LightenUp Online

New Anthology

Lighten Up Online contributor Andy Jackson os looking for short poems (10 lines max.) inspired by adverts, for an anthology to be published later in the year by Red Squirrel Press. Email him at
a.z.jackson@dundee.ac.uk for full submission guidelines.

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More £s per laugh --

There is some evidence that humorous poetry is at last beginning to attract better prize money :--

SEE www.northamptonliteraturegroup.org.uk for details of their 2011 Open Poetry Competition which includes a Humour Category with prizes of £150, £100 and £50.

ALSO TRY www.cafewriters.awardspace.com The results of their 2010 Competition -- which will include a prize of £100 for a humorous poem -- will be announced in February.
They will be running a similar competition in 2011.

You are invited to send in details of any other national poetry comps. which have a separate category for humorous poetry -- tempting though it may be to keep the information to yourself! After all, bigger prizes can only be paid if the numbers of entries increase significantly.

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Writers' Forum/HappenStance mentoring scheme

Four of the winners and runners-up in the Writers' Forum magazine monthly poetry competition during 2011 will be selected for mentoring by Helena Nelson, LUPO contributor and HappenStance founder and editor; one of these will be offered publication in the HappenStance 'Sampler' series. See the HappenStance website at www.happenstancepress.com for details, and www.writers-forum.com for competition entry.

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No Longer Bjored, the Editor’s Christmas stocking-filler for people with discerning legs, is now available.

The cover features dancing djucks in fishnet tops and is followed by an Erratum Slip which could well make errors a “must-have” for all future bjooks.As for the poems themselves, the incontinent goldfish promised in an earlier News item has been red-carded and replaced by a problem with memory -- I think.

Comments received to date include :--

Ach so! It is almost seventy years since we delivered anything like this to British rooftops . -- Donner und Blitzen.

A truly versatile poet. His book is also a very handy window wedge. -- Leo Vincent.

And a brilliant beer mat! -- Several of the poet’s local pubs.


It is available, at £4 (inc. UK p&p) via -- www.martinparker-verse.co.uk or its publishers, HappenStance Press, at -- www.happenstancepress.com

NB: The purchase, even of large quantities, will not guarantee acceptance of your Submissions to Lighten Up Online. However, …..

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The Stammering Poet

Do not miss Lighten Up Onliner Peter Goulding's excellent Blogspot at http://stammeringpoet.blogspot.com
If you can tear your eyes away from the headline photograph showing Peter as devil-may-care Riviera playboy with his hand on the pulse - and more - of some pretty impressive international movers and shakers you will find much to enjoy, to laugh at and to think about. Most of all this:-- if Ireland is so chock full of humorous-verse-based activity then why are we not all planning to move there next week?

Most particularly this Halloween, a time of ill-will to most children, do not miss his saga of broccoli as the recommended reward for trick and treaters.

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Iron Press Anthology of New Humorous Verse

Five LightenUp Onliners appear in this collection, a review of which can be read here.

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Lighten Up contributor online

To hear Rob Barratt read some of his own work, Google: Myspace comedy Rob Barratt poet.

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Lighten Up Online contributor and all-round friend to light verse Helena Nelson now has her second collection of poetry Plot and Counter-Plot available either from its publisher, Shoestring Press or from her own HappenStance Press at: www.happenstancepress.com

 

Though it is not light verse, (in fact she describes it as pretty dark), poetry lovers are recommended to form an orderly queue -- behind us, please, to obtain copies.