Todd Swift se Eyewear Publishing het verlede maand hul kortlys vir vanjaar se Melita Hume Debuutprys bekend gemaak. En met ‘n prysgeld van £1,000 is dit gewis ‘n aantreklike meevaller vir ‘n jong debutant. ‘n Verdere voordeel van die prys is die feit dat die bundel deur Eyewear Publishing uitgegee sal word.
Volgens die verklaring op hul webtuiste het Swift die volgende te sê gehad oor vanjaar se finaliste: “The 2013 shortlist is wonderfully varied, reflecting the wide range of young poets in the UK and Eire. Shortlisted poets come from all across Scotland, Wales and England, and we are delighted to have such a fantastic spread of styles and voices. The challenge of choosing a shortlist shows that there is huge amount of talent amongst young poets and we are privileged to showcase just some of these new voices.”
Ter wille van volledigheid – Die digters, wat volgens die reëls almal jonger as 35 jaar oud moet wees, is die volgende: Maria Apichella, Keiran Patrick Goddard, Carina Hart, Keith Jarrett, Mark Leech, Jessica Mayhew, Richie McCaffery, Marion McCready, Stefan Mohamed, Rachael Madeleine Nicholas, Shelley Roche-Jacques, V. A. Sola Smith en Tom Weir. Vir meer biografiese besonderhede kan jy gerus Eyewear Publishing se webtuiste besoek.
Die een digter wat my oog gevang het, is Richie McCaffery van Skotland.
Vir jou leesplesier volg een van sy verse.
***
Arrival
When my mother arrived,
no one would sign for her,
left out like a parcel
on a stranger’s doorstep.
Bundle of birth, fly-tipped,
swathed in a linen bag
stamped ‘Tate and Lyle sugar’
seven lbs too heavy.
No mobile, just rain clouds,
her lips sapphire blue,
tiny lungs like strawberries
full of pneumonia.
(c) Richie McCaffery