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| How to change a plug... in verse | How to change a plug... in verse |
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| Sales of poetry books are down, but one way to reinvigorate this traditional art form could be to make it functional. We invited four poets to reinterpret the familiar, humdrum procedures of daily life, in verse form. | Sales of poetry books are down, but one way to reinvigorate this traditional art form could be to make it functional. We invited four poets to reinterpret the familiar, humdrum procedures of daily life, in verse form. |
| In Alan Bennett's The History Boys, one of the schoolboys complains that he can't relate to poetry because it's about emotions that he has yet to experience. | In Alan Bennett's The History Boys, one of the schoolboys complains that he can't relate to poetry because it's about emotions that he has yet to experience. |
| Teacher Hector replies he will, "and then you will have the antidote ready. Grief. Happiness. Even when you're dying. We're making your deathbeds here, boys. Poetry is the trailer! Forthcoming attractions!" | Teacher Hector replies he will, "and then you will have the antidote ready. Grief. Happiness. Even when you're dying. We're making your deathbeds here, boys. Poetry is the trailer! Forthcoming attractions!" |
| It's a humorous exchange that neatly captures both the lofty ideals of poetry and what some think its major pitfall, namely its perceived disconnect to the everyday. | It's a humorous exchange that neatly captures both the lofty ideals of poetry and what some think its major pitfall, namely its perceived disconnect to the everyday. |
| When the Poetry Society was formed in the UK, 100 years ago this month, poetry played a central part in British life and schoolchildren were learning dozens of poems by heart. | When the Poetry Society was formed in the UK, 100 years ago this month, poetry played a central part in British life and schoolchildren were learning dozens of poems by heart. |
| In recent years, there has been a sharp fall in sales - from £12m spent in 2005 to £8.6m in 2008, according to Book Marketing Ltd. | In recent years, there has been a sharp fall in sales - from £12m spent in 2005 to £8.6m in 2008, according to Book Marketing Ltd. |
| Part of its image problem is the profile of its best exponents can't match the titans of prose. | Part of its image problem is the profile of its best exponents can't match the titans of prose. |
| McEwan, Rushdie, Amis... The names of leading British novelists are well known but it's a struggle to name their equivalents in the world of verse. Even the departure of Britain's Poet Laureate Andrew Motion hardly merited a murmur in the media when announced recently. | McEwan, Rushdie, Amis... The names of leading British novelists are well known but it's a struggle to name their equivalents in the world of verse. Even the departure of Britain's Poet Laureate Andrew Motion hardly merited a murmur in the media when announced recently. |
| CAN YOU DO BETTER? Write a short poem based on some everyday instructionsUse the three poems in this article as inspirationSend them to magazine@bbc.co.uk and entitle them "poetry" or use the form at the foot of the pageWe'll publish the best | CAN YOU DO BETTER? Write a short poem based on some everyday instructionsUse the three poems in this article as inspirationSend them to magazine@bbc.co.uk and entitle them "poetry" or use the form at the foot of the pageWe'll publish the best |
| But it's not all gloomy news. Although books may not be flying off the shelves, people are flocking to hear poetry. Live readings often sell out and major festivals like Glastonbury now include "spoken word" tents. | But it's not all gloomy news. Although books may not be flying off the shelves, people are flocking to hear poetry. Live readings often sell out and major festivals like Glastonbury now include "spoken word" tents. |
| George Palmer of poetry performance group Apples and Snakes says the scene is heavily influenced by hip-hop and part of its appeal is that it addresses real experiences like knife crime and immigration. It is also used to educate children in schools. | George Palmer of poetry performance group Apples and Snakes says the scene is heavily influenced by hip-hop and part of its appeal is that it addresses real experiences like knife crime and immigration. It is also used to educate children in schools. |
| "There's a real interest in the down-to-earth, day-to-day subject matter in contrast to the page poetry which is more dealing with mythology and bigger subjects. This is more about everyday experiences." | "There's a real interest in the down-to-earth, day-to-day subject matter in contrast to the page poetry which is more dealing with mythology and bigger subjects. This is more about everyday experiences." |
| Many poets perform more like stand-up comedians, he says, cracking jokes, and they have no interested in getting published. And he says the audience is generally younger than those buying poetry books. | Many poets perform more like stand-up comedians, he says, cracking jokes, and they have no interested in getting published. And he says the audience is generally younger than those buying poetry books. |
