SEPTEMBER 2015 Review – What a month! The end of the month marked 2 years a poet, I had a celebration last year and plan to organise a belated one for this year too. September itself was busy for everyone and October doesn’t seem any emptier. November and December tend to become quieter. I will see when it best fits and hope to manage it before the end of the year.
WEEK 1
I took a trip up to Shropshire to join in with John Hegley’s workshop in Ludlow, followed by the Poetry Lounge in the Sitting Room with headliners John Hegley and Ian McEwan.
https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2015/09/25/john-hegley-workshop-performance/
Jean Atkin © 2015
My application for the Poetry Brothel on 31st October at the P Café was accepted by Caged Arts.
I entered the WLF NPD Competition on the theme of light (and shade).
I worked on the Caldmore Garden writing project and continued to edit and redraft my pamphlet poetry.
Rehearsals for NPD Light & Shade were organised and I worked on the poem for this event. I performed at Spoken Word at The Ort.
WEEK 2 
I finalised my NPD poem for Light & Shade performance event on NPD (8th Oct)
I performed at Mouth & Music and SpeakEasy, attended Stanza. https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2015/09/25/poetry-events-september-spoken-word-the-ort-mouth-music-speakeasy/
I had had my first WWM Writing West Midlands group of the new academic year and now in the role of Lead Writer – it went really well and I was very pleased. The Young Writers enjoyed it and my new Assistant Writer is amazing.
https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/writing-west-midlands/
I went to the Plenty Fish Book Launch – By Sarah James, Nine Arches Press and celebrated her success by listening to her guest poets – Fergus McGonigal, Mike Alma, Kathy Gee, Ian Glass, Holly Magill & Maggie Doyle and enjoying an evening of Poetry and Curry.
https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/plenty-fish-by-sarah-james-book-launch/
I completed the week in Birmingham with Tessa Lowe at Poets with Passion.
WEEK 3
Started with Arts business meetings and Poetry on Loan training in Worcester, I was booked as a Guest Poet in Cheltenham in October, made the shortlist for WLF NPD Competition, the public were then allowed to vote on their favourite to join the other 3 finalists who are performing at the event on NPD.
I went to Poetry For Lunch – revival 2015 at the P café with Jan Watts and others, performed poetry and enjoyed iced coffee blends. Went to Hit the Ode with Myfanwy Fox to see Jackie Hagan, Toni Stuart and Leon Priestnall.
I went to Swingerella’s Wrecking Ball Tour at the Mockingbird Theatre and rehearsed for Caldmore Carnival event in the garden then spent Sunday working on Alice in Wonderland poetry for the AAOTP (Arts all Over the Place) fundraiser next week.
WEEK 4
Heather Wastie, Suz Winspear and I had our first rehearsal for NPD, I am now trying to learn the poems off by heart as we have choreographed a dramatic showing and I want to be able to use my body accordingly. We even sorted costume. Very exciting.
I went to Poetry Bites to watch Liz Berry and Jane Commane headline. I performed as one of the open mic-ers, also had a good catch up with Jonathan Davidson (WWM). I performed my Alice/ Lewis Carroll poems at the Madhatter’s Fundraiser for AAOTP, booked tickets for Swindon Poetry Festival and organised Guest Writers for INKSPILL – our online writing retreat which takes place the 3rd weekend in October. We had wonderful weather for the Carnival Day in Caldmore (postponed from the summer due to bad weather) the choral poem worked really well and we performed some of our workshop poetry too with David Calcutt – Poet in Residence 2014/15.
I finished off the month writing Vampire poetry for 42 – the 50th event of 42. It was pure celebration on the 30th and lots of incredibly talented performers and writers took to the stage.
https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/poeting-training-performing-september/
WORKSHOPS
John Hegley
OPEN MICS
Poetry Lounge in the Sitting Room, Ludlow, 1st September
Spoken Word at The Ort Café, Birmingham, 4th September
Mouth & Music, Kidderminster, 8th September
SpeakEasy, Worcester, 10th September
Poetry For Lunch, P Café Birmingham 17th
Poetry Bites, Birmingham 22nd
MADHATTER’S WONDERLAND OF LAUGHTER – Arts All Over the Place, Fundraiser, Birmingham 24th
Caldmore Carnival Open Day, Group Poem Performance, Walsall 26th
42, Worcester 30th September
BOOK LAUNCH / EVENTS
WWM Lead Writer for Senior Group, Worcester, 12th September
Book Launch, Plenty Fish by Sarah James Published by Nine Arches 12th
Poets With Passion at The Ort, Birmingham 13th September
Poetry On Loan Training, Worcester 14th September
Hit The Ode, Birmingham 17th
Swingerella Wrecking Ball Tour, Mockingbird Theatre, Birmingham, 18th
Caldmore Garden – Rehearsals for Carnival event, Walsall 19th
NPD Light & Shade rehearsals, 21st
Stanza
J. H © 2015
October has a busy start with Swindon Poetry Festival, Stirchley Speaks, National Poetry Day, Light & Shade NPD performance and a weekend Book Launch ‘The Girl who Grew into a Crocdile’ By Claire Walker.
I am busy organising our 3rd Online Retreat right here, INKSPILL… LOOK OUT FOR MORE DETAILS SOON!
awritersfountain 