Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Mr Florence, known for his mild verse, has been playing Dark Souls on the console boxes, and wants to convey that experience to you now.

Hi. Rab Florence here. Dark Souls is coming to PC, and so I must talk to you about it. I think that the game is one of the most important designs of the past decade. I’m so glad you’re all going to be able to play it. It doesn’t feel like a console game. Don’t worry about that. Within its dark halls and its vast caverns, there is the ambition and experimentation of the very best PC games. I love it. I love it so dearly that only poetry can properly express that love. I wrote this in a forest last night. Thanks to RPS for publishing this piece, and thanks to you for reading it out loud in your place of work.

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As those who listened the last Quinns/Me podcast will know, before Chrimble I attended a poetry “thing” where people read from Sidekick Books’ new pocket-anthology of videogame-inspired poetry. The reading was a fine thing, and the object itself is plain lovely, with people using a variety of experiences with games to illuminate and/or make gags. And it’s available now! To quote from the site’s blurb: “I feel certain that this experiment will prove the much-maligned medium of computer games can provide ample impetus for fresh and inspired approaches to form, imagery and voice, as well as informing the ready wit and intelligence of a generation of poets”. I recommend it highly, and not just because Delightful Girlfriend has contributed a couple of pieces. A couple about console-toy games! This relationship is over. It’s a fiver plus postage, and available from their site. Meanwhile, beneath the cut, a poetry-related – er – treat from the archives.
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