Keep Courage. Support.

Poetry for Ukraine

Tickets are pay what you want/can. Register here:

https://eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-for-ukraine-an-international-poetry-reading-fundraiser-tickets-279387795417…

vdlupescu.com

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May 2020

Children affected by conflict in eastern Ukraine are using poetry to call for peace.

An end to six years of violence is more important than ever.

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https://www.facebook.com/PoetsForUkraine

If you have details of any fundraising events, let me know and I will add them here. I know there are Live/Hybrid events at the end of the month in London.

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Register on Eventbrite

donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal

Mayor of London/Twitter share

london.gov.uk/what-we-do/communities/migrants-and-refugees/how-you-can-help-ukraine

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.calvertjournal.com/articles/show/12137/contemporary-ukrainian-poems

http://www.unicef.org

How you can help Ukraine.

INKSPILL 2018 Guest Writer Kate Garrett Bonnie’s Crew

This year Kate Garrett embarked on a new project Bonnie’s Crew. Kate tells us more about this in our final interview.

1) Can you tell us a little background on Bonnie’s Crew?

Bonnie’s Crew was originally just going to be a little A6 print anthology, put together from work sent in by my friends in the poetry community, and sold via JustGiving to raise money for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund. Leeds Congenital Hearts – which is funded by the CHSF – saved my daughter Bonnie’s life when she was born, but they did it without surgery (so far – she does have a condition that often requires surgery later in life). Other babies, children, teens, and adults need the unit’s help in much more complex ways. Our time on Ward L51 opened my eyes to congenital heart disease and made me want to do something to help.

 

2) At what point did you realise poetry was your way of giving back?

Almost immediately – it’s where my own heart lies (aside from my family unit of course, but even then my husband and closest friends are poets too!), and poetry is where my people are, where the community is for me.

 

3) Please tell us about the Bonnie’s Crew anthology and webzine.

The Bonnie’s Crew anthology is fiftyish pages of poems, mostly by poets in the UK, printed in A6 size with beautiful original cover art by Marija Smits. The poems range from those written just for Bonnie to suitable reprints, and everything in between.

The webzine has become far wider-reaching – poets from all over the world submit to Bonnie’s Crew! For both mediums, I wanted poems touching on hearts and hope, above all else, but also hospital experiences, grief, loss, love (romantic or otherwise) – as these are all very universal things, we all have a body, we all have emotions, and when we experience health issues, or loss, or family problems, or anything that moves us deeply, it’s good to have a place to express those things and find solace in other stories.

Sometimes our poems are inspired by news articles that aren’t even about human beings, but are relevant to our moral dilemmas (I’m thinking of Jude Cowan Montague’s brilliant ‘the sadness of the experiment’ https://bonnieandcrew.wordpress.com/2018/04/21/poem-the-sadness-of-the-experiment-by-jude-cowan-montague), and sometimes the poets themselves have been in hospital for heart conditions. It varies, but the writing is always beautiful.

We currently publish two poets a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but from February 2019 we will be publishing in a web journal format every other month. BC #1 will be released on 9th February – and there’s still space for more work. To read what we’ve published so far, and to submit your own work, visit http://bonnieandcrew.wordpress.com

4) How many poems have been published on the zine?

I’m not exactly sure! Over 150, or around that… at the time of answering these questions there have been 105 posts published or scheduled, and quite a few of those include multiple poems. We’ve been publishing since the first week of February 2018.

 

5) How did it feel to hit your fundraising target?

Amazing, unbelievable. And I was so moved by the fact that through poetry we were able to raise over £1,000 in 6 months. We’re still going, and still have anthologies left to send out, so if people are interested, our JustGiving page is https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bonnieandcrew and if people would like an anthology after donating (£5 minimum for a book, but even a £1 donation helps!), please email me at bonnies.crew.poems@gmail.com. I’d love to raise £2,000 by the time Bonnie turns one in January, or at least by the time the print anthology turns one in May.

6) When did you decide to include visual art?

