What made you submit your work for consideration for the Seamus Heaney Award for New Writing?
I know lots of people from my writing group (This Writing Thing) who had work published in last year’s CAP Anthology, so I was keen to submit my work this year. I had a poem that I felt fit the ‘Endure’ theme quite well. At the last minute I decided to also finish off my poem ‘Professional Wrestling’ as I had been kicking my heels with it a bit and felt it could also fit the brief.
What theme did you look at in the poem you submitted?
‘Professional Wrestling’ is about a friendship or relationship that has gone wrong and probably needs to come to an end. It uses the frame of a jaded, exhausted, injured pair of wrestlers who can still turn it on for crowds, but who have lost faith and trust in one another’s ability to keep the other safe. Through this I explore the (hopefully) relatable idea that even the greatest of partnerships can sometimes become harmful.
How long did the crafting of the poem take?
The initial idea and a very early draft came to me on a flight, after which it lay largely forgotten in a notebook. Once I decided I wanted to work it into something for submission, I spent about a week on it. Unlike a lot of my work, I shared it with very few people before submitting it (largely due to my belief that the subject matter might be a bit inaccessible).
How did you feel when you found out you were included on the Long List for the award?
I was astonished. I haven’t been writing poetry for very long (most of my writing life has been taken up with prose). It was hugely vindicating and has encouraged me to view poetry as a form worth pursuing or even treating as my writing priority in the future.
How was your experience regarding the event which launched the anthology, presented the long listed poets and announced the winner of the award?
The event was a lovely day. The poets and their poems were wonderful to listen to – such diversity of ideas, forms and personalities. At no point did it feel competitive – it felt like a genuine celebration of the work and of the importance of creativity in our lives and communities. I love the HomePlace and it was such a privilege to get to read there in front of such talented writers and supporters of the arts.
Where to now regarding your poetic writing?
I’m still submitting my poems to various competitions and journals. I hope to spend next year developing a pamphlet, though this is highly dependent on me resisting the siren call of another attempt at writing a novel.
If you would like to follow up the work of Ben Austell go to the link below
