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Pif Magazine
ISSN: 1094-2726
Published by:
Pif, LLC
PMB 248
4820 Yelm Hwy SE
Suite B
Lacey, WA 98503-4903
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Poetry Kit
Reviewed by Tom Hartman
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UK-based Poetry Kit is a combination 'zine, newsletter and poetry info clearinghouse edited by Ted Slade. While a good deal of the information here is directed specifically at the site's primarily British readership (note the site's "Competitions," "Courses" and "Funding" sections), there's enough non-geographically-specific information to warrant a visit by just about anyone who reads or writes poetry. |
Poetry
Kit Editor: Ted Slade tedslade@poetrykit.org |
In the "magazine" portion of the site Slade has culled a number of well-written articles about the craft of poetry and the "business" of publishing, submitting, etc. Generally, in terms of content and style, these are consistent with Slade's commitment to material that is "largely non-academic and of interest to newer writers." Take for example Jonathon Clifford's article on vanity publishing (essentially a defense of this often snickered-at practice, along with tips and caveats about selecting a publisher), and Meg Peacock's essay "Out of the Drawer," which offers advice for poets ready to make the leap from closeted scribbler to public member of a writing community.
Additionally, Poetry Kit features interviews with a number of UK-poetry notables (among them poet and translator Peter Robinson, former editor of Perfect Bound and author of 4 collections of poems) as well as several pages of well-tended links to both print and online mags.
Lastly, there's some quality poetry here. Slade (who seems to update Poetry Kit annually) has gathered a small but consistent collection of poems from a number of UK and Aussie poets, including Robinson, Jean Kent, Gerald England and Jack Tranter, editor of the Sydney-based ezine Jacket (see Pif Dec. 1999). Slade has just issued a call for submissions for an update of PK due sometime in early 2000, so more poetry is on the way.
Poetry Kit isn't an especially pretty site (nor does it navigate as well as it might), but it is a solid and growing resource. Despite the primarily-UK focus, Stateside visitors would do well to visit every now and again.
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A graduate of Columbia University and The University of Pennsylvania, life-long New Jerseyan and New York Mets fan, Tom Hartman now lives in Philadelphia where he's an Associate Poetry Editor at Painted Bride Quarterly. Over the years his writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Photo Review, City Paper (Philadelphia), and Philadelphia Weekly. When he's not writing he spends far too much time hating the Atlanta Braves.