[Cally Conan-Davies]

For those who don't subscribe, why would you, when we get to read most of it online these days? Although it is always a handsome production, good to hold.

And the brand new July/August issue has David Mason's 'Another Thing', a beautiful sonnet he read at West Chester last month.

Read it here!!!

[Catherine Chandler]

Cally,
It's exquisite. Thank you so much for the announcement and the link.
♥ Cathy

[Cally Conan-Davies]

Thanks, Cathy! I really think "exquisite" is the word. The mellifluous vigour he gets into the language always astounds me. Strength and beauty.

I just noticed that if you click on his name under the poem's title, a biography page comes up, and you will see the new 'author photo' I took of him recently. I like it for several reasons: I like that it's a candid shot - he looks in full, passionate speech mode (which he was, talking to the students we took to Greece!); and I like it especially because - I hope you will get a kick from knowing this - it was taken recently in Delphi, in a restaurant just down the road from the Temple of Apollo, and in view of Mt Parnassus and the Gulf of Corinth. How apt, for a poet-photo, don't you reckon?!

Thanks again, Cathy! He's very pleased you like the poem.

XOX

[Simon Hunt]

Jeez, that's good. Sonnets will probably always be my favorite, and that's a stunner! I like the author photo, too--although, if one puts on one's 3D glasses, it appears that the Mason-hand at the bottom of the frame is reaching out to grab one! Cheers to you both.

[Susan McLean]

Nice sonnet. Do I note allusions to you, Cally, in "calligraphy" and "antipodal"?

Susan

[Cally Conan-Davies]

Ha! Let it grab you, Simon!!

You remind me of another thing — it's important to see that POETRY publishes great sonnets. It's Sonnet Celebration month, with our own Bake-off breaking records already! Davey's sonnet in POETRY couldn't have come at a better time, eh Cathy and Gail??!!

As Memsy would say, sonnets are 'irresistible'.

[Cally Conan-Davies]

You touch on a really interesting point, Susan. Davey and I have been talking about it lately - about biographical readings, how knowing the life a poet influences one's interpretation of the poem. Can we separate these ways of knowing? I still really admire A.S. Byatt's Possession for how it complicates biographical assumptions.

In this sonnet, the "you" could be me for the reasons you give, or the poet addressing himself - giving himself a good talking to.

It's so much fun, living with a great poet, because you get to see up-close where it all comes from, and how it gets worked and changed and shaped and made in the alembic of imagination.

So glad you enjoyed the sonnet, Susan. I was astonished when I first read it!

[Alex Pepple]

It's as striking on the [digital]page, Cally, as it was listening to him read it at West Chester!

...Alex

[Nausheen Eusuf]

It's gorgeous -- reminds me of Hart Crane. Thanks for the link, Cally. (I love that he started his West Chester reading with one of your poems!)

Nausheen

[Cyn Neely]

I think I shall give up writing sonnets right this minute!

so so gorgeous. I love seeing it in print - I can hold it longer.