Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

Twenty Five Years of Purple Patch

(Perhaps it is a mistake for me to attempt this, as my memory is so poor, and other people’s so good)

   When the Black Country Society published the first issue of its journal, The Blackcountryman, in 1968, my long interest in the area that I lived was given a platform, and I began, after a first acceptance of a couple of atrocious rhymes, to write historical articles, which were published in its pages. At this time I’d been married for 3 years and my daughter Cathy had just been born.

   The Society was a social organisation as well as an historical one, and local traditions of food, dress, sport and craft were also encouraged. One local feature is its dialect, which varies throughout the region, but has a closeness to Chaucerian English. Local weekly newspapers were fond at this time of including a dialect verse amongst their news. The two regular exponents being Harry Harrison and Jim William Jones.

   I enjoyed the verses and began composing my own and airing them at Society meetings and at Dudley Poetry Centre, which was held at the New Inns, Coseley, was organised by Jim William Jones, and had a regular folk group, Giggity. In the printed programme for 1976, my name was listed next to Aeronwy Thomas, who we were told was Dylan’s “sister”! I decided that I needed to read some “proper” poetry and obtained books from the library, falling for the work of Dylan Thomas. I also joined both poetry and prose postal folios, a sort of ‘pass the parcel” of criticism idea, instituted by Success magazine. And I joined Dudley Writers’ Group.

   I was now having quite a lot of features published in County Magazines and speciality journals. such as Coin Monthly, mostly writing on subjects I knew nothing about, but which I researched avidly. I began sending poems to small magazines, with very little success and a sometimes rude rejection. I was also drawing and some of my efforts at capturing local scenes were included in the Black Country Society’s 1976 calendar.

   I was writing historical pieces for a free newspaper, The Circular, which was distributed in the Cradley / Stourbridge / Rowley Regis area until one week my copy got lost by the editor and he said he owed me an apology and a favour. I asked for, and got, a poetry column, with the perhaps apt title of Poetaster. Another writer at Dudley Writers said that she had often thought of starting a magazine and I said I had too. What is more, Olive Hyett had a duplicator, which was used for the local Scouts magazine and one for Railway Modelling enthusiasts. It printed in purple ink, and was soon churning out issue one of Purple Patch. I moved to Sandwell Society of Writers and Artists and at the latter’s only exhibition sold two paintings.

   ISSUE I came out in 1976. Jim William Jones had heard that publication was delayed while we decided how to print a cover, and one morning 100 quarto covers, designed by him, appeared in a brown paper parcel on my doorstep. Jim was to provide covers, free of charge for many issues. Olive and I included
our own work, a poem and a story by Jim, a poem by Barbara Dickinson (a Success folio member) and poems by Paul Darby and Dave Reeves, who were both members of Lower Gornal's Stuffed Whippet Folk Club, which also included poetry reading in their programme. Today, Dave edits the widely distributed Midlands Arts publication, Raw Edge Magazine.

The first issue was sold at poetry readings, writers groups, and through the post, and I believe we had to do a second print (?). ISSUE 2 came in 1977 and was advertised in the Express & Star newspaper, the Dudley Herald, the County Express, The Circular, The Black Country Bugle. Wednesbury Times, and the Wolverhampton Ad-News. I had, by then started to write regular local history columns for the last two mentioned. A short story by Carol Marsh, a writer for womens glossy weeklies, poems by local writers Edith Watkins, Peta Bennet, Sandra Cartlidge, and Dave Slater appeared, Dave being responsible for the first haiku in Purple Patch, having included a quote from Basho in his poem. Douglas Forward and Barbara Dickinson, both from Hampshire, were there, and again we included ourselves!

   ISSUE 3 saw the inclusion of the hilariously funny, dialect poetry writer and performer Ron Bums, who collapsed and died suddenly, afier receiving thunderous applause for his part in a charity concert at The Barlow Theatre, Langley, in 1999. Here, Ron wrote in standard English. Wolverhampton poet Maureen P. Jones appeared in this edition and and is an enthusiastic poet to this day. Paul Renshaw and Michaela Edrige, who were both to edit their own magazines, contributed poems and Greta Aspland, whose work had appeared in Radix, Incept, and Weyfarers, helped us towards being an accepted publication.

   About this time, Jim William Jones included my name amongst well-known poets during a broadcast on BBC’s Home Service radio. Thanks Jim for stretching a point!

   ISSUE 4 Stephen Hyett, who had a poem in issue one, celebrated his 9th year with another, and new poets included Helen Thompson and Marilyn Tams.

DAWN AT KINVER

Sylph-like, in misty garb
Hazy hosts walk among the trees,
Treading lightly, not to disturb
The fallen leaves,
Or break the glistening web
Ashine with morning dew.
Softly embracing the wild fern
And chasing scurrying creatures,
Not to hurt, but gently, as in play,
Till days advance greets the sun
And filmy figures move no more

              by OLIVE HYETT, who appeared in Purple Patch issue I.

   The above poem first appeared in Blackberrying, an anthology from The Black Country Society, 2000

   ISSUE 5, published 1978, was a dialect issue, and was represented by North Staffordshire’s Neil Taylor, Stoke dialect from E.D.Vernon, Sussex by Joyce R. Naylor, Scots by Nessie McKinlay, and the Black Country by Jones, Hyett, Stevens, Tams, Esme Day, Jackie Adams, Molly G.Williams and D.J.Walsh. Michael Park, editor of Strath magazine, provided a poem in the Yorkshire vernacular, and, for the first time, I designed the cover. We advertised Roger McGough’s forthcoming reading at the Court House inn, Dudley.

   ISSUE 6 and we had a newly designed,coloured cover (pink) and a new duplicator printing in black. At last people could see what they were reading! We began to price the magazine at 3 issues for 5Op. and sell it at folk clubs too, like The Struggling Man in Dudley. Fernley Pascoe, who had been published in Sandwiches magazine, was from Cornwall and, with Keith N. Dearn, a new poet to Purple Patch. Andrew Darlington also made his first appearance with “Cerebral Cortex Boogie”.

