40 Poems of Lent: an introduction & roundup

While blithely pondering what I could give up for Lent (it has to be something I care about, I thought), I had several ideas, (something realistic, though) including CBeebies (realistic but challenging) and take-aways (something I’ll enjoy reinstating).

Nothing really fit.

Then I saw a tweet from @leedsbookclub about having previously done a Lenten poetry challenge. Bingo! I love the idea.

OK it may feel a little indulgent (poetry! Every day!) but Lent IS accidentally fairly indulgent really. It’s choosing something indulgent, and then indulging in the power and privilege to forgo it for a finite period of time.

So, here begins another attempt at sharing a poem a day with you. I intend to compile a list below here as I go, so eventually this will become a roundup for the full period. Who knows, I might even make it to the end this time!

1. Primrose by Alice Oswald
2. It Wasn’t the Father’s Fault by Rita Ann Higgins
3. Tribute by Sophie Hannah
4. Cathedral by Sinéad Morrissey (plus ‘Love, the nightwatch…’ because I couldn’t choose)
5. The Hedgehog by Polly Clark
6. The Mourner by Zoe Brigley
7. Budgie Finds His Voice by Wendy Cope – plus two short ones, and a guest appearance from Ted Hughes.
8. The Darkness of her Meekness by Selima Hill
9. Red Ridinghood’s Plan and Mermaid by Moniza Alvi
10. Child Burial by Paula Meehan
     **ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: challenge one quarter completed!**
11. Liberation by Ros Barber
12. Winter’s Tale by Carol Ann Duffy
13. Mademoiselle Mal Chance and Things I’m Cool With Now by Naomi Foyle
14. August by Esta Spalding
15. On The Layout of a Ventricle by Ruth Padel
16. Salvage by Jane Draycott
17. Piano Lesson by Eva Salzman
18. 1981 by Colette Bryce
19. Before the Wind by Kathleen Jamie
20. Psoriasis by Sarah Maguire
21. Child and You’re by Sylvia Plath
22. An Arundel Tomb by Philip Larkin (Guest post by Nicky Rowbottom)
23. The Present by Michael Donaghy
24. Civilization by Ian Duhig
25. Newly Born Twins by Helen Farish
26. Animals by Frank O’Hara (Guest post by Vanessa Napolitano)
27. Promise by Jackie Kay
28. Fathers by Joanne Limburg
29. Moon Hymn by Alice Oswald
     **INTERLUDE for World Poetry Day – includes John Osbourne Seamus Heaney, Sinead Morrissey and Wendy Cope **
30. There’s Birds In My Story by Leontia Flynn
     **ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Three quarters complete!**
31. Centaur by Chase Twitchell
32: A Game of Marbles by John Burnside
33. Dart by Alice Oswald
34. Mrs Noah: Taken After the Flood by Jo Shapcott
35. Man and Boy by Patience Agbabi
36. Head of English by Carol Ann Duffy
37. The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams and The Green Wheelbarrow by Ian McMillan
38. Eunoia by Christian Bok
39. Mother-Love by Christine Coleman
40. Sonnet by Michelene Wandor

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38 Responses to 40 Poems of Lent: an introduction & roundup

  1. Pingback: Lent 1: Primrose | impeus.com

  2. Pingback: Lent 3: Tribute | impeus.com

  3. Pingback: Easter: a real indulgence | impeus.com

  4. Pingback: Lent 2: It Wasn’t the Father’s Fault | impeus.com

  5. Pingback: Lent 5: Hedgehog | impeus.com

  6. Pingback: Lent 9: Moniza Alvi | impeus.com

  7. Pingback: Lent 10. Child Burial | impeus.com

  8. Pingback: Lent poetry challenge: quarter done | impeus.com

  9. Pingback: Lent 12: Winter’s Tale | impeus.com

  10. Pingback: Lent 13: two poems featuring spiders | impeus.com

  11. Pingback: Lent 14: August | impeus.com

  12. Pingback: Lent 16: Salvage | impeus.com

  13. Pingback: Lent 18: 1981 | impeus.com

  14. Pingback: Lent 19: Before the Wind | impeus.com

  15. Pingback: Lent 20: Psoriasis | impeus.com

  16. Pingback: Lenten poetry challenge: Halfway point! | impeus.com

  17. Pingback: World Poetry Day 2012 | impeus.com

  18. Pingback: Lent 11: Liberation | impeus.com

  19. Pingback: Lent 8: The Darkness of her Meekness | impeus.com

  20. Pingback: Lent 7: Wendy Cope, and, for comic effect, Ted Hughes | impeus.com

  21. Pingback: Lent 6: The Mourner | impeus.com

  22. Pingback: Lent 23: The Present | impeus.com

  23. Pingback: Lent 24: Civilization | impeus.com

  24. Pingback: Lent 25: Newly Born Twins | impeus.com

  25. Pingback: Lent 26: Guest post on Frank O’Hara | impeus.com

  26. Pingback: Lent 27: Promise | impeus.com

  27. Pingback: Lent 28: Fathers | impeus.com

  28. Pingback: Lent 29: Moon Hymn | impeus.com

  29. Pingback: Lent 30: There’s Birds In My Story | impeus.com

  30. Pingback: Lent 32: A Game of Marbles | impeus.com

  31. Pingback: Lent 33: Dart | impeus.com

  32. Pingback: Lent 34: Mrs Noah: Taken After the Flood | impeus.com

  33. Pingback: Lent 39: Mother-love | impeus.com

  34. Pingback: Lent 38: Eunoia | impeus.com

  35. Pingback: Lent 36: Four Women Poets – on schools and poetry | impeus.com

  36. Pingback: Lent 40: Sonnet | impeus.com

  37. Pingback: Lent is ending, poetry month beginning | impeus.com

  38. Pingback: Lent 2013 – The Steam Game Back Catalogue | impeus.com

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