| But Judith Palmer, director of the Poetry Society, believes it would be wrong to try and make poetry more "practical" than it already is. | But Judith Palmer, director of the Poetry Society, believes it would be wrong to try and make poetry more "practical" than it already is. |
| "A lot of people like 'airy-fairyness' and where people don't like contemporary poetry, it's that it is not airy-fairy enough. I think there's room in poetry for heightened language and language that does bring the everyday very closely into focus. | "A lot of people like 'airy-fairyness' and where people don't like contemporary poetry, it's that it is not airy-fairy enough. I think there's room in poetry for heightened language and language that does bring the everyday very closely into focus. |
| "If there is an image problem, it's that people are not able to realise what a range of voices and subject matter that poetry encompasses. | "If there is an image problem, it's that people are not able to realise what a range of voices and subject matter that poetry encompasses. |
| ARE BOOKSHOPS KILLING POETRY? Chris Holifield is director of the Poetry Book Society, which was founded by TS Eliot in 1953 to encourage more people to read modern poetry'There's a lot of activity and in particular the live scene where readings and performance poetry are very active' 'Things aren't going quite so well on the book front. I think that's affected by what's going on in bookshops and the tendency of bookshops to stock bestsellers' | ARE BOOKSHOPS KILLING POETRY? Chris Holifield is director of the Poetry Book Society, which was founded by TS Eliot in 1953 to encourage more people to read modern poetry'There's a lot of activity and in particular the live scene where readings and performance poetry are very active' 'Things aren't going quite so well on the book front. I think that's affected by what's going on in bookshops and the tendency of bookshops to stock bestsellers' |
| "And people are too ready to write it off whatever the reason, either that it's too highfalutin or too prosaic, but I'm sure there are poets writing that can make a difference." | "And people are too ready to write it off whatever the reason, either that it's too highfalutin or too prosaic, but I'm sure there are poets writing that can make a difference." |
| Poetry's origins were very practical, as a means to record events, battles, kings and other stories before such things were written down, she says. Even today, there are many mnemonic rhymes to educate us and nursery rhymes that tell us about history. | Poetry's origins were very practical, as a means to record events, battles, kings and other stories before such things were written down, she says. Even today, there are many mnemonic rhymes to educate us and nursery rhymes that tell us about history. |
| Yet everyday life is littered with texts that are so dull and familiar, and devoid of flair or fun, that we hardly even read them: | Yet everyday life is littered with texts that are so dull and familiar, and devoid of flair or fun, that we hardly even read them: |
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| Functional verse about these everyday non-events could enrich our lives, says Judith Palmer, because an image or memorable line will pop into our heads the next time we encounter them and make them less banal. | Functional verse about these everyday non-events could enrich our lives, says Judith Palmer, because an image or memorable line will pop into our heads the next time we encounter them and make them less banal. |
| But it's wrong to try too hard to make poetry "relevant" by insisting it only refer to the landscape we are familiar with. | But it's wrong to try too hard to make poetry "relevant" by insisting it only refer to the landscape we are familiar with. |
| "Literature can take you to other places as well and it doesn't have to be a poem about a house that looks just like yours. It can be a window on to a new world of possibilities." | "Literature can take you to other places as well and it doesn't have to be a poem about a house that looks just like yours. It can be a window on to a new world of possibilities." |
| Or, as Hector would add, experiences that could be just around life's corner. | Or, as Hector would add, experiences that could be just around life's corner. |
| Send us your examples of practical poetry - everyday texts such as instructions, rules, official guidance, re-interpreted as verse. You can use the form below or e-mail your poem to the.magazine@bbc.co.uk. Use the subject line "practical poetry" and don't forget to include your name and where you are from. Poems should be all your own work. | Send us your examples of practical poetry - everyday texts such as instructions, rules, official guidance, re-interpreted as verse. You can use the form below or e-mail your poem to the.magazine@bbc.co.uk. Use the subject line "practical poetry" and don't forget to include your name and where you are from. Poems should be all your own work. |
| Card in Then your PIN Check that no-one else is watchin' | Card in Then your PIN Check that no-one else is watchin' |
| Choose your pleasure Here's your treasure To take some now please give your measure | Choose your pleasure Here's your treasure To take some now please give your measure |
