The End Run was just the Warm Up

So my Poet Laureateship ended at the Launch of the 8th Worcestershire LitFest & Fringe at The Angel Centre on the 10th June. This was the space Suz Winspear held her amazing collaborative DanceFest event ‘Poetry Ballroom’ in last year, when she was Worcestershire Poet Laureate.

 

 

WLF The Launch

The Finalists this year were Peter Sutton, Betti Moretti & Sarah Leavesley.

Following my performance Charley Barnes introduced the winning poet…and who is the new Worcestershire Poet Laureate for 2018/19?

Betti Moretti! Congratulations to her and all the finalists this year.

 

It was a great event and congratulations should go to the WLF team for pulling it off.

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Here’s a little look back at some of my year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am delighted to have discovered new writers and assisted some others on the point of giving up. I have published over 200 poets in 7 collections and 4 magazines and completed projects with America and France.

I flew our WLF flag internationally and welcomed poets from bordering counties into the exceptionally talented scene in our Shire.

 

 

 

People keep asking what I will do next. Truth is (as those who read the blog know) I am always busy. I guess I didn’t talk about it as much as it comes across as slightly me-ego, but as many future plans involve seedlings from the Laureateship, maybe you will get to hear about my work.

I will, as always remain super busy!

My first plan is to prepare for and enjoy the 4 performances I have managed to squeeze into the LitFest. I will be performing poetry at these events: (7-10 minute Guest Spots)

Weorgoran Pavilion Festival: Sat 16 June

And if that wasn’t enough, this year The Ring have teamed up with WLF to bring a little poetry to Worcester. I will be performing at 12 PM on Saturday 16th June.

Award-winning art, architecture and design studio NEON has created an amazing stage, especially for Worcester. It’s part of The Ring, a Canal & River Trust ‘Arts on the Waterways’ project celebrating a 21-mile circle of natural and historic waterways in Worcestershire. The Weorgoran Pavilion takes its inspiration, and its name, from the Saxon origins of the name Worcester and its translation, “the people of the winding river”. It’s the venue for a free family-friendly festival featuring a soundscape by acclaimed Ledbury born musician Dave Crowe, which plays at selected times.
Bring something to sit on, indulge in a tasty treat from local sellers and enjoy yourself!
Check our other events for the programme on each day of the festival.

 

12:00-13:00 Litfest Takeover featuring Nina Lewis & the newly crowned Worcester Laureate, Betti Moretti.

 

For more information on the programme and how to book tickets check in at my old WPL blog.

Whilst you are there… I spent the week before the festival launch making Countdown films ’10 Days’ check them out too or click here.

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PoARTy

I am currently working on PoARTy – Ledbury, in collaboration with Artist Molly Bythall. We have created 3 works, stemmed from work we had already produced – it has been a joy to be part of this creative partnership. There are 16 poems which have come from it although only 3 will be on display. Watch out for more news on this project facilitated by Rick Sanders, who is also taking over my WWM role as Lead Writer with the Sparks Young Writers Group in Worcester come September. (It is all change!)

 

 

Our work will be displayed in July.

 

Heritage Poetry Project

Funnily enough I attended a workshop with Angela France recently where we looked at/wrote about trees and I thought about the potential of this project, which was mentioned at a Stanza meeting at the end of last year.

Our Stanza group spent the day before the WLF Launch in the Forest of Dean writing poetry amongst trees for a project led by Andy Hoaen who has been involved in a survey/heritage work ‘Veteran Tree History Project Speech House Survey’. His vision:

I would like to see this as an opportunity for an encounter between two different ways of seeing the world, archaeology with its rigorous approach routed in scientific “objective” description of place and space, and poets with their ability to succinctly capture the essence of things and provide an imaginative subjective view on the world.

There may well be another exhibition in the future.

 

Ludlow Fringe Festival 

I will be joining some of the ‘Me Too’ Poetry Anthology Poets to perform poems at a special event on the 19th June.

