Thanks to Afshan D’souza-Lodhi at The Common Sense Network for publishing my short piece, New Oldish Poets Society – which you can read here – detailing twelve women poets who’ve recently published their first pamphlet or collection in their late 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. I’ve read a few articles recently charting the rise in poetry’s popularity yet nothing that I’ve seen mentions the rather wonderful phenomenon of more and more older women being published for the first time.
You can decide for yourself why it is that older women are increasingly making a space for themselves in the poetry world – in my article I suggest it’s to do with networking, education and publishing opportunities made available by the internet, as well as changed and changing attitudes towards women in general and a reassessment of what is considered ‘good’ poetry, along with different types of people making editorial decisions.
And you can draw your own conclusions about the reasons for the absence of older women in articles celebrating the current #poetryboom…
I am sorry that I didn’t include more poets in my piece. The article would’ve been enormously long if I’d included all of the women recommended to me who fitted into the demographic of ‘first published over the age of 45 in the past 10-15 years’. I tried to include names that might not be well-known in the mainstream world (or even in the poetry world, wherever that is) and I wanted to mention a range of publishers and small presses.
The poets I’ve mentioned are:
- Kadija Sesay published by Peepal Tree Press
- Carole Bromley published by Smith|Doorstop
- Jessica Mookherjee published by Nine Arches Press
- Judy Brown published by Seren Books
- Deborah Alma published by Nine Arches Press
- Kathy Pimlott published by The Emma Press
- L Kiew published by Offord Road Books
- Robbie Burton published by HappenStance Press
- Pey Pey Oh published by Flarestack Poets
- Jane Clarke published by Bloodaxe Books and Smith|Doorstop
- Panya Banjoko published by Burning Eye Books
- Susannah Hart published by Live Canon
Do, please, leave names and links to books in the comment section below, or, even better, write your own piece about the same topic. Happy International Women’s Day.
Great work Josephine. Really interesting.
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Cheers, Peter – thanks for your support xx
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Excellent way to celebrate Women’s Day. Long live oldisher women!
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Cheers Rachael! 🌻🌷🌻🌷
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Excellent piece, Josephine! Here is an addition for you:
I can add The Glastonbury Three, all published in the last year, two of us for the first time.
Rachael Clyne (in her late 60s) ‘Girl Golem’ 4Word Press http://www.4word.org/girl-golem-by-rachael-clyne/
Michelle Diaz (in her mid 40s): ‘The Dancing Boy’ Against the Grain (debut pamphlet) https://againstthegrainpoetrypress.wordpress.com/michelle-diaz/
Jinny Fisher (70): ‘The Escapologist’ V. Press http://vpresspoetry.blogspot.com/p/our-poets.html
(debut pamphlet)
Reading together at The Avalon Rooms, Glastonbury on 29th March, 7.30.
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Thank you for putting the spotlight on those who just happened to be born before the others! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your article. Brilliant idea for a celebration!
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There’s hope yet!
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Always! 🌻🌷🌻🌷
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Great article, Josephine! Really enjoyed it and it has given me hope and inspiration. See you at the next Stanza. x
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Thanks for reading, Sarah! See you in April x
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Good piece and we at Rack Press have also published older women (and men of course!). Here’s a link to a recent filmed reading by four of them: https://www.rlf.org.uk/showcase/nicholas-murray-wiw/
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This seems to be a link to a voice recording by Nicholas Murray – do leave the correct link to the film, that sounds wonderful! Thanks and best wishes, Josephine. – In fact, I’ve found the film from Rack Press tweets – here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=z7XGJsII-w0
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Great article! Interesting too to note that many of the publishers/small presses you mention are run (or co-run) by women.
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Thanks Hilaire! Yes, good point.
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