A 4th form poem, French again, from the first ed of the In Fine Form anthology. And Vuillard Interior from Elise Partridge (RIP), whom I met a few times in Vancouver at varied poetry events and she was always as warm and poised as this triolet.

Form the third from In Fine Form, ed 1. More French stuff but keeping it on the easier side, repetition-wise. Still, tragic. Enjoy your java!

Form the second from the In Fine Form anthology, ed 1, the convoluted yet simple French pantoum. Explaining forms isn't easy! This poem is strangely haunting.

The new series on the two Canadian In Fine Form anthologies begins (edited by Kate Braid and Sandy Shreve) with one of my fave forms (also addressed in the Poet on the Road podcasts relating to Shall and Frenzy) the ancient Persian ghazal and its contemporary North American version. I call Canadian poet John Thompson the "gateway drug" to the ghazal and recite his ghazal 9 after talking through this fascinating form. Happy Monday!

The last poem from A. Alvarez and his 1962 The New Poetry Anthology. A lesser known poet now. Who who who is he?? But seriously Happy Friday.

Second to last piece from the A Alvarez anthology in which I talk against accessibility and ramble forthwith into Hill's form and imagery before reciting the 3 part poem. And it is snowing. Again.

Ok 3 more poems "this week" from the A Alvarez anthology I say as if it were Monday but it's Wednesday! Also for these last 3 pieces, and perhaps into the future, I am discussing the poem first then just reciting it once. And today I'm dealing with a lesser known poet (because hey MOST of us are) Jon Silkin with his paean/curse to my fave flower. Go Dandelion go!!

A further A Alvarez offering, the wonderful poet Thom Gunn and his poem that could literally touch on the difficult beauties of being a gay man in the 50s. Find some of his books. You won't be disappointed.

Another A Alvarez pick, this time of a now lesser known poet, and his piece about dealing with your depressions. After the first 2 minutes my phone buzzes. I vanish only to return. Phone calls in the middle of podcasts are sort of bad things, but we deal. Happy Monday!

Poem the third from the A Alvarez anthology for your dour Friday ;) Philip Larkin, famed curmudgeon librarian, and his piece "Wants" which tells it like it really is. Drink up that java!