Prize-winning poet's dark angel thanks suitor she has never met

Published on Thursday 9 October 2008 21:53

THE dark-eyed Georgian singer whose distant inspiration helped a Scottish poet to a top UK prize said yesterday that she was flattered by his "beautifully done" verses.

Natalie Beridze, also known as TBA, is struggling for work in war-torn Georgia and boasts no fan club for her particular brand of techno-rock.

But Love Poem for Natalie 'Tusja' Beridze, a long and tongue-in-cheek tribute by the well-known poet Don Paterson, could bring her new-found fame after it won the UK's prestigious Forward Prize for best single poem of 2008.

"I understood most of it," Ms Beridze, 25, told The Scotsman. "I haven't read anything like this before about myself. It's great, a little too much for me. I was kind of flattered. It's beautifully done and written. I love it."

Paterson, 44, had never met or contacted Ms Beridze, but came across her little-known songs as a fan of electronic and techno music. After finding her face on the internet, however, he wrote of a "dark angel with her unruly Slavic eyebrows" in a humorous pastiche of a love poem, laced with technical language.

Ms Beridze was hoping to contact Paterson by e-mail to thank him. She added: "

I just want to thank the guy; it was really, really nice to draft something like this."