   ISSUE 7 Another great Darlington number, “Lobster Voyages Through London” and a humorous poem from Susan James of Surrey. Poems by Graham Sykes, Forward, Aspland, Naylor, Phyllis Myall, and Graham Wilson (a Yorkshireman living in Germany, and our first oversees contributor). We reviewed Krax II, and the second issue of Sepia.

   We entered 1979 with a price rise to 60p. for 3 issues. We often met on Dudley Bus Station car park. in Olive’s car, to edit the next edition, before I ‘dashed off for my bus or the pub’ (Olive’s recollection).

   ISSUE 8  Margaret Munro Gibson, Mason Abbott, Michael Newman, and Colin Nixon appeared for the first time, our second overseas poet was Barry Chamish, from Israel, and Terry Cuthbert appeared under the pseudonym of blackie fortuna. David Carr had been in Poetry Review, Ambit and Outposts, and on BBC TV. Other poets included Martin Stannard, Mark Burke and George A. Moore, and Marjory Bradley of Civil Service Authors. Alan Dougan’s “desolation angel” introduced Kerouac to our pages.

   ISSUE 9 The magazine was now being read in France, Germany, Israel and the USA. We included a poem by Ian C. Durant of South Africa, and MaxNoiprox, with 11 published pamphlets behind him, appeared for the first time, with “Postcards” including one from Mallorca, where “We’re having the time / of our deaths”. We had our first row after we included a drawing sent in by George A. Moore to illustrate his poem “Webern: Passacaglia ‘45". Colin Webb, Sepia’s editor, was the artist and we didn’t know, so didn’t credit him and he was really angry.

   ISSUE 10 (1980) We advertised Martin Stannard’s new mag. “Joe Soap’s Canoe", and Purple Patch in dollars for the first time, 3 issues for 2 dollars! Faith Nesti became our first American poet, and Colin Webb contributed the short story “Kidneys”. Michael Newman, Mason Abbott, Alan Dougan, Michael Daugherty and David Slater seem to have become regulars. Stannard’s “picture//the Amoco Cadiz outside your window” stood out.

   ISSUE 11 J.F.Haines made his debut with this issue, and there was a fine tribute to Dylan Thomas by Margaret Munro Gibson. A poem accepted from John Gonzalez changed his life, though I have been asked not to say why. I advertised my first poetry collection, From a High Horse, to be had for three 7p. stamps.

   ISSUE 12 Opened with Max Noiprox’s ‘Stations’. Good poems from George A. Moore and Alan Dougan. Also included was a profile of Michael Newman.

   ISSUE 13 Newcomer Martyn Lowery’s ‘Young Man Blues’ became our first two-page poem. Munro Gibson combined memories of serving on the N.Yorks Moors in 1942 with a tribute to Emily Bronte. Joyce R. Naylor was the subject of our ‘Close Up’ profile feature.

   ISSUE 14 (1981) Saw the first appearances of John Ward and Albert Thornton of Civil Service Writers. T.Kilgore Splake, still seen regularily in U.S. magazines, contributed from Michegan. We profiled Douglas Forward, and advertised Gavin Ewart at Arvon.

   ISSUE 15  Robert C. Boyce became our first Australian contributor, and the Manchester poet John Ward supplied a story. Abbott, Maureen Jones, fortuna, Noiprox, Newman, Nixon too. We stopped using Jim Jones’ splendid covers and used a very plain purple one.

   ISSUE 16 Stephen Clarke, soon to be accepted by Faber and Faber, and a recent performer at Spouting Forth’s poetry evenings in Langley, made his debut in Purple Patch. Noiprox’s magnificent ‘Marseille Before the War’ and Newman’s ‘Solzhenitsyn in Exile’ starred.

   ISSUE 17 (1982) We celebrated 5 years of publication with Colin Nixon airing his views on the Underground poetry press. Our reviews mentioned the appearance of John Cooper Clarke in Andy Darlington’s Ludd’s Mill magazine. Stevens (that’s me) supplied a story The Rat Race'.

   The Editorial address changed from 106 Walsall Road to 8 Beaconview House, West Bromwich with the break-up of my first marriage.

   ISSUE 18 Simon Fletcher, a reporter on The Kidderminster Shuttle joined regulars Naylor, Nixon, Newman, Noiprox and Abbott, Haines, Forward, Jones, Ward. A letter criticised us for including poems that sprawled over the page and used lower case letters for names.

   ISSUE 19 A lovely badger poem by Barbara Dickinson and Newman’s desertion of the Cotswolds for Scotland highlighted; Marjory Bradley, Maureen P. Jones too.

   Olive had seen the magazine drifting away from her initial concept but continued to do the hard work of typing and printing. We decided that after the next issue, she would leave it all to me. We had also run out of all the purple paper for the cover!

   ISSUE 20 (1983) We reproduced our first Susan James poem, from her pamphlet, Human Humour and there were poems from Ellen Collins, Newman, Noiporox, Ward, Nixon, Jones, Gibson.

I was unable to find alternative facilities and Olive carried on for no.21.

   ISSUE 21 Increased to 25 pages, we celebrated 21 by asking Jim Jones to contribute a poem and he came up with a story.  Regulars responded and even my Boss’ secretary at work was inspired to write. A note on the cover suggested that we’d still be going in 1993.

   I was put in touch with Sandwell Arts Council and was told to take the mss. to a wooden hut, a play centre, in a school playground in West Smethwick and from there issues 22 and 23 were typed and printed.

   ISSUE 22 (1984) A new size (A4) and a new cover. blackie fortuna reverting to his real name of Terry Cuthbert provided ‘Inger Gorse’, a poem translated from Norwegian (we beat Sam Smith to it too! Ref. Sam’s Journal of Anglo-Scandinavian Poetry). Peter E. Presford, who was to hold a wonderful poetry convention in N.Wales was also included, and of the regulars, Barbara Dickinson’s poem, ‘Fox’ particularily impressed.