I went to Deborah Alma’s Book Launch for ‘Dirty Laundry’ – Nine Arches Press at Waterstones at the end of May, for her Ludlow Launch she is having Guest Poets and a collective of ‘Me Too’ poets perform.

 

 

Room 204 Workshop 

Writing & Mental Health, working in the Mental Health setting.

 

The Last WWM Sparks YW Group 

The 16th June is my final group as Lead Writer at The Hive in Worcester, I shall be sad to see this end but I have been working as an Assistant/Lead Writer & Mentor for WWM since 2014 and we all know when we apply that these are not renewable positions, the opportunities need to be given to other writers too.

 

Stratford Poetry Festival 

I was involved in a School Poetry Project with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and on the 16th children I sent poems and poetic challenges to will be performing their work as part of the festival.

 

 

 

Book Launch 

Ghosting For Beginners Anna Saunders, published by IDP. 24th June Cheltenham

 

Ledbury Poetry Festival – where I hope to manage at least 1 glorious, poetry packed day!

Guest Poet

Delighted to welcome Charley Barnes into the V. Press family and doubly delighted to be reading at her launch. 14th July Park’s Cafe, Droitwich 7PM 

 

Organising Arts Festival Poetry Events 

Artsfest takes place 30th June – 28th July in Droitwich. I am very excited because Kathy Gee, Claire Walker and myself are going to be Performing 30-40-60 again, our collaborative Poetry Media Show.

17th July 7:15 (7:30 start) St. Andrew’s Church. For more information: 30-40-60

Following on from last year I am organising the Poetry Day events again. On the 21st July 4 Poets will be performing in St. Andrew’s Square between 2-4 PM

Nina Lewis (Former Worcestershire Poet Laureate)

Roy McFarlane (Former Birmingham Poet Laureate)

John Mills

Liz Mills

 

 

In the evening there is Poetry Extravaganza in Park’s Cafe from 7PM (7:30 start) the first half will be the traditional open mic sign up and after the interval 12 Poets from the team of 24 ATOTC UK Poets will be performing from the Special Edition Contour – A Tale of Two Cities.

For more information: http://droitwichartsfest.org/event/poetry-and-prose-readings/

http://droitwichartsfest.org/event/poetry-extravaganza/

In between these events (as like last year) I will be hot-footing across to Worcester to perform as a Guest Poet at Kieran Davis’s Book Launch of his 2nd collection ‘Legacy’, published by Black Pear Press.

Then I plan a fortnight of R & R before jetting off to be an International Guest Poet at Perth Poetry Festival, Australia.

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Writing wise the desk is heating up also. I am currently working with my next manuscript, compiling the final issue of Contour the WPL Magazine and publishing the final WPL Anthology Collection ‘Every Word Counts’ – Science/Maths poetry.

Later this year I shall start working on the WPL Anthology and later still on my first collection.

So I will be fine, I will be busy, I am a poet… one who will always remain an ambassador of words.

INKSPILL An Afternoon With Guest Writer Stephen Daniels

Our second Guest Writer and Editor is Stephen Daniels.

Stephen Daniels is the editor of Amaryllis Poetry  and the Secretary for Poetry Swindon. His poetry has been published in various magazines and websites, including: The Interpreter’s House, Obsessed With Pipework, Ink Sweat & Tears, And Other Poems, The Lake, Clear Poetry, Picaroon Poetry, The Fat Damsel, Three Drops from a Cauldron, Eunoia Review, Algebra of Owls, The Open Mouse, I am not a silent poet and Nutshells and Nuggets, Good Dadhood, The Poetry Shed, Obsessed With Pipework, The Curly Mind and Down in the Dirt.

Stephen’s poetry appeared in several anthologies including Richard Jefferies Writers – ’78 Anthology, Domestic Cherry, Ink Sweat & Tears ’12 Days of Christmas’ 2016 and my poem ‘Light’ was runner-up in the Candlestick Press micropoem competition 2015.