When I decided to change to a bi-monthly web journal format. Our webzine has been characterised by me pairing public domain images with the poems we publish, and people always remark on the lovely combinations. I’d like to carry on the visual aspect when we change to releasing work in issues, but I wanted the art to come from submissions instead of public domain resources.

7) What have you enjoyed most about this project?

What haven’t I enjoyed! It’s honestly the most rewarding bit of editing and publishing I’ve ever done. If I had to stop editing/publishing everything else tomorrow, I would not be able to put Bonnie’s Crew down. It’s made such a difference to people, not just the heart unit, but regular people who come across the poems and feel soothed by reading them.

 

8)What is the future for this project?

Well, as I say, I’d love to raise more money (which means selling the remaining anthologies), hold an event in Leeds with readings, and see where the new web journal format takes us. I’m accepting creative nonfiction articles and essays now as well, alongside the poetry and visual art. Bonnie’s Crew’s tagline has always been ‘poems helping hearts of all sizes’ and it’s grown to helping hearts in both literal and figurative ways. It would be lovely to keep that momentum going and reach even more people.

Book Launch – Restless Bones Poetry Anthology for Born Free Foundation

Restless Bones – The History Behind the Project

Elaine Christie is a local poet and also works hard to protect animal rights. The story behind the conception of this project/idea is touching, last year Elaine’s best friend, Pat Clarke passed away. Elaine was left some money …. I leave the rest of the explanation to Elaine Christie, who came to the Book Launch with decorative balloons and a cat wreath;

© 2014 Elaine Christie

“This lovely cat wreath was to remember my best friend Pat Clarke, who died last August. She left some money to me and when I read about China skinning animals alive, I had an uncontrollable urge to do something. Something more than signing petitions and writing letters and emails, powerful they may be, seeing dogs piled on top of each other almost crushed and tigers anxious and angry crammed in cages awaiting their fate, I thought of all the superb poetry I had heard over the years and the idea came, wouldn’t it be ideal if I could bottle that, as a message to the world to wake up, this kind of cruelty is not acceptable. The final push came when leaving The Barber Institute after a workshop with Jacqui Rowe. Saleha Begum and I went for a coffee and she gave me the final push! Thank you Saleha xx
There are many to thank, firstly the poets, each of you were picked for your talent and I’m as passionate about your poems as you are! I know you have looked into these cruelty issues and I hope I haven’t scarred you all for life! Jacqui’s poems have stayed with me for years, such rich language and the stories behind the poems are marvellous, and you do have a magic eye! I wish I was half as intelligent! Thank you for editing our book, it has made all the difference and has wings to fly!”

Elaine with the Cat wreath in memory of Pat Clarke © 2014 Rangzeb Hussain

And so began some VERY hard work for Elaine to realise her vision!

Restless Bones The Anthology

Is packed full of poetry from the past and the present, the work of; WILLIAM BLAKE, ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING, LORD BYRON, EMILY DICKINSON, WILLIAM WORDSWORTH amongst others.

As well as including many poems the book showcases the wonderful art of Josephine Wall. It is a beautiful book to enjoy time and time again.

Contributors

VIRGINIA MCKENNA

RICHARD BONFIELD
JANINE ALLEN
MIKE ALMA
JUDE ASHWORTH
DAVID BARBER
WILLIAM BLAKE
ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING
LORD BYRON
DAVID CALCUTT
HELEN CALCUTT
G. K. CHESTERTON
CHYI YU
ELAINE CATHERINE CHRISTIE
EMILY DICKINSON
DES – LONE WOLF
EUGENE EGAN
GIOVANNI ‘SPOZ’ ESPOSITO
CHRIS FEWINGS
CAROLINE GILL
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES
RANGZEB HUSSAIN
SARAH JAMES
JANET JENKINS
NINA LEWIS
TESSA LOWE
CHARLOTTE MEW
MATT NUNN
ANTONY OWEN
MALINI PATEL
JADE PHIPPS
CLARE POWERS
CHRISTINA ROSSETTI
JACQUI ROWE
ALFRED LORD TENNYSON
CLAIRE WALKER
JAN WATTS
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
TOM WYRE

An incredible amount of work went into producing this book. Elaine worked closely with Jacqui Rowe (Writer in Residence at The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Editor at Flarestack and host of Poetry Bites) who kindly edited Restless Bones. We are all grateful for the opportunity to be involved and appreciate the amount of work that has gone into this project.