   I was included in a reading for local writers, called Writing On The Wall, at the Red Cow, Smethwick.

   ISSUE 23  After reading a book called ‘The Gossip Wars’, about gossip columnists in the USA, I decided to do a gossip column in Purple Patch. The first Gossip Column appeared in this issue. Michael Henry made his debut with ‘Connemara Marble’ and there was a fine observation of a Brian Patten reading, by Jane Legge. New poets included Tom Bingham of Folio International, Monique Caddy, David Caddy, Bernard Young, Rupert M. Loydell of Stride Magazine, Kevin Cowdall, and Tony Austin.

   One Harry Seccombe arrived at my door one rainy Sunday evening asking for advice on how to start a magazine and the result was Tears in the Fence. At this time I was also trying to form a loose confederation of small press magazines in order that they could support and advertise each other. It was to be called FAIM, Federation for the Advancement of Independent Magazines. Sandwell Arts Council directed me to a block of boarded-up flats in Smethwick, where by courtesy of the Platypus Theatre Company I used a photocopier at cost price to produce the next few issues, before getting my own.

I CAN’T UNDERSTAND THE MENTALITY

They stole my razor.
Why I said,
It isn’t as if it’s valuable?

They couldn’t give me an answer
Never can that sort,
Don’t have one.

Just out to cause stubble.
That’s all they are,
Out to cause stubble.

   A new poem by DAVE REEVES, who appeared in issue Jof Purple Patch.

   ISSUE 24  Ray Darlington, editor of ‘Boundary', Ian Hogg, editor of ‘Hat’, Dave Wright, Jas Shallcross, and Hugh McMillan, winner of the Hugh MacDiarmid Trophy for 1984 were newcomers to the magazine.

   ISSUE 25 (1985) I started to use a drawing of a writer on the front cover for the first time. Martin A.Hibbert provided a surrealist poem and other new faces included B.W.Benyon, Paul Seabrook, Ian Brocklebank (editor of Issue One), Edmund Harwood and Nigel Stone. We listed FAIM members as Purple Patch, Sepia, Hat, Boundary, Flame, and Period Piece and Paperback (the editor of which now edits Vigil).

   The first small press Poetry Convention was held in Lark Lane, Liverpool at the Old Police Station, HQ of TOPS magazine and it became the first time I’d ever met even one other poetry editor.

   ISSUE 26 John Glander, Johan de Wit, George Gott, and Josephine Austin of First Time made their initial appearances. FALM advertised its first poetry competition, with Phil Carradice as judge.

   I got a phone call out of the blue from one Kath West who had formed a poetry group that met at her house every month on a thursday. I was asked for advice on starting a poetry magazine and the resultant publication, ‘Thursdays’ became the latest member of FAIM followed by Steve Birtles’ Hooligan Heart.

   ISSUE 27 J.C.Johnson found it necessary to tour the world for inspiration, and two excellent travel poems appeared here as a result. Other new poets were Sheila Pinder, Mark Robinson, Paul Donnelly, Karen Buckland, Sue Gale and Louis Taylor.

   Bizarre Angel and Mussolini’s Rabbit joined FAIM

   ISSUE 28 The cover sported Larkin and we used a drawing by John Light inside. The FAIM first prize winner, Leslie A. Richardson’s ‘Ram’s Skull’, was featured (Andy Savage came 3rd) and Alex Warner appeared for the first time. Johan De Wit’s poem ‘High Seas’ impressed. Regulars Ward Noiprox, Newman, Abbott, Maureen Jones, Jas Shallcross shone too.

   ISSUE 29 Single Parent Poem from Alex Warner, A Few Lost Friends by Sheila Jacob, and a drug poem from Key Fegan. Following a refusal by Cambridge Free Press employees to print an issue of Hat containing Max Noiprox’s poem Black Sateen and accompanying nude photographs, we profiled Max.

   Thursdays mag. printed my collection of published poems of 1984-5: ‘A Phew Successes’. May 3/4 1986 saw the second Poetry Convention organised by Josephine Austin and held at Hastings. I shared front upstairs seat on an almost runaway converted tram going down Castle Hill with white- knuckled Tom Bingham of Folio International. I produced a new magazine called Purple Pastiche which contained art and poetry. Thursdays Poetry Magazine started a performance poetry club called “On The Spike” at the Bulls Head, Bishopsgate St., Birmingham. I enjoyed reading there in the (yes!) gaslight.

   ISSUE 30 More Johnson travalogues, John McGill recalling seeing Irving Layton, newcomers Tom Jamieson, Paul Wood and Ken Morgan, and a lambasting of Ted Hughes.

Me, Myself I and Westwords joined FAlM.

   ISSUE 31 John Ward’s poem on Manchester’s Portico Library was later reprinted and used to raise funds for that building. Geoff Stevens described a visit to Laugharne and poems from Gerald Parker, Newman, Noiprox, John Glander, and George Gott who said “The Kennedys breed like flies” in his We Gun Them Down poem.

   La Vache from Ilfracombe joined F.A.I.M. A new sister magazine, Purple Pastiche was launched for artists and poets. No.1 had drawings by Mike McNamara, Roger Jones, and Andrea Palazzi, poems by John Ward and Steven Urbanski.

   ISSUE 32  Illinois monk Benedict Auer, who turns up again in Curlew Magazine in 2000, made his debut, Rupert Loydell of Stride, John Howard of Vigil, and William Corner-Clarke joined Dene October, who provided a surreal poem in pidgin English. Roy Campbell article.

   Dee Rimbaud’s Dada Dance magazine joined FAIM With Kath West I put together Poetry Persons of 1987, a Who’s Who of UK small press poets. Purple Pastiche 2 published - Stevens, McNamara, Jones, and Julia Birchall.