His debut pamphlet ‘Tell Mistakes I Love Them‘ was published by V. Press this year.

You can find out more at www.stephenkirkdaniels.com and @stephendaniels

© swindontheatres.co.uk

INKSPILL: Guest Writer Charlie Jordan – Thoughts on Writing & Editing Part1

Charlie Jordan –

Guest Writer 

Thoughts on Writing & Editing (Part1)

Rambling thoughts of a 6 ft poet……

 

Eat cake, drink tea and then look back on something you’ve written – it definitely helps the editing process! And if you can, leave it untouched for as long as possible – an hour, a day, a week…..the longer the better, as distance will give you a clearer perspective. Sometimes you stumble on something scribbled long ago and forgotten, and can spot the potential lines crying out for a new poem, or the fact that the whole piece of paper belongs in the recycling bin.

Be prepared to write badly. We all do, sometimes. It’s ok, and with hindsight you’ll love some of your work more than others. Some will seem as awkward as teenage diaries, or embarrassing old school photos. 😉 Just keep going, start something new and keep the faith….. my boyfriend is a scientist and uses statistics to say that the chances are the next piece will be better….or something like that, but with several graphs and copious numbers and scientific theories…..

Morning pages are a good idea if you’re stuck in a writing rut – see Julia Cameron and just sit down with bed-head hair, pen & paper and a cup of tea and scribble whatever is in your head to clear it out onto the page.  Then you can mine it for the odd random good thought to work with, or start something afresh later that day with a clear head and a few pages of notes already scribbled – proof you are a writer! Although these pages are never to be read by another, no matter how much they love you. If i’m doing them, I make my handwriting so illegible that even I struggle to re-read them. Or maybe that’s just because it’s too early and my hand was still asleep at the pen…..

Don’t write the same poem. Again. Don’t write the same poem! Of course we’ll all have certain subjects we return to, or familiar themes, but try new things too….which is where a writing exercise or a workshop can highlight a new area for you and will be refreshing. Write about cheese, or your grandmother’s hands, about the first day at school, the urges you have when you order coffee from the cute barista, write in the voice of an excited 5 yr old at school playtime etc. You will still come through quite clearly in any of these subjects by the way, even if you can’t spot it! I did a residency at WBA (West Bromwich Albion) football club and wrote a piece as a small boy and performed it, to be told – ‘Oh that was just like you!’  so we’ll still leave a trace of our own DNA behind. Sometimes writing surprises you. I was introduced at a gig, by the uber talented and lovely Polarbear poet, as being a romantic poet who wrote about love. I was horrified. I thought, hang on – just because I’m the only woman on the bill, doesn’t mean I’m a soppy loved up girl. Then I realised I was, despite my tom boy image. Damn – poetry can do this – it outs you!

• Say yes to things. Obviously not if it’s unsafe – so don’t agree with you wildest friend to step into a lion’s cage while wearing platform wedges and drinking tequila…..but in the writing sense, say yes. Offer to help at an event, or read at one, or mentor someone, or go on a writing course, or co-write something with someone. Be honest if you’ve not much experience, but go for it and you’ll learn all sorts of things in the process and meet new people and something positive will usually come from it.
• This is how I began writing, applying for a short writing course – even though the last thing I’d written down was 20 yrs earlier. I discovered I was the only newcomer on a course squished full of extraordinarily talented & experienced people, mostly published and who all seemed to know each other already and were all very knowledgeable about things I’d never heard of. Yikes. But it was fine, they were a lovely bunch, some of whom are now friends. And I was a novelty, so perhaps that was refreshing for them too. Never feel you have to pretend to be anything you’re not – just be yourself – in life and in writing.

