The From the Ruins Edition
In 1995, singer Natalie Merchant released her song ‘San Andreas Fault’, in which the tectonic plates under San Francisco took on a sinister, human aspect, “mov[ing their] fingers/ through the ground” – a reference, perhaps, to the huge 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, or others since. In Merchant’s song, the fault-line of the past and … Read more
Crosslight: a micro-anthology of poetry
Welcome to Crosslight: a micro-anthology of poetry
The Werk Edition
Delaina Haslam, who recently delighted conceptual poet Kenneth Goldsmith with her piece about him in NLP (his new book, Uncreative Writing, is reviewed here in the TLS), takes on another avant-garde giant, sound poet Jaap Blonk. NLP is delighted to be working with Haslam again: she is an endlessly searching writer, and allows NLP to … Read more
The Code Edition
There is a physicality to the way we record things – a place for memory – that appears in code; we call this language. It is learnt through sight, touch, sound, and is arguably site specific. “The narratives respond directly to the land, as the land responds directly to the… stories”, writes David Abram in … Read more
The Tresspass Edition
Nothing as bombastic as Frank O’ Hara’s manifesto for Personism, but with a soft-hued version of his sentiment: “I’m not saying that I don’t have practically the most lofty ideas of anyone… but what difference does that make? They’re just ideas. The only good thing about it is that when I get lofty enough I’ve … Read more
The Ghost Edition
In NLP’s winter edition, we have found a league of spectres to accompany you amongst the silent shifting of the snowflakes. Don Paterson and Alison Watt’s recent collaboration at the Ingleby Gallery, where Watt’s artwork was accompanied by Paterson’s succinct verse, allowed Paterson to release the ghosts from Watt’s mesmerising pieces. In an attempt to … Read more
The Punctum Edition
“I will always listen to outsiders. They have a lot to give”, says Sally Evans in her interview for this month’s Punctum Edition. Sally is the quiet radical of Scottish poetry, evident in her deep and abiding love of books at Kings Bookshop in Callendar (along with husband and fellow poet Ian W King), her … Read more
The Signs Edition
With an umm-ing and err-ing word-for-word ‘conceptual’ interview technique, the writer with the misheard name Delaina Haslam dances about the page with prophet of conceptual poetry Kenneth Goldsmith, discussing some of his work and his recent brush with the Obamas at the White House. Goldsmith reveals his desire to buy a kilt in London, fly to … Read more
The Quiet Snowfire Edition
NLP’s Microsessions last month was a fiery snowstorm of words, poetry, film, music & art. We are still recovering. Thanks to all those who got involved, we hope you enjoy Delaina Haslam’s photo-review of the event – a veritable smorgasbord of flying & settling words that created a quiet blizzard at the top of Leith Walk. In this … Read more
The Are We Ersatz? edition
“…Ah! You are a happy fellow,” said Mr Farebrother, turning on his heel and beginning to fill his pipe. “You don’t know what it is to want spiritual tobacco – bad emendations of old texts, or small items about a variety of Aphis brassicae, with the well-known signature of Philomicron, for the Twaddler’s Magazine; or … Read more