   ISSUE 33 (1987) Graham Fulton and Will Daunt made their debuts as did Tom Bingham. Six poems from Mike Newman, Parker, Harwood, Abbott, Patricia Howe, Delta Zahner.

   Tom Bingham hosted a great National Poetry Convention in Corby, but costs etc. then forced him to do a Lord Lucan. He was a great bloke, hope everything turned out well for him.

   ISSUE 34 Great poems. from Hilary Mellon, Andy Botterill, M.M.Gibson and rare appearance from Roger Elkin. Gerard Gorman of Budapest became our first iron curtain poet.

   ISSUE 35 Photographs from Corby Convention and the inclusion of Purple Pastiche 3, with drawings by Dee Rimbaud. Anthony Smith poem on Larkin, Stevens article on T.H. Jones.

   ISSUE 36 Tom Jamieson, Alan Barrett, Paul Wood, Glander, Ward, Newman etc.The brilliant ‘Iceland Revisited’ by Peter Wilson, ‘Aberdare Morning’ by Sheila Jacob, and ‘Aberdaron’ by Ken Price.

   ISSUE 37(1988) Another story from Jas Shallcross, poems from Malcolm E.Wright, David Taft, Paul Seabrook, and Geoff Broady. Sheila Jacob is at Shrewsbury Station. D.F.Lewis appeared in P.P. for the first time.

   Twenty magazines had now joined FAIM. Purple Pastiche 4 contained entries from an automatic drawing competition. As Secretary of FAIM I was asked to comment on why independent magazines exist for G.Carroll’s directory of Privately Published Periodicals.

DON’T ASK

Don’t ask me for a poem.
Poetry is communication;
I have nothing to say.

Do you remember those wire-mesh baskets
that stood sentry in the parks of our childhood,
filled with dry leaves,
old newspapers
and empty woodbine packets?

O my rubbish-bin mind!
Search it in vain...
not even a fag-end.

Do not ask me for a poem.

   The above poem by BARBARA DICKINSON whose work also appeared in issue l of Purple Patch.

   ISSUE 38 Robert Huston provided a poem on Sylvia Plath and Noiprox said ‘I am Ariel now!’ Huston on Malcolm Lowry also, Mark Beevers, Robert Cole, Geoffrey Holloway, Boterill, Geoff William, Janette P. Clutton, Newman, and Bernard Hewitt from New Guinea.

   ISSUE 39 Brian Daldorph, Maureen Garston (Weldon), and Huw Williams appeared for the first time. Hillary Mellon won the 1988 FAIM Poetry Competition and the winning entry appeared. Botterill, Shallcross, Colin Nixon, Ward, Noiprox.

   Purple Patch launched Promotion a magazine-platform advertising poets and sent free to editors, arts bodies. First issue included Mellon, Newman, Stevens, Cole,and Botterill. With Jim William Jones I judged a black country dialect poetry competition as part of Sandwell Arts Festival 1988.

   ISSUE 40 American poet Larry D. Griflin, first appearance of Tony Lewis-Jones, Jim Tiffany, Gary Theys, Corinne Moss, Jeanpaul Ferro, Robert Cole, Daldorph, Harwood.

   I was invited to give a talk on small magazine publishing at Birmingham University by the Society of Civil Service Authors’ Poetry Workshop section.

   ISSUE 41 (December ‘88) An extract from a John Light (later of the List) novel and poems from Mike Boland (editor to be of The Arcadian), and Kevin Troop of the Third Half. Daldorph, Warner, Ward and Maureen P.Jones. Story by Shallcross.

   Max Noiprox died but we didn’t get to know until a year later.

   ISSUE 42 (1989) Short story writer D.F. Lewis had a poem in this issue. New to us were Rupert Mallin, John London, John Cato Carter, and Stephen Shortt. Tour of the editor’s childhood environment. Poems by Kevin McGrath, Broady, Harwood, Newman etc.

   I visited the 5th. National Poetry Convention at Stamford, organised by Kevin Troop of the Third Half, felt ill on the first day and returned home. Just over a week later I had a heart attack.

   ISSUE 43 Roger De Boer article on his childhood environment. Feature on various first issues of small press poetry magazines. Ralph B. Ellison, Chris Murray, and Mario Petrucci made their debuts and other poems by Sheila Jacob, Abbott, Ward, Taft, Patricia Howe.

   Someone sent Melvyn Bragg a copy of Purple Patch and he wrote to say he liked it. My own poetry was gaining an upsurge in popularity with editors (about time!) and I was getting lots of them in magazines (over 250 in 1996 alone).

   ISSUE 44  An addendum to the first issue feature of iss.43 was included. Jas Shallcross described the area of London where he lives. Poems by Jim Maddocks, Tim Hughes, Broady, McGrath, Petrucci, Warner, Howe, and Abbott.

   ISSUE 45  Poems by Richard Booth, Susan James, Maureen Weldon, Alan Barrett, Marjorie Bradley, Sheila Jacob and first timers Geoff William, John Brander. A third episode of poetry magazine first issues.

   ISSUE 46 was a Max Noiprox Memorial Edition with a revelation of his true identity, poems by him and about him, reviews of his books, and a brief biography.

   ISSUE 47 Andy Robson made a rare poetic appearance. Further information on Max Noiprox. Newcomer poets included David Punter, Brian Bell, Ivor C.Treby, and Norman Jope. Also included Andrew Darlington, Andy Botterill, Tom Jamieson, McGrath, Jacob.

   ISSUE 48 (January 1990) Tongue in cheek article on Sheamus Heaney and more prose from Des Lewis and Jas Shallcross. Poems from Rosemary Benzing, Roger Harvey, Forward, Newman, Harwood, Patricia Howe, Warner and Steve Sneyd.

   Purple Patch began to publish 4 to 8 page poetry leaflets on such subjects as intoxication, smoking.

