In The Heart Of The Electric Chair – Christopher Barnes

Chris — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:15:51 +0000

Spirited off the characters of ledgers,

Your fable might be a rough-and-tumble clangour

In steam-lapse teeters.

This power-swell stun seat

Won’t let you scarper; as you plunge,

Unflinching journey’s end.

A blood-curdling scream

Flips round the corner.

Patient Observation – Helen Davies

Chris — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:08:11 +0000

Patient Observation

The words gone out, you’ll ever guess,

Give all a shout,”There’s chocolates in sister’s office

Come one come all to heed the call

Of chocolates in sister’s office

Green striped, blue scrubs, navy uniform

Even lofty doctors bow to imbibe

The chocolates from sister’s office

Tall and thin, short and fat

The tubbiest visit more often

All their plans to lose the weight forgotten

Cuz there’ chocolates in sister’s office

With one in mouth and one in hand

Another in a pocket

Guiltily they creep away

With the chocolates from sister’s office

Press Release – The New Bard of Exeter

Chris — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:45:21 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

NEW BARD OF EXETER

The competition to find the new Bard of Exeter (or, more formally – the Bardic Chair of Caer Wyse) was held last Sunday at the Bike Shed Theatre in Exeter. The event was hosted by the Grand Bard of Exeter Mark Lindsey Earley and current co-Bards Clive Pig and Jackie Juno, who last January came equal first in the yearly competition, and made history by sharing the title.

Based on records dating back at least two hundred years, Exeter is one of approximately 30 ancient locations that have the right to elect their own Bard or ‘Bardic Chair’ each year. The Bard of Exeter by tradition holds the post for a year and a day, before inviting challengers to succeed her/him in turn.

This year there were seven contenders for the title; poets, singers, musicians and storytellers who all performed for up to seven minutes and read out their manifesto to the audience, after which the audience voted for their favourite performer.

The Bike Shed Theatre very kindly offered the venue for free, and the event was very well-attended – with many members of the audience having to stand in the aisles. Several visitors came from Glastonbury, including three former Bards of Glastonbury.

It was a hugely entertaining evening, with an introduction by Mark about the ancient traditions of the Bardic Chair and then Clive and Jackie kicked off the proceedings with poetry and song before each contender took their turn. Exeter’s new Bard is Jon Freeman, who had a runaway win with voters’ numbers; quite the reverse of last year’s neck-and-neck result.

The ceremonial handing over of the Bardic robes and chair was followed by Jon’s winner’s performance. Mark Lindsey Earley also handed over his title and robe to Jackie Juno, who is now Grand Bard of Exeter, which is a seven-year role supporting the Bards and upholding the ancient traditions.

A letter to Oddrot readers

Chris — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:26:35 +0000

Dear Oddrot Readers,

For nearly two years, the Oddrot has brought you some of the best poets the world has to offer within its paper pages. We have spanned the depths of the human soul for humour, love and that funny feeling you get when you go over a bump in the road too fast.

But, alas, the cost of producing this magazine has become prohibitive given the economic climate. It is sad to think that one of the things that made the Oddrot special was the fact that it was a hardcopy publication that was sold in a few places but mostly online. Given that, will that mean that the Oddrot isn’t special? Bollocks to that, the Oddrot is special because it is one of the only sources of funny, humourous, divisive, subversive and cutting poetry.
And because it is special, a new online phase of the Oddrot’s existence is beginning. The Oddrot will be online only for the forseeable future, with new and exciting poetry being published on this blog daily/weekly/monthly (depending when it is accepted or sent).

I sent some poetry for submission to Issue 4? What about that?

All submissions that have been accepted for the last few months will appear on the blog with the submitters consent. Any new submissions for the blog will be welcome, please send to chrisfultongower at gmail.com

Kind Regards,

Chris ‘Solomon Doornails’ Gower

Submissions open for Issue #4

Chris — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:36:05 +0000

Submissions are open for the next edition of The Oddrot. Issue #3 was brilliant, now Issue #4 is going to be even better. How do I know? Because I do. I am like that, plus I am psychic and slightly odd.

Send whimsy and whonder to chrisfultongower@gmail.com

Unfortunately cash being short and that sort of thing, I am unable to give contributor copies to contributors but I will send a PDF version of the final thing.

Rock on.

Oddrot Three: Get a copy at the Exeter Poetry Slam tonight.

Chris — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 14:56:03 +0000

If anyone is interested in purchasing a copy of the Oddrot Three , I will have some copies set up at the Exeter Poetry Slam tonight. They are two of your english pounds and have some brilliant poets in this edition.

Oddrot 3 here.

Chris — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:30:19 +0000

Visit http://oddrot.wordpress.com/order-a-copy-now/ and order the latest copy of The Oddrot poetry journal. This month will include poets such as Richard Thomas , Tim King, Jan Nicholls, Paul Trevor Sowden, Yashodhana Raj and Colin James.

It also includes a column, straight from the literary vegetable patch from James Gower and vaguely up-to-date Open Mic listings.

Oddrot Issue 2 (oddrot.wordpress.com)
Oddrot Films, presents… (oddrot.wordpress.com)

Oddrot 3, the wheels are turning.

Chris — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:23:37 +0000

So, a little later then planned, I have started to put Oddrot 3 together. I am hoping that the first draft will be done next week and then the week after it should go to press.

Submissions for Oddrot 4 will be coming soon after that. Any submissions should go to chrisfultongower@gmail.com

Oddrot Films, presents…

Chris — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:49:47 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

The Oddrot has been strangely quiet recently. A few submissions have come in for the next issue, but as the recession takes its toll on the arts and, well, pretty much everything else for that matter The Oddrot itself is not immune.

So with this in mind, we look to other lengths that we can promote ourselves and keep the Oddrot name going and this is a new feather to an already brimming hat of ideas.

http://www.youtube.com/user/OddrotFilms

Oddrot Films is where Oddrot TV started off, but with the word ‘films‘ in the title that means that we can expand further should we have the means to. It’s all a bit deluded and grandoise but that seems to be a fashion with my projects. So yes, we’re all about films and that sort of thing too at the moment so if you do want promotion and exposure then let me know, and I can come over with my amateur pieces of equipment and give you exposure in semi-HD and on YouTube. Have a look at the Oddrot Films page on this site for more of an idea about what I am trying to hit at.

www.chrisgower.co.uk

Opening for Submissions for Issue #3

Chris — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:04:39 +0000

It doesn’t seem that long ago that Issue 2 was coming out, shiney and new with a gloss of lovliness and smelling of daisies. Unfortunately the Oddrot, rots unless you put it in the fridge. So we’re starting to think about the third issue.

In a fit of organised chaos, there have been a few changes to how we do things around here.

1. All submissions must be electronic to lateshiftnudist@gmail.com . If you do post one, then there must be an electronic duplicate too.

2. No more than two poems per person, so pick your bestest most awesome poems before sending them over.

3. Please include a 200 word bio with any URLs or contact details you want printed.

4. Please specify if you want a hard-copy contributor copy, if not an electronic version in .pdf format will be sent to your email address.

5. No mangoes. None at all.

The closing date will be at somepoint towards the end of April for printing and sale on the 30th May.