 

• P.S sometimes you’ll say yes to so many things that there are barely enough hours in the day…… I’ve had one of those months lately and my computer breaking and deciding not to work again, just out of guarantee…..grrrrrrrr….hasn’t helped, so this is being scribbled extraordinarily hastily while doing a radio show….and preparing for the Poets Laureate Takeover day in the LOB (Library of Birmingham)  tomorrow – Sat 25^th October.*

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Thanks for your input Charlie, especially in light of your busy schedule and technical failing of all technology! Great advice!

 

* I advertised this on social media and didn’t get a chance with Inkspill and 94th Birthday celebrations to get to the library or advertise it on the blog! Missed a treat I’m sure. It was part of the Voices season.

Birmingham Poets Laureate Take Over

A morning of pop up poetry readings, performances and workshops led by former Poets Laureate

Saturday 25 October 2014, 10.30am – 1pm throughout the Library of Birmingham

 

Drop into the Library of Birmingham for poetry performances, poetry surgeries, workshops and plenty of interactions from some of the city’s former Poets Laureate and Young Laureates. Join the band of wandering poets to celebrate and showcase the best of Birmingham over the years.

A morning of pop up poetry readings, performances and workshops led by former Poets Laureate including Jan Watts, Charlie Jordan, Roy McFarlane, Giovanni Esposito (aka Spoz), Adrian Johnson, Simon Pitt, Chris Morgan, and Julie Boden.

Former Young Poets Laureate Matt Windle, Damani Dennisur and Lauren Williams will also be on hand to inspire youngsters to take up poetry.

Pictured Charlie Jordan and Jan Watts

More from Charlie Jordan soon – look out for Part 2

 

INKSPILL Guest Writer Heather Wastie – Poetry – Spaghetti hoops

Spaghetti hoops

 

Seven tins of spaghetti hoops

left behind to taunt me;

a stubborn reminder

of happiness shared.

 

 

Innocent on soggy toast,

scooped on a fork,

wriggling in the corner

of a child’s crumb-encrusted mouth.

 

 

I struggle with her

half-remembered recipe for marriage,

without the crucial ingredient.

And yet,

 

 

sharing in desertion,

they are a comfort –

permanent,

steady as rocks.

 

 

Shopping for one,

the urge is irresistible –

better get another can,

for the weekend.

 

 

On Saturday

the kitchen cupboard smiles

with the laughter of children,

borrowed like cruets

 

 

from another man’s table.

Open the lid.

Another tin of spaghetti hoops

finds a way into their hearts.

 

 

© Heather Wastie

June 1994 / October 2010

 

INKSPILL Guest Writer Heather Wastie – Editing a Poem

I am delighted that Heather Wastie agreed to be a Guest Writer for Inkspill 2014 and even happier to hear she enjoyed preparing these articles for us. After reading Heather’s biography HERE you will know that she is more than a poet, I met her in her poetry skin and I am grateful that she has picked up on the editing theme for poets. Poetry is difficult to edit and poets can not always follow traditional editing techniques – so here is Heather Wastie sharing her experience with you all.

HEATHER WASTIE – Guest Writer Inkspill 2014

Editing a poem

Written for Inkspill Writing Retreat

 

When I have an idea for a poem, I start by jotting down what’s in my head, usually on my phone or in a notebook. I then transfer the initial idea to the computer, edit it and print it out. Next I write amendments on the printed sheet and type up, continuing this process until I’m happy. Usually the drafts get discarded, but there’s one recent poem I drafted twice in a notebook because I was on a boating holiday at the time and didn’t have access to a computer. So I’ve typed it all up and shared it below so you can see my thought process.

 

Usually when I start a poem, I don’t know what form it will take. A form will emerge though, and I take great care to make sure it looks good on the page. I know a poem is finished when it looks pleasing to the eye and feels right when I read it aloud eg I don’t trip over words, and the line breaks and stanzas make sense. If at all possible, it’s best to write a poem and put it away for a while to be read again as if you have never seen it before. It’s amazing what you can spot that wasn’t obvious before.