   ISSUE 49 included a short piece on the poetry of John Brander, editor of the California State Poetry Quarterly. A survey elected Michael Newman as top small mag. poet of 1989 and the top 10 were listed. New poets included Nebulous Sekino, Mathew Lee, Mike Alderson and Jean Hathaway. More from McGrath, De Boer, Weldon, Ken Price, Jamieson and Newman.

   ISSUE 50 Billed as a double issue, it contained 30 packed, A4 pages, with 5 poems from American newcomer T.Kilgore Sprake and a new-found poem by the late Max Noiprox. A review of our 50 issues was included, and poems from newcomers Derek Kortlandt, Jo Ersser, Ian Clarke and Bradley Cole and lots by the old faithfulls. Paul Wood, a reviewer for P.P. gave his top ‘ten’ list of small press poetry collections and I gave mine, and also
provided an article on Sid Chaplin.

   FAIM‘s new secretary , Ken Taylor of Exe-Calibre, couldn’t find anyone to take the job off him and I not well after the heart attack, didn’t want to take on more and it looked like FAIM folding. I said I intended to see Purple Patch through to its 100th. issue. Attended Newcastle Poetry Convention with Maureen Weldon.

   ISSUE 51 That ‘bearded poet’ John Binns, Thomas Kretz, Alanna Buckley, Brian Blackwell, Fay Green, Kevin Cadwallender, Clive Eastwood and John Terry all made first appearances. There was a feature on John Ormond, stories by Shallcross, and poems by Newman,Sneyd, Benzing, Jacob, Blander, Glander and Chris Murray.

   The delayed proposed Firing Squad magazine was issued as a broadsheet of protest poetry. Despite the terrible recording I sent, I was included on an otherwise excellent poetry tape (Ninety-Ninety) produced by Gerald England of New Hope International.

   ISSUE 52 contained an article on Johann de Wit’s poetry and two pages of Sneyd poems on the South Pennines. Joshua Meander, Janet McAdam, R.L. Cook appeared for the first time.

   The masthead on our new broadsheet got some criticism, the members of the Firing Squad were holding their rifles incorrectly, according to an old soldier! Sadly I failed to make the poetry convention in Norwich, compered (if that’s the word) by an heavily pregnant Hilary Mellon.

   ISSUE 53 Jacob’s brilliant Marilyn and Miller at Long Island rated a cover picture, Brander gave his South African poems, Barbara Dickinson wrote of an escaped hippo, Geoff William on Liverpool, plenty of Canadian Eva Lewarne poems, and Malcolm E.Wright says what he really did in the sixties. Newman, Nixon, Cook, Abbott and Warner too.

   ISSUE 54 John F. Haines explained how he visited Laugharne and not the Boat House. Hilary Patel, Tracy Lyn Rottkamp, Henry Cleverly, Peter Wroblewski and Malcolm Freedman joined the regular poets. Some copies were numbered 44 by mistake.

   We produced Wild Turkey, a Christmas Annual with top ten lists and poets birthdays.

   ISSUE 55 (1991) Sheila Jacob watched R.S.Thomas on Channel 4 and provided a great poem about it. The Arts Council refused First Time a grant, because small grants are too costly to administer, and suggested a rise in cover price. We asked readers to complain. We suggested in a review of American Poetry Since 1970 that sex had become the American countryside. Poems from Brander, Weldon, Daldorph (editor of new u.s. mag. Coal City Review), Sneyd, Eva Lewarne, Ken Price and newcomer Paul McDonald.

   ISSUE 56 included an article about Tony Harrison and poets new to Purple Patch, Fiona Sinclair, Christopher Barnes, Geoff Broady, Geoff Tomlinson, D.Whippman, Maggie York, and 'Torrie’ Douglas.

   The National Poetry Foundation asked for me to recommend deserving small mag. publishers for a grant, then rejected them and offered the money to Purple Patch for a service contract for its new photocopier. A week after fixing the contract, we were burgled and the copier taken!

   ISSUE 57 included a brief biography, photo and poems of recently deceased Ellen E.H.Collins. Three prose pieces from D.F.Lewis and poems from Darlington, Canadians Lewame and R.D. Black, Scott Pack, Jamieson, Glander, Warner, Newman, Fay Green.

   Purple Patch published Maureen Weldon's pamphlet. ‘Poems from the Backroom’. Iron magazine hosted the Small Press and Poets Convention at Newcastle in May, which I attended getting stranded on the Settle-Carlisle Railway for a couple of hours, on the open moors, after deciding to take an indirect route there, to see the sights and scenes.

   ISSUE 58 Four poems from Rosemary Benzing, including one dedicated to me and called ‘At My Funeral’; Manna Buckley, Daldorph, Sneyd, Ward, Harwood, Jacob, Chris Murray.

   ISSUE 59 (September 1991) was a compilation issue, David Goodall, Fay Green, Rosemary Benzing, Broady, R.L.Cook, and Stevens supplying their ready-made pages.

   ISSUE 60  Good poem on schizophrenia by Chris Murray, new poets to P.P. Joyce Carbone, Jessica Freeman,Vittoria Vaughan, Malcolm Freedman, Daniel Davies, Tim Large, P.Isaac, J. McKeown, and Gerald England. Also Nixon, Forward, Kortlandt, Shallcross etc.

   ISSUE 61 (1992) K.W.Geoghan listed reasons for not falling in love and S.A.Griffn wrote about Sinatra’s love songs, Andy Robson on Hastings’ Poetry Festival, Shallcross provided two pieces, and B.Z.Niditch, B.W.Beynon, Mary Maher, made their debuts.

   The proposed Poetry Convention at Ebbw Vale failed to materialise, but Pete Presford provided one in North Wales. Purple Patch published Sheila Jacob's poems -‘Dropping A Line From A Well Known Place.’

   ISSUE 62 Short prose from Lewis and Torrie Douglas, poetry regulars Mason Abbott, Nixon, Kortlandt, Harwood, Jacob, Kretz and newcomers Phil Bowen, Peter Hughes, Mario Petrucci, Denis Mc Williams, and Vittoria Vaughan, Cato, Buckley, McKinlay, Darlington.

