Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
This week was the first week of training in my new role at work and has been busy but I’ve enjoyed every minute. My new teammates are great and have been very welcoming. At the weekend I got to Alnwick StoryFest to listen to some speakers and picked up next week’s Book Bag collection at Barter Books. I’ve also written and edited a few pieces in an attempt to curate a pamphlet.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Fast Music
- Author: Hugo Williams
- Press: Faber & Faber
I picked up my copy of Fast Music on my recent visit to Richmond. It was tucked in the wrong place on the shelf, or the right place as it grabbed my attention and I bought it alongside Heritage Aesthetics.
Fast Music is split into two parts; Part 1 focuses on daily life, and Part 2 is an arrangement of sonnets charting a love affair.
‘Fast Music’ is a great display of injecting nostalgia and humour into a poem without overcooking it. The image of ‘black bakelite planets spinning to heaven’ made me smile and reach for my vinyl. Throughout the collection, lyrics and music are mentioned including the opening piece ‘Undiscovered Islands’ which sees Williams as a sailor looking to chart his way through life. ‘Pennies From Heaven’, also the title of a Bing Crosby song, is a poem of two halves depicting his father as both serious and fun-loving.
‘Pause For Thought’ is a contemplation about how you can see yourself in a moment however this will look completely different to an onlooker. The fact this is a poem about being unable to write a poem but looking like he is writing is very meta.
‘Enter Mr White’ gives a glimpse into Williams’ attitude towards declining health and what may lie beyond. References to medical science are throughout this piece until it transfers to saintdom, notably the Mexican day of the dead.
Dark humour can be found in the poem ‘Fear School’, where schoolboy name-calling (adopted by the teacher also) culminates in the subject of the piece, seeking revenge. It feels immature when you read it, but it displays actions and consequences, although subverted.
The sonnets in the collection are tremendously varied. ‘The Plunge Club’ spills excitement from the page, whereas ‘Sell-by Date’ is a wry conversation on condoms, both the use and the lack of opportunity to use. Not your typical sonnets. The sonnets take you every which way in terms of feeling. ‘Blue Angel’ has an authentic sense of true longing.
This is a great buy for poetry and music lovers.
Although I wasn’t familiar with Hugo Williams’s work before reading this (yes, this makes me look like an amateur based on the awards and recognition he’s received), I’ll be tracking down his previous work to relish the wit throughout this work.
You can find Fast Music available to buy here along with a small biography.
Favorite Poem:
The Story So Far.
Before You Go…
I, alongside 11 other poets have been nominated for The Broken Spine Reader’s Choice Award 2025 for my poem ‘The Thief’. Voting runs from 1st -7th of March 2025. Details can be found here.
And Finally…
Black Bough Poetry has an open mic on Wednesday 12 March 2025 kicking off at 7:15pm. It’s a great forum to test poems in a supportive environment with a wonderful host, Matthew Smith. Details here.
Next Week’s Read
- Title: Sleepers Awake
- Poet: Oli Hazzard
Take it easy and stay poetic,
Paul
Paul Writes Poems 