INKSPILL – Poetry Film Night

POETRY FILM NIGHT presents Shane Koyczan

Starting off the Poetry Film Night is this video from Shane Koyczan.

I was lucky enough to see him perform at Hit The Ode in 2014, he is an amazing man. This poetry film is part of To This Day Project, confronting bullying.

“My experiences with violence in schools still echo throughout my life but standing to face the problem has helped me in immeasurable ways.

Schools and families are in desperate need of proper tools to confront this problem. This piece is a starting point.” – Shane

RELATED LINKS

http://www.tothisdayproject.com

Review of April – A Little Late

 

 I can hardly believe that it’s May already! I have fallen behind with posting because I have been busy doing. I thought March was a great month – until April KICKED IT! That’s the greatest reward about doing what you want to do. Every month brings achievement. I still have to pinch myself sometimes – but then why should I be surprised? I am working hard towards a goal. Along that road there are setbacks and fortunate moments. That is all I am experiencing, it’s not so special. It is however, something I am very grateful for, especially after my writer self has been stuck in the dark for so long.

The greatest thing is that writing is like riding a bike, you don’t forget how to do it. People tell me I am lucky and I don’t doubt their opinion (despite knowing what I know about my luck – which is the polar opposite of luck, something akin to calamity)! What people forget (just like those gold medal winners at the Olympics*) is that there was a lot of groundwork first and I have to admit, some natural, bigger than I am influence at work here.

I haven’t just come to writing. I have come back to writing after more than a 10 year break. I am a published poet and had my first success as a 15 year old. Nowadays that would make me a young writer, but this term wasn’t used back in the day, nor were there the opportunities of 16-25 groups and collectives, or even an essence of taking writers seriously unless they were adults. The world was different back then.

Later on, after graduating, I went ‘back to school’ to train on a creative writing course that was tutored by professionals in each field. It was modular and covered pretty much every genre. There were many times when the said professional told me that I should pursue that area of writing as that is where my talent lay, there is no greater feeling.

Of course, that’s nothing special lots of people can write across genres and actually if you want to make money from writing it is important that you can. Some people might need to learn their trade and improve over time, whatever you set your mind to – you should be able to realise with time and effort. Every success person says so.

There is also that school of thought – that when you key into your natural, born to do expectation that you can become successful. I know I will never play football professionally, I doubt I will swim the channel – but I have full and complete belief there will come a day when there is a book on the shelf in a bookshop with name on. So you pursue what you love and if you happen to be naturally talented, then go you!

It is a skill people can learn – but your unique voice is what will sell your work – and editors can tell when that’s not a solid, three-dimensional form.

Yes, I have experienced success already. Yes, I am grateful, yes I am a surprised & excited by what is happening. There are plenty of people who have done more than me and still not achieved – similarly there are people who haven’t done nearly as much and have received more kudos in a shorter amount of time.

The biggest LESSON is this –

Get a mirror, look at yourself… that’s your competition. It is easy to fall into comparing your success with others, but don’t. Look at where you are and where you were, that’s your success!

 

* Olympics – back in 2013 I started writing again and gave myself a 16 year span, equivalent to 4 x Olympics, in September (9 months in) I rediscovered poetry and have settled on this being at the core of my writing plan. Although I can write in other genres, I feel no novel in me, I do feel many poetry collections, it is the form that happens the most naturally. It is amazing looking back to September and seeing how far things have come on in just 7 months! I only imagine how great 1 year, 2 years will be.

This year the opportunity for Poet Laureate has come up and I decided against standing for it – despite everyone else thinking that I would go for it! Maybe next year or the year after. There are so many possibilities out there to grow and expand, it will happen.

 

APRIL

So onto April. Let’s see how it went.

Followers:

714 Followers now enjoy splashing around in the fountain, that’s 34 new followers this month – thanks to you all, especially a big thanks to those of you who like and comment – it is good to know I am not alone.

Projects:

I attempted to complete Camp Nanowrimo and NaPoWriMo, however, it was a really busy month and I will raise my hand up and admit (unlike last year) I didn’t make it! I managed to write lots of poems, some days writing more than one. I have kept the prompts and will continue to complete this mission over the next 8 months.