   We collected info, for an update of the 1987 Poetry Persons booklet, but sadly never published it.

   ISSUE 63 included articles on Gavin Ewart and Leonard Cohen, and poems about the Tyne by Derek Woodcock and others by Botterill, Patricia Howe, Benzing, Carbone, Sam Smith.

   ISSUE 64 Draft worksheets of poems by Sneyd, Sam Smith, Harwood, DF Lewis, Warner, Weldon, Benzing, Newman, Stevens, Jacob, Howe, and Botterill alongside the finished works and poems by Vladimir Orlov, Ali H. Raddaoui, and Charles Cingolani.

   Krax published my ‘Ecstasy’ collection in their series of Rump Books. Presford’s Northop, N. Wales poetry Convention was held at the Horticultural College, and we all bloomed. Heard of death of Mason Abbott.

   ISSUE 65 J.Hawkhead’s ‘My Reflex Reflects’ included a mirror image of his poem. Poetry from John Coldwell, Sam Smith, R.L. Cook, Newman, Jacob, Warner and Helen Heslop. Article on e.e. cummings. John Coldwell’s “Phase 2” poem included here was later published in the Independent newspaper as its Daily Poem.

   ISSUE 66 (December 1992) Susanna Roxman, Pat Brown, Mervyn Linford, Gordon Mason, Roger A. Bail, J.J. Finch, and Jay Woodman were new to P.P. Also, Yeltsin by Jacob.

   Kevin Thoop’s K T Publications brought out my collection, Field Manual for Poetry Lovers and my local library said it needed a committee decision to agree to publicise it. Periaktos’ Magic Pen Press published ‘A Comparison of Myself with Ivan Blatny’ the third of my poetry collections to cekbrate my 5Oth. year.

   ISSUE 67 (February 1993) Newcomers Lynda S. Silva and Todd Kalindki joined fellow N. Americans, Gott and R.D. Black. Short article on Plath and Sexton.

   Maureen Weldon and I were the billed readers for March 14th. at The Torriano Meeting House, London.

   ISSUE 68 a Purple Patch debut by Stuart A. Paterson and similar by J.C.Hartley and Michael Batholomew-Biggs and storyman Des Lewis supplied a poem on Henry Moore.

   1993’s poetry convention was staged by Odyssey in Exeter and gave me the opportunity to meet Sam Smith and to holiday in both Totnes and that city. Had a kind invitation to the Poetry Library’s 40th. Birthday Party at the Voice Box on The South Bank. Nice to rub shoulders with Abse, D.J.Enright, and Spender. A reluctant West Bromwich Library was told it had to offer me an exhibition of my work, an offer which 1 accepted

   ISSUE 69 (August 1993) Peter Lewin appeared again, after his issue 68 debut, along with newcomers Peter Hawkins, Dave Mustill, Andrew Lander, Maureen McNaughton, Dylan Pugh and Michael Ponsford. Smith, Warner, Darlington, Sneyd, Goodall, Newman etc.

   Peter Finch, in Poetry Wales, praised West Midlands arts mag. (distributer of thousands of free copies through grant subsidy,) for covering the same ground as Purple Patch (self-financed) but doing it properly. A room was booked at the Gateway Arts Centre in Shrewsbury for a poetry performance by Maureen Weldon and myself with live music interludes. Despite many mailshots and extensive newspaper and noticeboard coverage, it was attended by only nine people.

   ISSUE 70 included Tilla Brading, Jessica Freeman, Patricia Howe and Derek Woodcock’s South African mining poems. Birmingham poet Terry Sweetman made is debut.

   ISSUE 71 Three poems about paintings by Helen Heslop; new to P.P poets were Paul Bavister, Vincent De Souza, John Hannan, and Philip A. Waterhouse, Mary Rudheck Stanko, and interview with Mark Antony Rossi.

   ISSUE 72 was a Dylan Thomas Issue and included a painting of him by Catherine Warner and a drawing by Andrew Lander. A 1948 meeting with the poet was recalled by Lady Blackmore, an article about types of beer available to Dylan in S.Wales, and other musings, were included, and poems about him by Avery, Weldon, Cook, Hawkins, Ken Morgan, Chris Abraham, Stevens, Gerald England, Warner and aptly Dylan Pugh.

   Attended the 25th. Hastings Poetry Festival and relived my death-defying tram ride of 1986.

   ISSUE 73(1994) John Coldwell provided two humorous poems on modern teaching and there was a profile of American poet, Joyce Carbone (now Metzger). New poets were J.P.V. Stewart, Paul Burns, Kopan Mahadeva, Alyson Faye, Sue Butler, Paula Morris, John Alan Douglas, Tony Charles, Ron Treharne, and Albert Huffstickler.

   ISSUE 74 Purple Patch’s answer to the Poetry Society’s Top 20 New Generation Poets, was a list of the voted top 20 Small Mag. Poets, appearing here and in The Guardian! Four poems from Alex Warner, and others from Sneyd, Weldon, Howe, Kortlandt, Harwood, and Vaughan. New to P.P- Helene Sonn, S.D. Partington, Tony Newby and R.G.Bishop.

   ISSUE 75 included a profile of Johan De Wit, and poems by Bishop, Jacob, Peter Hawkins, Sam Smith, Coldwell, Goodall, Newman, and a translation of a poem by Yves Lequime.

   For National Poetry Day I arranged a reading with Wonderhorn Writers at Birmingham’s Custard Factory arts centre and when only a meagre audience turned up, went on to read at Waterstone’s.

   The Gotta Write Network’s Will Downing gave me my first literary interview and the result was published in their journal. At this time too Purple Patch received a cheque from a bequest by Ruby Mulch, who died in 1993 aged 98.

