The cool winds of the air-conditioning in Stage 3 created a slightly inhospitable climate for big cats but despite this the session was lively and not without passion. Most people admitted to finding Ruth Padel’s seventh collection, The Soho Leopard, somewhat daunting and occasionally inaccessible but, by the end, everyone concurred it was worth the deeper engagement it required.
Padel worked on the book alongside her non-fiction travel memoir Tigers in Red Weather, which charts the declining tiger population across the planet. Her fascination with these splendid, almost mythical, solitary creatures coincided with her need to re-gather her self after the ending of a long relationship. The tigers she’s tracking and writing about are real tigers as well as tigers of the imagination.
The session started in smaller groups, considering general responses to The Soho Leopard, likes and dislikes, delights and challenges. In the larger group we looked at the book’s structure, the various sections and themes, the wide variety of cultural references and styles of language. Her bold and original voice, full of energy and startling juxtapositions, the inclusiveness of her subject matter, her technical innovations with rhythm and form and her fierce intelligence were much admired.
We looked at Ruth’s work in the light of her up and coming visit to Newcastle to give this year’s Bloodaxe Poetry Lectures – On Not Saying Everything – 27th, 28th, 29th May, 5.30pm in the Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building, Newcastle University. These events are free, no need to book. Ruth will be discussing various aspects of the way poems are to be read, as well as written – metaphor, tone and intention. She will also be reading from her own work on Friday 30th May at 7pm in Culture Lab, Newcastle University. Tickets are available from Northern Stage (0191 230 5151). This is a rare opportunity to hear one of the most important voices in contemporary poetry sharing her insights and practice. Do come along.
* Please add your own comments to this blog – it’s a chance to include any follow-up thoughts after the discussions (whether you were able to attend or not), to raise new issues or make suggestions for books/poets to be considered in future sessions. Something we’ll touch upon in the next session, the last of the season – Thursday 5th June, 6.30 at Northern Stage, which is dedicated to Hand in Hand, an anthology of love poems, edited by Carol Ann Duffy. Remember you can buy a copy at Blackwell’s at a discount.
The poems we’ll be concentrating on are by Moniza Alvi, C.P. Cafavy, Colette Bryce, Iain Crichton Smith, Nick Drake, Elizabeth Bishop, Billy Collins, Dorianne Laux, Brendan Kennelly, Rosemary Tonks, Deryn Rees-Jones and Seamus Heaney.
Looking forward to seeing you then.
Linda