I had hoped that joining Camp NaNo would help me get the short stories written that I needed to complete. Unfortunately I didn’t even get started and it was a shame because this year – FINALLY I had a full cabin and they were active and supportive, I just bit off more than I could chew. At the moment, this year I am working on so much that I am unsure that these excellent writing opportunities are good for me. I will look carefully at my schedule before I decide on the summer camp.

I am still participating in 52.

 

PUBLISHED

 Last month I told you that I had 2 poems published in the up and coming Born Free Foundation anthology. The exciting news is that at a gig I did at The Ort, reading poems I had written for 52, several new poems were heard. The next day I submitted them by request and I believe they will appear too in this collection. So that’s 4, the most I have had in any one place at any one time!

 

Wenlock Poetry Trail / Festival

I managed to get to Wenlock Poetry Festival, find my poem AND get a photo or two of me in front of Croft Originals. (More  photos to follow.)

Copyright Paul Francis 2014

Copyright Paul Francis 2014

 

Acton Scott Historical Farm  

Jean Atkin has become the resident poet at Acton Scott Farm, she has created a poetry fence. WONDERFUL! I was lucky enough to get a short poem on there.

 

Copyright Jean Atkin 2014

 

 

Events:

This month has been action packed, I have had many great opportunities!

I missed several events at the beginning of the month due to fatigue. Cheltenham Poetry Festival will happen again next year as will the WLF Hill walk and poetry event (although it was pretty much rained off this year)! Later in the month I missed all World Book Night events & also a writers’ network meeting arranged By Heide Goody/ Pigeon Park Press, a FREE writing workshop at the MAC & a local arts network meeting.

I had rehearsals for my first collaborative performance with Tim Scarborough, a talented drummer/ percussionist and poet.

Mouth & Music –

Dualogue – great set by David Culcutt and Nadia Kingsley (who I missed again in Stratford-Upon-Avon last night) and a great night for all. My set with Tim went down really well – and I am collaborating with him again now on a different set/event as well as taking the original set back on the road to Birmingham later this month.

 

Writing West Midlands –

Worked as an assistant writer and attended a meeting with the other writers which was great fun as well as informative and has led to further opportunities to support the Hayley Frances’ Page Talk project, a creative month resulting in a performance. I think I may end up being used to literally volunteer as a steward on the festival day – 8th June, or maybe there will be more I can offer/ do as a practioneer/writer.

The Hive –

WLF & Ledbury Poetry Festival had there first joint venture, organised by Ruth Stacey to bring poets and poetry to people in Worcester. This event was great and I really enjoyed seeing Angela France again and talking to Martin Malone.

Female Force –

Was Photogiraffe’s 3rd exhibition launch, it took place at the Urban Coffee House, I was only able to make the first half as I had to go to work as an assistant writer. It was a great event and I am looking forward to her 4th and final exhibition this week (Monday night)!

Female Force

Poetry For Lunch  x 3

I took advantage of the Easter Holidays – I usually have work at the time this event takes place at the Library of Birmingham. I read for a couple of weeks and then this week our Stanza group took over.

The first week of these 3 sessions we had the honour of Frank Skinner in the audience – he actually stood there, watched and was entertained for some time before (I presume) hot footing it down to the Hippodrome!

Thanks to everyone for letting us have the whole session.

Jan Watts has organised an extra morning event this Tuesday – but I have to go back to work and earn some money!

PFL (the one with celebrity audience)

PFL

Hit the Ode

I have managed to get to these gigs for the past few months, this one was very special – due to the headline acts; SHANE KOYCZAN – Winner of the US Slam Poetry Championship, JASMINE COORAY & JODI ANN BICKLEY.

You can always tell QUALITY line ups when you look around the room and spot HEADLINE ACTS just paying to watch!
I had asked for a spot and was put on the reserve list. I had already performed at Poetry For Lunch and then a minute before they started Bodhan came and told me there had been a no show and so I had one of the 6 spots, much to the envy of many poets in the room, everyone wanted to perform on the same stage as Shane. I felt awful because I hadn’t prepared a set or practised, as I didn’t think anyone would give up these gold-dust spots. Fortunately I had a handbag full of poetry and I took the page to the stage this time!

I needed to do this as my 1st experience, in February was the worst, WORST set I had EVER performed and it knocked my confidence a lot. I attempted to perform from memory before I was ready – I have since performed from memory at Word Up and do now know (for tonight’s SLAM) 3 of my poems off by heart.

