Over Christmas and New Year I’ve been selecting poems for a forthcoming issue of a poetry magazine. I’ve been doing this with my co-selector and friend, Gill Horitz.
We’ve had a wonderful time reading and re-reading hundreds of poems. It has got us talking about what makes a successful poem, and what we look for in a poem.
During our afternoon meetings, we drank tea, ate mince pies and biscuits to keep up our energy levels. We may have got a little drunk – but on language not mulled wine!
There are so many things to consider!
For me, a poem has to have something to say. Also, I want the poem to say it freshly, with originality.
Gill and I read some wonderful descriptions but we agreed that we wanted the poem also to take us to a deeper level.
Different poets may look for different things but these are my thoughts which I will continue with soon.
Sarah Barr 