authors so long that I felt death (his or mine) would intervene before I got another book out of him. My present publisher, Karen Kelsay, bless her, is nearly as old as me, but she looks fit and well. Good teeth.

Hugo Williams at the Speccie has catholic tastes. He publishes free verse and proper poetry too.

And now, like Gordon Brown, who made all of his announcements twice, I am happy to say the poem is in this week's Spectator and I am the recipient of a goodish bit of money, though I'm not sure how much till I see my bank statement.

It's a jolly good poem. Did I say that before?

Jolly good on ya, John! I long for the day when I've made my first cent from writing poetry.

Keep at it, Bill. Money is the root of all popular art.

You may be right, but to be clear: I haven't given it much of a try. Never entered a single competition or contest, and don't submit much for publication, in fact, hardly ever. I think it's the masochist in me that keeps me from going anywhere. Being on the bottom fuels my spirit as an artist.

If it works for you, Bill.

I thought I saw poems on successive weeks in the TLS recently by Clive James and Derek Mahon which rhymed, John. I may be wrong!

John,
I subscribe to the TLS and was chuffed to see them publishing formal poetry.( I just checked and their poems were there) I also read The Spectator regularly and it is great to see you in there. I owe you a lot in getting my verse published occasionally through your advice in your Writing Poetry book.