   ISSUE 76 James M. Robbins, Harold Fleming, Maureen McNaughton, Kenneth C.Steven, Peter Wyton, Eamer O’Keeffe and American Pamela Bond all made debuts, as did Jersey’s Diane M. Moore, a fine poet who later wrote a book about ex-boyfriend Jeremy Reed.

   Purple Pastiche 4 was published; Laurence Calvert, Andrew Lander, Cato, Sneyd, Jessica Freeman etc.

   ISSUE 77 Steve Truelove provided a very visual multi-typefaced poem called 'Unforgettable’. There was an article on Denise Levertov and poems from newcomers Idris Caffrey, Tom Grierson, Tom Kelly, Jules Cloran, David Eade, and from Bishop, Brander, K.C. Steven, Sneyd, Sam Smith, Avery, CoIdwell and Warner.

   Sam Cucchiara, America’s SlugFest magazine’s editor at large rang me from London and when I went to meet him, gave me the job of British Editor.

   ISSUE 78 (1995) New poets were j.m. segriff (5 poems), Colin Pounder, Jane Clarkson, Catriona Dixon and June Allso. Barbara Dickinson, Avery, R.D. Black, Jacob, Newman too.

   I was guest reader, in Hove, at Brunswick Poetry Society’s contribution to the Brighton Festival. My poetry collection, The Complacency of The English, was published by Wonderhorn.

   ISSUE 79 was our Surreal issue, and every one of its 100 copies had a different cover design, as well as each containing a small gift, eg. a minature original painting or a booklet. Prose by D.F.Lewis, and surreal poems by Jeanne Conn, Stevens, Graham Coleman, Sneyd, Peter Hawkins, Kortlandt, Avery, Coldwell, Newman, Maureen McNaughton,Weldon, Bishop, Howe and debuts from Dave Wright, Rod Riesco and Laurie Calhoun.

   ISSUE 80 welcomed 4 poems from Philip Wells, later to become the ‘Fire Poet’, whose stage perfomance was praised by Ted Hughes. Ana Christy, the American beat-poet who appeared in previous issues as Ana, interviewed by M.A. Rossi, and a profile of Robert Bly, poems by Dave Wright, Fay Green, Kathleen Hardy, Fran Shortridge, Niall McGrath, Marian Barnes.

   Went to the 10th Poets and Small Press Convention in Huddersfield, where plenty of prime space was given to publishing house poets and little to the small press ones.

   ISSUE 81 had 5 poems from American Janet Kuypers, 3 from New Zealand’s Patricia Prime, and illustrated ones from Edmund Conti. Sneyd, Bishop, Peter Naldrett, Tom Kelly, and newcomer poets Teny Sweetman and Jeremy Rogers. Four from Eamer O’Keefe.

   I had a joint poetry pamphlet, Skinprint, with Paul Weinman, published in New York. About this time, I was getting made redundant from my job as Development Chemist with a local firm. On my last official day of employment I met Geraldine Wall for the first time. We were to marry the following July.

   ISSUE 82 (October 1995) Newcomer-poets Peter Bailey, Geraldine Wall, Ra Page, Michael Gatwand, Darrell Morfett, Gillian Brandon, Abbott Small and Laverne Frith. Along with a classic Andrew Darlington piece, are poems by Newman, Philip Wells and Bob Eccleston.

   I got soaked in the rain, which brought on severe arthritis in my back and combined with other health problems put me on the incapacity list. Also much illness amongst family, friends. It delayed the next issue.

   ISSUE 83 (1996) Robert Cole dipped into Marseilles Marina for a great poem and six tremendous ones from Peter Hawkins. Newcomers Doug Draime on Ray Bradbury, Patricia Leighton in Evesham and Anthony Lawrence describing a skate, try to outdo Eamer O’Keefe at her best, Weldon, Wyton, Harwood, Avery, Wells, EccLeston and Ted Yund Jr.

   ISSUE 84 was our first in an A5 format. Newcomers included Americam poet/editor Janet Kuypers, Australian Gloria B. Yates, Nell Hutchinson, and John W. Riddle. Good stuff too from Newman, Bishop, Joyce Carbone, Geraldine Wall and Sue Butler.

   ISSUE 85 Liz Atkin takes Giacommetti’s dog to Hexham and H.H.Bolero, Suman Gainda, Ted Yund Jr., John Capp are surrealistically inventive. Also Sam Smith, Helen Heslop, Johan de Wit, Peter Hawkins, Anthony Casey, Taylor Graham and Peter Bailey.

   ISSUE 86 Chris Murray on a “looney”, without love, that hates his life and fears his death. Niall McGrath provided A Lament For Nora Barnacle, and Sue Butler left a lover, and his books, in the bookshelf she helped to varnish. Kenneth Mood, Kristian Taylor etc.

   I enjoyed reading my work at the launch of Carl Chinn’s (Ed) ‘Down, the Old End: Brummies and Black Country Poets', which was held at Birmingham’s Library Theatre.

   ISSUE 87 Ginsberg letter reproduced on the cover and article about him inside. American poets M.T.Nowak, Roger L. Bagula, Ted Yund Jr., joined Robert Hrdina, Newman, Smith, Caffrey, Avery and newcomber Peter Easter. R.G.Bishop hated the cries of babies and Sean Russel Friend let loose on Tuesday. Steve Sneyd suggested a patron saint for free verse.

   January 1997 saw the birth of my new publication, Micropress Midlands Poetry and a critical assessment service that went with it. It was hoped to make it monthly, but it ran for only 5 issues.

ENIGMAS AFTER SALVADOR DALI

Shot through with desire
another company of lovebirds
ends up in the jaws of the retriever

   The new poem above by GEOFF STEVENS, who also appeared in issue 1 of Purple Patch.

   ISSUE 88 (1997) John Ward’s ‘Written on my Seventieth Birthday' rubbed shoulders with Hedwig Kahrau’s ‘Addicted to Munich’ and a ‘cut up’ interview with Wm. Burroughs. Also Peter Bailey, Trish O’Brien, Norton Hodges, Mike Newman and Ole Skovsmose.

