Stanza Cannon is a relatively new, first-of-its-kind, “audio zine” published in the USA. In the words of its editor, Andrew Feindt, it is “devoted to continuing humanity’s age-old tradition of oral poetry by combining it with the infinite reach of the ’Net.” Thus, none of the poetry that Stanza Cannon publishes can be read on its site; rather, the contributing poets record their submissions orally and then those selected for publication appear there as audio files. 

My poem was selected for Stanza Cannon’s sixth issue. It’s called “Annie’s Had a Bit of a Spell” and it’s a one-way conversation between an aging senior and his wife after she has suffered a stroke and the loss of her powers of speech. The speaker/protagonist reminisces with her about happier days when they were healthy young idealists who chucked their tedious office jobs and decamped from England to the Shetland Islands to live off the land. One doesn’t know how much she is able to follow but he soldiers on anyway. To give the poem a listen, click here. When reciting “Annie’s Had a Bit of a Spell”, to give it verisimilitude, I make my best effort to sound like someone born in Huddersfield! I hope my Yorkshire friends will forgive me.

In a recent tweet, Stanza Cannon editor Andrew Feindt very kindly commented that “[t]he impassioned, desperate delivery behind Bridgman’s (@PWB_writer1) “Annie’s Had a Bit of a Spell” is spellbinding. While the writing does an excellent job of creating the tension, the oration really makes you feel it.”