Jack Clemo Poetry Awards

A poorly taken picture of Tony Jasper and Lady Mary Holborow at The Society of Authors yesterday:

The Arts Centre Group held their annual Jack Clemo Poetry Awards there.

Arthur Rimbaud Biog Reviewed In Catholic Press

In a week where The Pope has come out and shown the world just how inhumane his sexual ethics are, it was refreshing to open The Tablet (weekly UK Catholic magazine) and find a review of “Rimbaud: The Double Life of a Rebel”.

Edmund White has written a short biography of the French poet who, it turns out, was a Catholic; or an “improbable” one, if you go by Hilary Davies’ review. It is hardly surprising that Rimbaud was a Catholic. In mid 19th century France, most people would have been. And it is also nothing new that a homosexual poet would have a religious affinity.

What made me smile was the last paragraph is Davies’ review:

“There are times when private passions should remain just that. This is a quite unnecessary book.”

The rest of Davies’ review preceding this paragraph is a robust critique which seemingly displays a thorough knowledge of Rimbaud’s poetry, as well as his older lover Verlaine’s, alongside what appears to be an informed opinion about better biographies to read on Rimbaud.

Clearly, some passions are not so easily satiated!