Crashaw Prize Winners in Conversation

We hope you enjoyed reading Abi Curtis and Jamey Dunham’s thoughts on winning the Crashaw Prize. Today we have Tom Chivers and Jared Stanley reflecting on life as a Salt Poet to give those of you that have entered a taste of life after winning the prize.

Jared: So Tom, it’s been about a year since we submitted our work to the Crashaw Prize. I’ve recently been described as “Crashevian” and that adjective alone has made it all worthwhile. In the last year, how many people have asked you if you’re a fan of Richard Crashaw?

Tom: Hi Jared. To be honest, the Crashaw thing doesn’t come up much – it’s more to do with the fact that I’m a Salt poet, which has some cache over here for sure. I do like that the prize is named after an obscure dead poet though. When I first prepared a manuscript with the view to getting it published – this is about 2005 – I thought Salt would be the best place for it. I like their vibe, their history of publishing innovative poetry, and also their online presence, which gives them great dynamism. Looking back, they rejected that initial manuscript. Thank god; it wasn’t very good. I’m glad I waited until I had a better bunch of poems.

Jared: Yeah – Salt’s got a good rep here in the US, though I didn’t really have much of a sense of how big it was in the UK – but, I came to Salt for exactly the same reasons you describe, though I was more familiar with the American list – Jennifer Moxley, Lisa Jarnot, Aaron McCollough, Andrew Grace. It’s been pretty eye-opening to read work like yours, and Abi Curtis’s and, like, Luke Kennard’s. I just didn’t know too much about poetry in the UK, and now I’m totally fascinated by it. How’s the response to How To Build A City been?

Tom: I’m the same about US poetry – embarrassingly ignorant of the vast proportion. British culture can be quite insular. Though I suppose it’s natural to seek out work first of all from your immediate surroundings. I mean, if I think about my “influences”, I would probably list quite a few of my friends!

Response to my book has been good – I had my first print review last week in Poetry London and a previous online review described my work as like ‘Tobias Hill reinterpreted by the Sex Pistols’. I’ll take that!

Jared: Congrats on the review – not only the Sex Pistols but the Mighty Boosh too!

Tom: I hope, of course, that critics and other writers will like what I’m doing, but I also really appreciate it when non-literary people respond to my work. I do quite a lot of gigs and they can be good ways to sell your book and get your work in front of people who aren’t “into” poetry.

Jared: This sounds silly, but what are readings in the UK like? In the US, they’re funny – if you’re in a bookstore, the lights will be too bright, and there’s no wine. If it’s in a bar, it can be too dark to read, but at least there’s beer. I think maybe art galleries are pretty perfect. But then, there’s Books & Bookshelves in San Francisco, and that must be the best place of all to read. The bathroom is behind the lectern. Also, the crowd can be really different in different cities, and that’s kind of the most fun – you never know how it’s going to go. If you come to the US and read, Chicago is the place! Those kids love their verse.

Tom: I know what you mean about bookshops – I avoid them for the lighting and general non-social atmosphere. I prefer bars, pubs, etc. But I’ve performed in some unusual locations: in a lavatory, an old curiosity shop, and most recently on a Routemaster bus. What have been your favourite (and scariest) readings?

Jared: I did a reading in Chicago last month that was totally unbelievable. I thought it was bombing, but everybody loved it – I think I was hovering out of my body. In a bar. Followed by a dance party. Hosted by a fellow cycling fan. How do you feel about Mark Cavendish? Opinion here is split.

Scariest – I did one in March, with one of my favorite writers, Joseph Massey. I read first, and kind of planned to have a friend interrupt me. He did, and people thought we were gonna get into a fight. Shit. I should do scarier readings…like in a lavatory! How’d you pull that off?

Tom: It’s a long story… Can I say how incredibly jealous I am of your book title? I think it’s the best title of any Salt book I’ve come across. How did you come up with it?

Jared: I’m glad you like Book Made of Forest – it’s a line from one of the poems. My friend Scott Inguito and I had been working on writing the most literal thing we could, and the title kind of announced itself – I assume my books are made of Canadian Boreal Forest, as are most American books. I feel like the idea of “book” and “page” and “letter” are important to me… what George Oppen called “The Materials.” Also I like it, because when you Google it, things like “Buy Coniferous Forest” and “Book Made of Human Skin” come up. The world’s atrocious… I should also say the book also went out under the title “Tree Crap.”

Tom: I totally buy what you say about the materiality of the page, of text. At university I studied medieval literature, focusing on manuscript culture, so I find ‘The Book Made of Human Skin’ rather appealing. The Salt hardbacks are things of beauty, aren’t they? Maybe we can convince Chris to start publishing on vellum or papyrus… that would rock my world, and better than Vancouver Bookwove, as lovely as it is.

Jared: It’d be good to talk more about that over a pint, I think!

Tom: Your round…

Tom Chiver’s How to Build a City and Jared Stanley’s Book Made of Forest are both available now from our online store with 20% off.