"Seven bums and fourteen legs,
a brazen ecstasy which begs
the question some of us are asking -
is Peter Goulding multi-tasking?"

Martin Parker, Editor, Lighten Up Online

Friday, December 23, 2011

Nominations

In the past month or so, it has come as something of a shock to me to find I've been nominated for the Forward Prize and have received two nominations for the Pushcart Prize.

I got the Forward Prize nomination for coming second in the Francis Ledwidge Awards, where the top three poems are automatically nominated. Of course I haven't a hope in hell of winning this Forward Prize thingy but doesn't it look good on your CV? Nominated for the Forward Prize for Poetry. I wonder, could I say "Nominated for the Forward Prize for literature"? That sounds even grander!

The Pushcart Prize is apparently an American award where small presses in America put forward the best poems they published during the year. I had some poems in the Shot Glass Journal which is run by Muse-Pie Press and they nominated two of my poems among their six nominations, about which I'm pretty thrilled. But then, if every small press in America is nominating five or six, I imagine there's an awful lot of us in the shake up! Still, again, putting down 'Twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize' (for literature?) on the oul' CV looks pretty good and could easily lull unsuspecting readers into thinking I have talent.

Yes, I think I quite enjoy this being nominated thingy. Even my wife raised a sceptical eyebrow when I told her.

9 comments:

  1. Peter, well done (again! grrrr!)I hope you mention all the encouragement you get from fellow bloggers in your acceptance speeches in each continent. If this sort of success continues Shelbourne will probably beat Sligo Rovers in the first game of the new season.

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  2. This is so brilliant! I'm going to find you a thin red carpet to practise on. Plus you've got to sort out your arm candy.

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  3. Congratulations (again!), Peter. Two prestigious honours indeed. You're truly an inspiration to the rest of us.

    Wishing you continued success in 2012. I know you ain't done yet :-)

    Merry Christmas to you and your (expanding)family!

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  4. Your wife raised an eyebrow? I'm shocked the dear patient lady is still alive, considering you've poetically croaked her time beyond count. Cheers to both of you. I'm falling off my seat over the Pushcart nomination and the Forward thingie, though I'm ignorant of that, I am over the moon! Hooray for you! I'm impressed as all hell. Well done, Pete!

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  5. Congrats Peter I met you in Strokestown this year
    Remember me?----Fr John. Since then I've made runner-up at "The Bard of Armagh"

    John

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  6. Hi Michael - doubt very much Shels will beat Sligo, sadly!
    Titus - oh, I don't think things will get that far!!
    Niamh - many thanks!
    Connie - how are you? You're the inspiration, not me!
    Chris - oh I'm not sure its that big a deal but thanks anyway
    John - delighted to hear from you and well done up in Armagh!!!

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  7. I'm very impressed - what a nice Christmas present :)

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