a word or few from the editor...
Ok so I don't do editorials well, this is a poet focused e-zine after all. Blackmail doesn't need editorials, however...
Meeting of Minds
The Call
Recently Mark Pirie was in Auckland, he rung me the night before the book awards inviting me out...
- suppose its too late to go out for a beer?
being a dad and frumpy during week nights, I agreed.
- Yeah it's a bit late, got work in the morning. How about we hook up for lunch, tomorrow?
First Site
Mark probably wondered what an executive of an electronics company, was doing editing poetry, we had corresponded before and met briefly after seeing voices 2002...
< Anja and I walking down hill, Victoria Street West>
- Hey Boo that's Mark Pirie, come on -
- he's quite a fast walker - phew -
- Hey Mate!
- Mate!
I am quite the sycophant when it comes to poets ! I had to say gidday.
- Doug Poole - Blackmail Press - you were in Issue 5...
- Geez gidday, I thought you were based in Australia?!
Bloody insult, Australian!
Lunch
Mark and I lunched at a cold stainless cafe on William Pickering Drive. I think Mr Pickering would hate the view along William Pickering Dr. Concrete slab warehouses, and not a galaxy to be seen. < bloody cornerstone corporate body - cowboys>
We sat talking of poetry, new books "Tupelo Hotel" and Kirby Wrights "Before the City".
- Mark you look great as Jim Morrison! & Michael O Leary makes a great Ray Manzarek!
Mark handed me Tupelo Hotel as a gift, one gratefully received and will be cherished.
Sweet Sorrow
A brief lunch ended the meeting. One of significance to my life. Mark is an editor and poet of calibre - Bullet Poems- was also given to me, with a manuscript from Basim Furat.
- "The scrawl on the back is my friends budget" -
<Soundtrack - Guy Clarke: Cold Dog Soup>
"There ain't no money in poetry an that's what sets the poet free..."
I embraced him and gave directions to navigate out of Mr Pickering's drive.
- Avoid the black hole on corner of Douglas Alexander, and straight through at the roundabout.
The rental car lurched out into space. His suit hanging up in the back
- Thanks Mark - ka kite ehoa.
Issue 11
Saturday August 14th, formatted the new Index, Cover and template for the new issue.
Mark returns with Basim Furat, Alison Eastley, Lynette Leong, David Barnes and our first guest from Nepal, Pushpa Tuladhan. Yep - Three years on...
a permanent blemish on the New Zealand Literary landscape.
Arohanui
Doug Poole