| Take card out Hang about While I count your coppers out | Take card out Hang about While I count your coppers out |
| So goodbye But don't be shy It's fun! Let's go again sometimeBethan, Reading, UK | So goodbye But don't be shy It's fun! Let's go again sometimeBethan, Reading, UK |
| Police Caution | Police Caution |
| Text:You do not have to say anything, but it might harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in Court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence | Text:You do not have to say anything, but it might harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in Court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence |
| Poem:Be quiet?Omissions may haunt youSpeak?Admissions may damn youBill Campbell | |
| The Green Cross CodeStop at the edge Don't fall off the ledgeLook to the rightNothing in sight?Look to the leftThe warp and the weftLook to the rightStill nothing in sight?Listen for soundThe emptiest groundWalk straight acrossAs quickly as possYou've cracked the code!Off your mind that's a load David, Ely, UK | The Green Cross CodeStop at the edge Don't fall off the ledgeLook to the rightNothing in sight?Look to the leftThe warp and the weftLook to the rightStill nothing in sight?Listen for soundThe emptiest groundWalk straight acrossAs quickly as possYou've cracked the code!Off your mind that's a load David, Ely, UK |
| Stop, Look and Listen when you cross the road; It's a fundemental part of the Green Cross Code. When you cross the road if you don't look roundOr you don't listen out for the engine soundWhen you leave the safety of the pathYou'd better be prepared for the aftermath.If a car is doing over forty(even though they're probably being naughty)You'll need attention from a nurse;They'll injure you or even worseYou'll die. So watch out on the road. Rob (Wordsworth) Carter, Bromsgrove, UK | Stop, Look and Listen when you cross the road; It's a fundemental part of the Green Cross Code. When you cross the road if you don't look roundOr you don't listen out for the engine soundWhen you leave the safety of the pathYou'd better be prepared for the aftermath.If a car is doing over forty(even though they're probably being naughty)You'll need attention from a nurse;They'll injure you or even worseYou'll die. So watch out on the road. Rob (Wordsworth) Carter, Bromsgrove, UK |
| To make your egg go hard inside Just take heed of the following guideMake your water hot and frothy then drop your egg in very softlyAdd some salt into your panjust in case some cracks happenIf you want your egg all hard inside10 minutes boil should be just fine.If you like your yolk all soft and runny3 minutes time is on the money.Dave Cassar, London | To make your egg go hard inside Just take heed of the following guideMake your water hot and frothy then drop your egg in very softlyAdd some salt into your panjust in case some cracks happenIf you want your egg all hard inside10 minutes boil should be just fine.If you like your yolk all soft and runny3 minutes time is on the money.Dave Cassar, London |
| A useful ode to upload?A villanelle as well? | A useful ode to upload?A villanelle as well? |
| E-mail the stanzaWe might even answer.See the form?Write on it. Send us a sonnet Don't forget your name.That would be amnesia.Or where you're from -America or from Asia.Donal, Madrid | E-mail the stanzaWe might even answer.See the form?Write on it. Send us a sonnet Don't forget your name.That would be amnesia.Or where you're from -America or from Asia.Donal, Madrid |
| My Father (who's an electrician) taught my brother and I this simple rhyme to remind us how to wire a plug: | My Father (who's an electrician) taught my brother and I this simple rhyme to remind us how to wire a plug: |
| Red is Hot Blue is notGreen and Yellow earth the lot | Red is Hot Blue is notGreen and Yellow earth the lot |
| As long as you remember that hot is live and not is neutral, you'll never forget how to change a plug.Kathryn Easthope, Uxbridge, United Kingdom | As long as you remember that hot is live and not is neutral, you'll never forget how to change a plug.Kathryn Easthope, Uxbridge, United Kingdom |
| One for encountering snakes: | One for encountering snakes: |
| Red next to black, venom it lackRed next to yellow, beware this fellowAlthough the chances of this having any applicable use indeepest, darkest Hertfordshire is somewhat unlikely.Richard Jones, Hemel Hempstead | Red next to black, venom it lackRed next to yellow, beware this fellowAlthough the chances of this having any applicable use indeepest, darkest Hertfordshire is somewhat unlikely.Richard Jones, Hemel Hempstead |
| An old engineering trick for remembering which way to turn a screw (small but practical): | An old engineering trick for remembering which way to turn a screw (small but practical): |
| Lefty loosey,Righty tighty. Alan Smewing, Stafford, UK | Lefty loosey,Righty tighty. Alan Smewing, Stafford, UK |
| If centigrade confuses you, as very well it might, nine fifths of c plus 32, will give you Farenheit.Mike, Bolton | If centigrade confuses you, as very well it might, nine fifths of c plus 32, will give you Farenheit.Mike, Bolton |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |