Poetry Alight

I've been terrible at updating this blog recently, but intend to do much better, starting with last night's Poetry Alight reading at Lichfield.

In the new venue of the King's Head, the upstairs room is just about spot-on for a night of this type - large enough that you're not all piled in on top of each other, even with an excellent turn-out like last night's, but compact enough that you can hear the poets read without any trouble.

Gary Longden hosts it superbly, and I liked the format of open mic slots to begin and end the evening, as well as between the featured guests in the middle. Importantly, too, there was time to talk. Feeling part of a poetry community is a more important aspect of events like this than it's sometimes given credit for, but here we all went home having had the chance to make new friends and catch up with old ones.

I didn't make notes, so I'm afraid I haven't got the names of most of the open mic readers, but a high standard was maintained throughout, not just by the familiar faces such as Tom Wyre and Malcolm Dewhirst.

Michelle Crosbie's feature set was excellent. She read entirely from memory, and even sang her last piece acapella, and I'd like to hear more of her work, as well as to see it on paper. She used rhyme skilfully, I thought (as did many of the open mic-ers) - not something that's easy to do, and something that an audience immediately picks up on if it's not done well.

I read entirely from The Elephant Tests, and Jo Bell helped me out on Ravens, Newborough Warren, reading the second voice. It was a pleasure to read for such an appreciative audience, and there was lots of good feedback later on (plus plenty of books sold).

Jo's own set was the highlight of the evening, taking in poems from the excellent Navigation (available again now), as well as newer material. She will, I hope, have a new book coming out before too long, burt in the meantime, take any opportunity you get to hear her read. She can flit between laugh-out-loud funny and lump-in-the-throat moving in the space of a line, and that's a rare thing indeed.

Digging poetry

On Saturday, I was over at Polesworth again for the Heritage Open Day at the Abbey, the culmination of this summer's archaeological dig there. As it was also carnival day in Polesworth (postponed from earlier in the summer) and gloriously sunny and hot, a good time was had by all.

As well as those of us who had led workshops as part of the project - David Calcutt, Jo Bell, Jacqui Rowe, Jenny Hope and Maeve Clarke - many of the participants read the work that they'd produced as a result of them, too. In fact, a couple of the archaeologists got in on the act to good effect, and there were songs, too.

There were displays of the poetry, the archaeological finds, and by medieval re-enactors, and it's also just a lovely old church, full of history.

The man who made it all happen can be seen above. Mal Dewhirst's tireless work has already put Polesworth firmly on the poetry map (or back on it, rather, given its connections to Drayton, Shakespeare and Donne), but this was something else. What's really impressive is the feeling of sheer enthusiasm you get from the townspeople - there's a real sense that the project (and those that have gone before, such as the Poetry Trails) has made a lasting impression. Walk around for five minutes and you're confronted with poetry everywhere, as a living, vital force that engages with both contemporary life and history.

It was great, then, that Mal had just been appointed Staffordshire's new Poet Laureate (Polesworth is just across the border in Warwickshire, but it's possible to drive through four counties in 400 yards in these parts). I know he'll bring the same drive and innovation to it that he has to his other projects, so watch this space for more news.

A couple more pictures to finish - Gary Longden and Jacqui Rowe reading in front of the dig.

Full house

Last night's Shindig at The Western might have been the best yet, courtesy of a great line-up of featured readers, the usual high standard of open mic contributions, and a large and generous audience.

Mal Dewhirst, of Polesworth Poetry Trail fame, kicked off the readings in the first (Nine Arches Press) half of the night. I particularly enjoyed his piece inspired by Pooley Country Park, but all of what he read had a strong sense of place, and he's not afraid to take unusual approaches to his subject, either - I'd like to see a lot more of the archaeological 'dig' poem he read from.

It was good to be reminded of just how good a poet Nine Arches co-editor Jane Commane is, too, with her reading touching on areas as diverse as music, racehorses and maps (the latter being a subject I always find irresistible). Her bypass poem, too, was one I'd like to hear again and again.

The second half of the night, run by Crystal Clear Creators, first featured Charles Lauder Jr. I enjoyed his poems a lot - there was just enough of a transatlantic flavour to them to make them constantly surprising. I'll look forward to seeing his pamphlet from CCC next year.

Finally, Wayne Burrows, editor of Staple, read from a variety of new work. I think his apple-inspired sequence (the green things, I mean, not the Steve Jobs empire) was my favourite section, but the loose translations of Czechoslovakian pop songs from the 60s ran it pretty close.

Loads of excellent open mic readings - Mark Goodwin's poem about climbing Cader Idris with his daughter was as perfectly balanced as you'd expect, and it was nice to hear Catullus get a look in, thanks to Graham Norman. What I enjoy most is that the open mic readers are really starting to work off each other - each Shindig now seems to throw up certain themes which the poets just naturally fall into step with.

A date for the diary

The latest Nine Arches Press/Crystal Clear Creators Shindig takes place at The Western, Western Road, Leicester, next Monday (October 24th) from 7.30pm.

It's a great line-up, with readers Wayne Burrows (poet and editor of Staple magazine), Charles Lauder Jr (American expat poet whose debut pamphlet will be out from Crystal Clear next year), Mal Dewhirst (poet and film-maker and the driving force behind the Polesworth Poets Trail), and Nine Arches' own Jane Commane (recently featured in Best British Poetry 2011).

As usual, there'll be plenty of open mic slots (you can sign up on the door), and it's all free.

In the footsteps of Drayton

Last night I dashed down the M42 to read at The Fizz 8, at Polesworth Abbey Refectory, in North Warwickshire.

As I noted in the preview pieces about the event, it was a particular thrill to be reading in Michael Drayton's hometown. In fact, both Drayton and John Donne are thought to have read in front of the same fireplace (pictured above) that's now part of the Refectory, and Shakespeare is rumoured to have spent time as a page at nearby Polesworth Hall. The chair that's pictured, by the way, isn't an Elizabethan torture instrument - it was built by one of last night's poets for use while he's playing the guitar.

In keeping with the setting, I tied to give my set a bit of a historical slant, and all went very well (except for a coughing fit in the middle of Troy Town - fortunately it's short enough to start again). There were excellent and varied open mic readers, including Barry Patterson (pictured) and Gary Longden - nice to catch up with both of them again - and Mal Dewhirst, the driving force behind Fizz and Polesworth's poetry trails.

My set (divided in two by the interval) was:

Prelude for Glass Harmonica

The sea at Ashby-de-la-Zouch

Drinking With Godberd

Chirimoya

Dreams From The Anchor Church

Leland's New Year Gift To The King, 1546

The Meeting Place

In St Martin's Square

West Leicester Lullaby

Fantasia for Glass Harmonica

The American version

Exposures

Worst Case Scenario

Troy Town

Happiness

Cahoots

Nocturne for Glass Harmonica

If you're ever in the area, Polesworth's well worth a look. As well as the Abbey Church and its 14th century gatehouse (below), there's the Polesworth Poets Trail I mentioned. Also, despite the fact that you're a stone's throw from the motorway, Tamworth, and the great sprawl of Birmingham beyond it, there's a lot of remarkably unspoiled countryside within walking distance. 

Launched (again)

I've been pretty tardy in posting lately, and time's very short once again, so just a few words about last night's Nine Arches Press Shindig at The Looking Glass.

There was an excellent, varied line-up of readers, with great stuff from Marilyn Ricci, Alan Baker and Malcolm Dewhirst, as well as some really good open mic spots (enjoyed Jonathan Taylor's short story a lot - I hope we hear more short stories at open mics in the future). I thought I might struggle a bit with my voice, because I've been coughing non-stop for days, but it held out OK, and all went well.

It wasn't as well attended as most of the Shindigs have been, but I'd guess that might have had something to do with the time of year. There also sounded like there was a Wild West saloon brawl going on upstairs throughout large parts of the evening, but we emerged back into the main bar to find it as clam as ever!

Anyway, I'll be trying to post more regularly over the next few days - expect something on the recent Birds, Nature and Creativity symposium, new poetry mags, and some end of year round-ups.

PS. Setlist (from memory) was:

Prelude for Glass Harmonica

Worst Case Scenario

from 'Tesserae'

Glass

Warning Against Using These Poems As A Map

Fantasia for Glass Harmonica

West Leicester Lullaby

In St Martin's Square

Cahoots

Leicester launch

If you're anywhere near Braunstone Gate in Leicester tonight, you might want to drop in at The Looking Glass for the local launch of my new book, hydrodaktulopsychicharmonica.

It's part of the last Nine Arches Press Shindig of 2010. Readings start at 7.30pm, and entry is free, and as usual there'll be plenty of open mic slots available - sign up on the door if you're interested.

There’ll also be readings from Alan Baker (who as well as being a fine poet with a new book forthcoming from Skysill Press is the founder and co-editor of Leafe Press, and editor of Litter), Marilyn Ricci (whose excellent HappenStance pamphlet Rebuilding A Number 39 was published in 2008), and Malcolm Dewhirst (Tamworth-based poet, writer and filmmaker, who project manages Polesworth’s Poets Trail).

Leicester Shindig and book launch

Just a quick reminder that next Monday (13th December), is the Leicester launch of my new book, hydrodaktulopsychicharmonica, at the last Nine Arches Press Shindig of 2010 at the Looking Glass, 68-70 Braunstone Gate. Readings start at 7.30pm, and entry is free.

There’ll also be readings from Alan Baker (who as well as being a fine poet with a new book forthcoming from Skysill Press is the founder and co-editor of Leafe Press, and editor of Litter), Marilyn Ricci (whose excellent HappenStance pamphlet Rebuilding A Number 39 was published in 2008), and Malcolm Dewhirst (Tamworth-based poet, writer and filmmaker, who project manages Polesworth’s Poets Trail).

As always, there’ll be plenty of open mic slots available, so sign up on the door if you’d like to take part.