Penguin Modern Poets II
(Penguin Books, 1968)
A great thrill when Penguin chose me to be included, as this series was quite prestigious at the time. I still hadn't had a full collection out, though one came soon after, 'Two Voices'.
I had been writing a lot of SF poems, and I made the mistake of limiting my choice to these, for the sake of unity. The result was an inadequate representation. I ought to have listened to the advice of Peter Redgrove, a friend and another choice in the volume; he said 'Widen it', but I didn't.
Peter was happy that I was to be in it, but pissed off when he found that another relative unknown, D M Black, was to be the third. I think he felt, rightly, there should have been another 'name' in the book.
I had been writing a lot of SF poems, and I made the mistake of limiting my choice to these, for the sake of unity. The result was an inadequate representation. I ought to have listened to the advice of Peter Redgrove, a friend and another choice in the volume; he said 'Widen it', but I didn't.
Peter was happy that I was to be in it, but pissed off when he found that another relative unknown, D M Black, was to be the third. I think he felt, rightly, there should have been another 'name' in the book.