 

I had a one-to-one session with Sara-Jane Arbury a few years ago, looking at poems I’d written but wasn’t quite happy with. I’ve included 2 poems with this article. The first was helped along by Sara-Jane. It didn’t need much tweaking, but her suggestions made all the difference. One change was in the number of stanzas. Spaghetti Hoops refers to 7 tins in a cupboard; the poem now has 7 stanzas, something readers and audience may never even notice, but it strengthened the piece. Sharing new poems with friends and fellow writers is always helpful.

 

The poem I’ve used to show my writing process is Histrionic Water, one of three chosen by Jo Bell for inclusion in The Kingfisher Corridor: Poetry on the Canals at the Library of Birmingham in October 2013. It was this event which triggered a process resulting in the commission of Idle Women & Judies by the Canal & River Trust. See these blog posts for more information http://weavingyarns1.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/idle-women-and-judies/  http://weavingyarns1.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/a-far-from-idle-woman/

 

I hope this has been useful! You may also be interested in reading my blog about how I came to be Writer in Residence at the Museum of Carpet in Kidderminster http://weavingyarns1.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/the-story-so-far/  Happy writing!

 

Heather Wastie

26^th October 2014

 

 

Histrionic Water

 

Initial idea

When I was a child, my family was involved in campaigning to restore the canal system and we spent many a weekend and holiday struggling our narrow boat along the neglected waterways. During a poetry workshop with Jo Bell in 2013, I visited the top of a flight of locks in the centre of Wolverhampton and was taken aback by the fact that the water was crystal clear. Jo explained that there was a ‘stoppage’ caused by vandalism on the flight which meant that no boats had passed through for a while. I decided I wanted to write a poem about this anomaly so I jotted down a few thoughts.

 

We rescued

water from oil

bridge holes from mattresses

locks from shopping trolleys

propellers from wire

hulls from oil drums

walls from graffiti

tunnels from neglect

 

we rocked

we winched

we flushed

we towed

 

As well as a windlass

our tools a turfer,

magnet and wire cutters

 

 

First draft

 

 

We saved it

 

In Wolverhampton

fish take me by surprise

Looking down from Broad Street Bridge

then from the towpath edge

I need an explanation

for such unexpected clarity

a snap shot of

reeds, fish and sulky sediment

A vandal induced stoppage

 

We saved this water

from oil slick, effluent, blackened

polystyrene icebergs, mattress tangled

shopping trolleys, half inched bikes,

rusty poles which poked like Excalibur,

contents of living rooms tipped,

settees which could have been

sat on by drunks chucking beer bottles,

cans and dead animals,

polythene bags, oh the polythene bags.

 

This water

has no right to sparkle

We saved it to be stirred.

 

 

 

 

Version 2 has a different title, is taking shape on the page, and personifies the water, a different way of recalling the past.

 

Listen to the water

 

In Wolverhampton

fish take me by surprise

 

Looking down from Broad Street Bridge

then from the towpath edge

 

I need an explanation

for such unexpected clarity

 

A long exposure of minnows,

lush reeds and sulky sediment

 

“It’s ironic,” says the cut water, “I have been cleansed

by a vandal induced stoppage.”

 

You saved me

from oil slick, effluent, blackened

polystyrene icebergs, mattress tangled

shopping trolleys, half inched bikes,

malicious metal spikes,

contents of living rooms tipped,

 

I was soap sud soup with beer bottle croutons

peppered with cans and the odd chunks of meat.

You saved me from polythene,

suffocation and extinction.

 

I fear the onset of duck weed.

I have no right to sparkle.

You saved me to be stirred.

 

 

 

Other titles I considered:

 

Water with a history

Save water

 

Heather has been kind enough to let us see her finished poems. Follow the links; Histrionic water & Spaghetti hoops

https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2014/10/26/inkspill-guest-writer-heather-wastie-histrionic-water/

https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2014/10/26/inkspill-guest-writer-heather-wastie-poetry-spaghetti-hoops/