It was a great night and my poems went down well. It’s great when headliners talk to me about my poetry – so thank you Jodi.

HIT THE ODE

The Ort

This was one of the best gigs for Spoken Word at The Ort – for attendance (standing room only) and acts, lots of musicians/ bands. It was a high energy gig and it was here that I performed some of my 52 poems that will be published alongside the animal poems in the Born Free anthology.

The Ort

Word Up

Word Up was great as always, I missed last month due to an events clash. It was great to see everyone again and Kate Walton (Story Tramp) made it as she had come home for a quick visit before hitting all the festivals, it was lovely to see her again. A night of great, high quality performances and lots of fun! Ian Bowkett was headlining and it was great to see him again! This time he came with his poetry book and I had my first 21st Century experience of the download card experience. I will be getting an e-reader copy.

Next month I am going to have the miss the waffle house afterwards though as I didn’t get in until after midnight.

Word Up

Wenlock poetry festival

This was a great weekend festival, which I managed to get to for the last day, I still haven’t had time to update my blog post about Wenlock, but I will be posting it soon and will pin it.

 

George & Dragon open mic with Mark Niel – Shropshire/ Wenlock Poetry Festival

Throughout the weekend there were Open Mics and a Poetry Slam, I made it in time for the final lunch time open mic organised and hosted by Mark Niel – it was great and wonderful to see Anthony Owen popping in to read a couple of his poems from collection. It was great to see so many people had come for lunch and poetry, tables were even reserved in the small front bar at The George & Dragon.

I was walking back from the Edge Arts Centre later in the day and was stopped by a couple who had seen me perform and wanted to tell me how much they loved my first poem.

 

Saints, Sinners & Fools, Pigeon Park Press

Last week saw the Pigeon Park Press host an event in Kafe 6/8 (which is another one I haven’t had time to post up on the blog yet). They run about 4 events a year, I missed the Winter Stories event at the end of last year due to clashing events. This night clashed with Drummonds 42 but as that is monthly and these are one offs and I had been invited by Heidi Goody, I thought I would go. It was great to share poetry with a new audience and it was also the first time I have seen a play extract performed as part of spoken word/open mic night.

Again, it was great getting feedback on my poems from people who hadn’t heard any before.

Submissions

I have been mainly concentrating on performing this month as you can see, alongside attempting new writing – particularly poetry – as part of NaPoWriMo. However, I realised last month that there are many opportunities that I miss due to being busy and ultimately to achieve my goal I have to start getting published again.

A Minor – I submitted some poems.

Wenlock Poetry Competition – my 1st poetry competition entry. I didn’t get placed.

WPC

Lichfield Poetry Competition – my 2nd poetry competition.

Poetry on the Farm – I wrote 3 Farm poems for Jean Atkin, resident poet at Scott Acton Historical Farm, she has chosen one for the poetry fence. I hope to get to see her and the farm sometime this month. (Work keeps getting in the way!)

I also developed a poetry page on Facebook and have had 100 likes in just 12 days 🙂

Poetry for Tea – Hit The Ode – Thursday 17th April

Hit the Ode

The guest list this week was phenomenal – the event is run by Bodhan Piasecki, who works as the west Midlands Programme Co-ordinator for Apples & Snakes and is a lively. energetic and entertaining host. The formula is 6 open mic spots (usually pre-booked) and then 3 headliners – guest poets, a local, national and international act.

This month;

Hit the Ode is a spoken word poetry night which brings the most exciting poets from the region, the country, and the world to the heart of Birmingham. Each edition features three guest acts: one from the North West, one from elsewhere in the UK, and one international guest. 

We have poems. Poems which crunch when you bite into them; poems you’ve been meaning to call for ages; poems buzzing like wires strung between pylons.

Good poems. Come and get them.

FEATURING:

SHANE KOYCZAN
Winner of the US Slam Poetry Championship and the Canadian Spoken Word Olympics, Koyczan is truly an extraordinary talent that has blown the dust off of the designation “poet”. Engaging and authentic in attitude, Koyczan emerges in a new wave of 21st century poetry that dares to belong to the people and speak directly to them in their own voice.

JASMINE COORAY
Jasmine Ann Cooray is a poet and spoken word artist and workshop facilitator from London, of British and Sri Lankan heritage. She is known for vivid imagery, attention to detail and storytelling through personal experience. Jasmine has just returned from her stint as International Writer in Residence at The National University of Singapore.

