Eddie's pamphlet was published in December 2010. Buy from the Catalogue page
Eddie Gibbons is the author of four poetry collections and two collaborative books. His latest full collection is ‘What They Say About You’ (Leamington Books, Edinburgh). A prize-winner in the Inaugural Edwin Morgan International Poetry Competition 2008, he has been widely published in magazines, including Quadrant Magazine, Australia. His work has appeared on radio and television, including ‘Soccer AM’ on Sky TV. He had his own ‘Poetry Cabaret’ show at StAnza 2010.
Quotes from Reviews of ‘Why She Flew to Barcelona’
‘...sharp and entertaining, crackling with topical references and neat one-liners.’
-George Simmers, Editor, Snakeskin Poetry Webzine.
‘Gibbons’ poems are like eager terriers, all jumping up for attention—a healthy antidote to that flood
of abstract sensitivity and abstruse vagueness that threatens poetry with lingering death.’
‘All human life is there. Grown-up stuff.’
- D A Prince, Editor, PoetCasting.
‘... a virtuoso range of prosodic techniques... building their effects with zest,
and fizzing from beginning to end.’
-Ross Kightly, Poet.
Comments on previous books –
‘A vivid human achievement... I’m moved by the (poet’s) loyalties to people and places...‘Portrait of Ana Dali’ is one of the best British poems of recent times. A masterpiece.’
Les Murray.
‘...stern, playful, romantic and brave.’
Todd McEwen.
‘... comic, exuberant, lyrical...’
-Brian McCabe.
‘The changes from sad to happy, from downbeat to zappy, all one enriching tapestry.’
-John Hegley.
‘If more poets wrote poems like this more people would read poems.’
-Kevin Cadwallender.
‘...drunk on language, intoxicating to read.’
-Helena Nelson.
‘Witty, moving and always ingenious.’
Jennie Renton.
Sample poem:
LOVE IN THE TIME OF CORELDRAW
Once I would have laid a rosebud at your feet,
sent a scented missive in an envelope delivered
by a go-between; stood beneath your window
in a blizzard of snowdrops, hoping for a glimpse
of your shadow in the moonlight.
But times have altered the language of the heart.
The lexicon of longing is no longer written longhand,
with soaring serifs scribed in ink on beds of vellum,
but by illuminated texts on Ericssons and Vodafones,
and new-millennium lovers go Blackberry picking down
lanes of pay-and-go, past Oranges and Apple phones.
Once keystrokes onto paper kept the rhythm of romance:
ribbons bled red streams of yearning, or keys rapped
out the stuttering sentiments of nervous suitors onto
scented sheets of lavender, which they sent, post-haste
to beloveds in lanes and streets and avenues.
These days my words to you are more mobile
and predictable: more to the pointer, more pithy,
more reducible, and so, my love, I offer you these tokens
on my part - my dingbats, my emoticons, my clip-art heart.
Order this book from the Catalogue Page