Art of Josephine Wall

Buy the book to see it all – it is worth it!

© 2014 Josephine Wall

The Book Launch at Akamba – 21st August

 Copyright 2014 R. Huusain

The venue was Akamba – an incredible place and perfect setting for the subject of the anthology

Tessa Lowe was the host and Rangzeb Hussain the official photographer, a selection of contributors gathered to perform their poem, undercover and outside. In a place that I have been assured is very authentically African. Tessa not only hosted the evening but also arranged for Ansumana Drammeh, a djembe drummer from The Gambia to accompany some of the Poets. David Barber had spent a while in rehearsals with Ansumana before the event and Reuben Woolley (a poet who just toured events in the UK for a fortnight, who lives in Spain) had some time to rehearse with him too.

I arrived an hour early in the hope that I would also have time to work with Ansumana – who was the person who talked to me about the setting reminding him of places he had camped. He listened to the poem and then drummed away, a short dialogue between us and we tried for something slightly quieter. Then 3rd time we did it was the opening of my performance/ set. It worked wonderfully well, a talented musician who knows how to find rhythm in words.

© 2014 RH

Wrapped in blankets and by the warmth of candle light we enjoyed the evening under the thatched hut roof. The rain didn’t get us and the blankets added to the atmosphere of the evening, particularly in the photos. The staff at Akamba were brilliant and supportive.

The evening was an incredible experience – hours of poetry and wonderful conversation – a gathering of poets and friends. As Elaine chose poets from the local circuit I knew most of the people but I hadn’t read their poems, I cannot wait to sit down and read my way through the collection, I know it will be a book I read time and time again.

Here are some photographs of the evening – the full collection is too big to post. All copyright belongs to Rangzeb Hussain, a talented poet and photographer!

© 2014 Rangzeb Hussain – thanks for the permission to use your photographs.

Tom Wyre

Jude Ashworth

 

Antony Owen

Tessa Lowe Hosting &   Ansumana Drammeh enjoying a quick break before drumming.

 

Elaine Christie

 

Jan Watts

David Barber

 

Spoz – GIOVANNI ESPOSITO

Jacqui Rowe

 

Nina Lewis (me)

David Calcutt

Claire Walker

Mike Alma also performed his poetry – although I am not sure there is any photographic evidence of his set.

The night was finished by Open Mic spot poets –

Sammy Joe

Reuben Woolley

A Poetry Anthology about the natural world and how it is declining.

All funds go to Born Free Foundation, to fight the Fur Trade.

A Limited Edition Poetry Anthology about the Natural World and how it is declining. Poems from Born Free’s Poet in Residence Richard Bonfield and Virginia McKenna. Poetry From- Antony Owen, Caroline Gill, Chris Fewings, Claire Walker, Clare Power, David Barber, David Calcutt, Elaine Catherine Christie,Eugene Egan, Giovanni ‘Spoz’ Esposito, Helen Calcutt, Jade Phipps, Jan Watts, Janet Jenkins, Janine Allen, Jude Ashworth, Matt Nunn, Mike Alma, Nina Lewis, Rangzeb Hussain, Sarah James, Tessa Lowe, Tom Wyre. Poems from Animal Liberation Front, Famous Quotations and poems from Wordsworth, Blake, Dickinson, Browning. Fantasy Art from Josephine Wall! This is a collection not to be missed, all funds go to fight the fur trade.

BUY IT! 

Restless Bones will be available to buy soon £9.99 from The Born Free Website – links to follow.

4 of my poems feature, written especially for the anthology;

Nerve Endings

At the Hands of Humans

the other two were chosen by Elaine Christie;

Night Sky

Universe

ALL MONEY WILL BE DONATED TO THE BORN FREE FOUNDATION – you get to help animals and enjoy incredible poetry! (You won’t even have to tip a bucket of water over your head!)