JODI ANN BICKLEY
One of Brum’s best loved authors, poet and best-selling author of One Million Lovely Letters Jodi Ann Bickley returns to Hit the Ode for her very first full set. It’s high time: since her victory at the 2009 Roundhouse slam, Jodi has performed all over the UK, including festivals such as Bestival and Glastonbury. She was a speaker at TEDxBrum in 2013.

 

Many people wanted the open mic slots for the honour of performing in front of Shane. I asked back in March but was already too late. I was put on the reserve list. I hadn’t given this a thought all day. I got there in time to mingle and chat to poets I haven’t seen in a while and some that were at PFL as well, then took my seat (which was a bit of luck) I think there were 80 people there it was standing room only!

 

A Surprise Performance!

 Bohdan came up and told me there had been a no-show and that he was giving the slot to me. I accepted eagerly and then went into shock! The event was about to start and I hadn’t prepared anything, fortunately in my hurry to leave for the train I had grabbed some extra poems, sorted my PFL poems out on the train, then resorted them at the library – when I arrived I had forgotten what it was I was going to perform!

I frantically looked through and chose 3 suitable poems.

All the open mics were brilliant and I think I was the only one with words on the stage – it made me feel better when all 3 headline acts (including Shane) used screens, books and prompt notes to read some of their sets from. They like me didn’t just stand there and read – it is a glance down for feeder lines performance.

I still like to take a new set to every show – 20+% of the audience has usually been to other events – there are some poems – much as I love them – that I have heard every month so far this year more or less, although this is the done thing professionally – of course it is – who wants to learn 100 poems! I go to so many events that on occasion I have already seen the main act elsewhere, they usually throw in 1 or 2 different poems but the rest of their 20 minutes is the same show. I like to mix it up and because of this still only know a couple by heart!

Despite having the paper (which if you remember I REALLY needed) last time I was lucky enough to perform at Hit the Ode (back in Feb) I lost my focus and the already rehearsed and perfected poems slipped out of my head and I died on stage, had to jump off, empty my bag (literally tipped it upside down) and then jump back on the mic and perform from the page!

This time I performed well and lots of people spoke to me about my poems. One of which I wrote when I was 17. (It was published – I didn’t tell many people that!)

 

Main Acts

JODI ANN BICKLEY – was brilliant! I hadn’t realised it was her 1st long performance – it was fabulous, funny, heart wrenchingly truthful and we all wanted at least another 20 minutes, she informed us that we wouldn’t want to see her turn, which usually happens around the 4th poem, one to watch out for, she was great!

JASMINE COORAY – Owned the stage, composed and full of life’s experiences she wrote about her life, memories, people and brought them all to life on the stage in front of us. A stunning set and someone I could also have spent the whole night listening to. She was selling some hand-made pamphlets (between publications) and I regret that I didn’t have enough spare cash after the afternoon in Birmingham to buy one.

SHANE KOYCZAN – A M A Z I N G! And lacks ego – the crowd went wild and his 1st words were ‘I didn’t save anyone!’ A true heroes welcome, a true hero, but a humble man. He made me feel like we were right there alongside him, all equal – despite the standing ovation at the end and ENCORE, 2 things I have NEVER witnessed at a poetry night – including Hit the Ode! WOW! EVERYONE! Even the people lucky enough to have chairs! It was a powerful, energetic performance, full of raw emotion, life stories and some jokes about numbers that we will never forget! If there were any men preparing best man speeches in the room then Shane set would be a dream! It is beyond words really! Incredible. Loved it! Go on, go…. You Tube!

 

Post Gig

After the gig I was able to talk to people again and I went to meet Shane who performed an amazingly, open, emotive, energetic set, how he remembers all his words I don’t know. He signed my every-writer-should-have-one-handbag-notebook, which is currently fairly empty as I have just finished the one I used when this poetry mission started, last October. I have a lovely message now to inspire me every time I open the book. 

After an adrenalin packed day I headed home by train and car and resisted the temptation to stay up all night and dance around in happy circles! (Although my performance photos are not something I enjoy looking at or sharing at the moment, I think ZUMBA might be the best post-gig adrenaline plan!)

 

LINKS

Shane Koyczan  (language content)

Jasmine Cooray

Jodi Ann Bickley