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New British Poetry 32: Openings

© Dr J D Ballam

As the autumn chill begins to settle in here in the UK, bringing with it the start of the new academic term, it seems to me to be an appropriate time to provide readers of this column with some additional resources for locating and enjoying up-to-date British poetry. So what follows is a collection of web locations where readers anywhere can gain access to a wide variety of new writing in the UK. I have divided these materials into three sections: sites giving information of use to those who want to learn more about who is writing in the UK, what they're writing, and where you can find it; sites including, or sometimes limited to, e-zines, usually specializing in new poetry; and finally, a few sites where you can study the making of poetry as it is taught in the UK itself, working with British tutors, and alongside British students.

So, here are a few of the major sites for poetry lovers in the UK:

www.poetrylibrary.org = huge range of resources for anyone interested in reading and writing poetry, including links to authors, publishers, reading groups, competitions, bookshops, education and magazines.

www.poetrykit.org = a massive notice-board style site with a comprehensive range of information about new poetry - where it is being published and by whom; there are listings of every sort, including competitions, book sales, publishing info, calls for submissions, details of festivals, poets on tour. A truly fab site.

www.haikusoc.ndo.co.uk = homepage of the British Haiku Society; includes a journal, competition news, bookshop

www.geraldengland.org.uk/revs/online.htm = in spite of its complicated address, this is the homepage for New Hope International Review online, easily one of the most comprehensive sources for reviews of the latest small press books, magazines and journals published world-wide; the review is managed expertly by author and editor Gerald England

Here is a selection of some of the many e-zines currently online. Bear in mind, of course, that the fate and fortunes of e-zines can be hugely variable, as can the quality. All of these, in my view, look good.

www.buzzwords.ndo.co.uk = UK poetry e-zine.

www.thepoem.co.uk = a British/Irish e-zine dedicated to new poetry; includes news, reviews and useful links.

www.stridemagazine.co.uk = well-established UK literary magazine, now with a web version; edited by experienced poet Rupert Loydell, and publishing quality work.

www.whiteleafpress.co.uk = brand new poetry e-zine and publisher based in central England.

www.poetrylondon.co.uk = an important literary journal, featuring top-class writing, and the latest news on poetry and events in the south-east; includes links, subscription info, and free samples.

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