   I had been waiting for a year for an operation, and didn’t even get to see a specialist until I decided to pay. The op. went well, but unfortunately my marriage broke up soon afier and P.P. moved address again.

   ISSUE 89 (1998) was a ‘Cinema’ special with Kortlandt and Harwood on Monroe and poetic reminiscences from Stevens, Avery, De Boer, Ward, Sean Burn, Sue Hulse, Pam Hewitt, Wayne Dean- Richards, Weldon, Kathleen Hardy, Kristian Taylor. Prose from Buttress and Lewis and cover drawing by Catharine Stevens. Ron Burns wrote from his wheelchair.

   ISSUE 90 June Allso, who worked hard for members of her Wonderhorn, Birmingham writers group, sadly died before her debut poem appeared here. Newcomers too, Chris Oliver, Dan Lukiv, Anthony Casey, Colin Mackay, John Hirst, and Joanna Watson.

   Sick of the arguments over what is haiku, we published a pamphlet of no-rules short poems called HICKU as the last issue of Midlands Micropress Poetry (no.5), which folded due to lack of interest. Strangely, it attracted more submissions than all the previous ones. Good to get invited to read at Manchester Library as part of the Manchester Poetry Festival, along with other small press editors/poets.

   ISSUE 91 had an interview with John Hirst, poems by Americans Abbott Small and Edward Supranowicz, and Brits Peter Tomlinson, Hirst, Burn, Peter Werner, Les Merton, Anne Sanderson, and a long awaited return from Terry Cuthbert (blackie fortuna).

   I had two new collection of poems, ‘For Reference Only’ & ‘Been There’ produced by Poetry Monthly Press. Purple Patch held its Poetry Convention at the Barlow Theatre in Langley, nr. Birmingham and it was a great success, thanks to the 100 friendly and talented poets that attended. Spouting Forth Inc. produced a book of short stories by Wayne Dean-Richards (At the Edge) combined with poems by me, Geoff Stevens (Central to Me).

   ISSUE 92 (1999) Nice surreal stuff from Darlington and Avery, more from Cuthbert, Barbara Daniels, Dave Hall, Merton, Ward, and Andrew Detheridge began his assault on the poetry scene.

   The first time I got into a Poetry Society publication, and Adrian Johnson spelt my name Stephens!

   ISSUE 93 was an interview edition, with the answers coming from Sam Smith, Kay Santillo, J.F. Haines, Maureen Weldon, Derrick Buttress, Giovanni Malito, Charles Johnson, Maxine.

   For ISSUE 94 (2000) poets were invited to submit a page of work unedited by Purple Patch. This resulted in poems from the editor, Peter Tomlinson, Andrew Barnes, John Hirst, Andrew Detheridge, and Annette Proffitt. Gerald England and Sam Smith contributed a joint Renga, and Maureen Weldon a different poem for each individual magazine!

   ISSUE 95/96 consisted of a 90 minute cassette tape of poetry taken from 20 original ‘home' recordings by Abbott, Allso, Bishop, Hewitt, Hirst, Noiprox, Sneyd, Stevens, Weldon. Curlew magazine described it as ‘a magnificent failure’.

   Nice to get invited to Petra Kenney Awards at the Canadian High Commission, Trafalgar Square and meet old small press friends mixing with the 'names' and again in 2001.

   ISSUE 97 We got our first grant towards production, from West Midlands Arts, to see us to number 100. New poets included James Turner, F.Havens, Mark Williams, Stephen Owen, Bruno D’Arcy, Scott Pack, Ralph Hancock, Vicky Stevens, and Emma-Jane Akardy. Pamela Bond on New York sidewalks, Eamer O’Keeffe on her Dad, Kortlandt, Metzger, Newman.

   ISSUE 98 J.F.Haines wrote about poem titles, we issued a ‘top ten’ of current small mag. poems and suggested a regular one (little response), Avery wished he could sing like Scott Walker, and other poems from Margaret Boles, Dan Duggan, Dave Weston, Bob Eccleston, Geoff William, Newman, Gott, Sneyd, Bishop, Detheridge, Scapens and Geoffrey Clarke.

   ISSUE 99 (2001) We included no.2 of a new series of the Firing Squad within this issue and got quite a lot of comments about the opinions expressed there. Jas Shallcross recalled his own involvement with Purple Patch and poems from Ivy Hudson, Jean Wearn Wallace, Ted Smith-Orr, Diccon Sands, Idris Caffrey and lots of the regulars.

   ISSUE 100 This is one volume of it, the other is an almost all- poetry magazine produced for us by Poetry Monthly Press, with work by newcomers Julie Ashpool, Keith Lobban, Brenda Williams, Philip A. Waterhouse, Brendan Hawthorne, M. Bedford and Martin Holroyd, and by Stevens, Sands, William, Newman, Darlington, Hirst, Avery, Weston, Malito, Hudson, Eccleston, Scapens, O’Brien, Hall, Clarke, and D.F. Lewis.

   Things seem to have come full circle, there has been some prose writing of late, echoing earlier years, and the readings of the Dudley/Gornal days have become the Wonderhorn, Spouting Forth, Rhubarb, and Wednesbury Poetry readings.

   We are preparing for our 2nd Poetry Convention on I5th - 17th. June 2001) and for the launch of this 100th. issue. Yesterday, we were on Carl Chinn’s radio show on BBC Radio Birmingham to promote both, and also a local project, Poetry Wednesbury, which I run with Brendan Hawthorne. I’m looking forward to issue 101, meeting everyone at the Purple Patch Convention and keeping my fingers crossed that I haven’t missed anyone out, won’t forget faces, haven’t made too many typing errors etc. etc.

   Finally I’d like to thank you all for any success I’ve had or which may come along in the future.

   A best of poetry to everyone,

              Geoff Stevens, May 2001
                25 Griffiths Road, West Bromwich B71 2EH, England