WPD 2022 ~ My World Poetry Day

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com

World Poetry Day – that sacred day when poetry gets mentioned on Radio Channels beyond Radio 2 and Radio 4, the day when a frame is held around words… it was World Frog Day yesterday, but I saved my leaping around for today!

I always mark WPD by making sure I read some poems and either organise or attend an event. Today I am going on a magical tour and then following up the starter with a main, with Apples & Snakes. I will skip dessert… or eat a real one for dinner, as cooking is out of the question this evening!

Photo by u041 on Pexels.com

I hope you have all managed to plan something sweet… if not and you have some time to spare, go and find your favourite spot to relax in, take a book of poems or your phone and read.

Or take advantage of this list of pieces and poems from the world today.

---

Some poetry I collected from the web this evening:

From Outlook.com (please note there is a trigger warning/ suitability poem listed part way through the first poem).

outlookindia.comworld-poetry-day-two-poems-on-ukraine-and-one-on-peace-during-wartime-

---

Caleb Parkin

https://thebristolmayor.com/2022/03/21/world-poetry-day/

---

This article was news from before WPD – but let’s share it now:

Anjum Malik Manchester’s first Multi-cultural City Poets

Anjum Malik performing at University-held mushaira in 2018

© 2022 Manchester Metropolitan University

---

MMU Marks World Poetry Day

Manchester Metropolitan University is well known for strong creative writing courses. Today they marked WPD in a myriad of ways.

Malika Booker has read An Alternative History of Stones for World Poetry Day

© 2022 Manchester Metropolitan University

Hit Play – it will work.

---

World Poetry Day – March 21

Khalil Gibran
“Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary.”

---

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/download-words-burn-resources

---

A review of my magical night of poetry

I love poetry and I love a mystery – put them together and you have the wonder of my first event!

World Poetry Day: Poetry with a View – Mystery Location at Golden Hour!

About this event

I am excited to announce that Monday 21 March 2022 is World Poetry Day. Escape with me to a mystery location to experience a selection of poetry readings with a beautiful view!

© 2022 Eventbrite/ Sarah

I had no idea when I booked weeks ago where we would even be situated in the world… there really were no clues before I joined the livestream…

to my delight – the North West of England, Lancashire. It was hosted on heygo – which was a perfect platform for WPD.

My first experience of heygo was fabulous – you can capture postcards! Sarah was a fabulous guide, we were treated to 6 poems, lots of factual snippets (including some new ones for me), a beautiful sunset, a walk along the Leeds to Liverpool canal and we even saw some ducks! It was fun to guess the poets. There’s also a navigational map in the top corner too.

We heard:

Warning by Jenny Joseph – this poem was voted Britain’s favourite modern poem (2006) and Nation’s favourite (10 years before), this poem inspired a whole society.

Daffodils – By William Wordsworth. One of England’s most famous nature poets – William Wordsworth – Nation’s Poet Laureate from 1843 until his death in 1850.

A Subaltern’s Love Song by Sir John Betjeman. Classic English Poet – one of the all time well known poets… saved St Pancras Station from demolition!

The Quangle Wangle’s Hat by Edward Lear – born into a middle class family – middle child of 21 children – known for literary nonsense…. died aged 29.

If by Rudyard Kipling – one of the most well known writers of his time, won a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. I listed ‘If’ as my favourite poem at the start of the tour!

And we finished with the sun going down to Yes, I’ll Marry You by Pam Ayres!

---

Later I joined Apples + Snakes for the World Poetry Day Mini Break with Lorna Zita.

About this event

For World Poetry Day this year, Apples and Snakes want to bring a little bit of sunshine and fun with Mozambican poet, cultural projects manager and international Slam Champion Lorna Zita.

More about Lorna:

Lorna Zita is black, spoken word poet, cultural projects manager and international Slam Champion. She represented Mozambique on Digipoem ‘’Zimbabwe’’ and BBC Contains Strong Language in the UK.

She was the second-place winner of the Maputo-Katembe literary contest “The bridge that connects lives” organized by the CCMA and the German Embassy.

In 2020 she was considered the most influential voice of Voices of African Women by I, Africa and currently has two Digipoems Published in partnership with Page Poetry Alive and the British Council.

In 2018 she won the literary contest, organized by Revista Literária Inversos in honor of the International Children’s Day at Feira de Santana in Brazil.

© 2022 Eventbrite/ A+S

This workshop had limited places and I lucky to get one!

It was great to meet Lorna and to see some familiar faces in the group. I admire anyone who can produce a workshop in their 2nd language and I am so glad that we were treated to a poem in Portuguese at the end to hear first hand why Lorna is the SLAM champion that she is!

It was a great way to spend World Poetry Day and I now have a little stash of ideas to write from, some prompts, one incredibly concise poem and have had a good refresher on the use of voice in performance.

WPD 2022

Happy World Poetry Day 2022

UNESCO first adopted 21 March as World Poetry Day in 1999.

Find out more about the history of WPD here.

… poetry speaks to our common humanity and our shared values, transforming the simplest of poems into a powerful catalyst for dialogue and peace.

World Poetry Day is the occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media. As poetry continues to bring people together across continents, all are invited to join in. © UNESCO 2021

---

The pandemic saw a surge in people returning to writing or trying it for the first time. These writing communities were of great benefit to thousands of people as Covid changed our world.

I thank all the poets who have become part of my world and helped me through challenging times since 2020.

And of course all the poets who have been part of me doing this, since 2014.

---

Let’s make some poems!

Here’s a little exercise for you to try which is a patchwork of several different ideas I have used in workshops and in my own writing.

Photo by Ruvim on Pexels.com

• Take a walk with your notebook (or phone), make observations of nature, write some down – remember to include sensory details.

• Return home and find a spot you never write in.

• Write longhand and freewrite from your collected lines/ a key word/ phrase or a lingering feeling (the words on your walk weren’t wasted – they got you to here).

• Explore your freewrite – circle some words and phrases.

• If you normally write in form try free verse/ if you normally write in free verse choose a form.

• This is a great site for learning form, for any level of writer and includes 15 different forms and includes some PDF templates.

• Enjoy your new constraints and WRITE!

---

LINKS TO POEMS:

80,000 Gallons to a Lock

Luke Kennard

A convocation of pylons considers how to celebrate country-wide conversion to renewable energy

Helen Overell

a vision

Maggie Wang

Alternate Take

Kayo Chingonyi

Have a wonderful World Poetry Day – write some words and for more inspiration (and a video poem from me) check out the WLFF website: Video Poetry for World Poetry Day ~ Worcestershire LitFest & Fringe

World Poetry Day 2021

World Poetry Day is like Christmas Day for poets, usually lots of events on offer. I am usually involved in organising something special but with the plates I am spinning it crept up on me this year, so I spent Friday night panning for gold.

This is what I came up with:

Apples & Snakes organised 3 international workshops which have been productive and I even have a poem I am fairly happy with to work on.

Jean Atkin has collaborated with artist Katy Alston and they have their Fair Acre Press Book Launch today with John Sewell, Carl Tomlinson and Steve Griffiths.

Later, the wonderful Rose Condo has organised 21 poets from all over the world to perform for a special event to mark World Poetry Day.

The poems I have read today come from my current read, The Mizzy by Paul Farley.

Happy World Poetry Day 2021

Happy World Poetry Day 2021!

Worcestershire LitFest & Fringe

WPD 2021

There are many ways to celebrate World Poetry Day (especially this year, as the world has moved online)! WLF have compiled some family friendly ideas and website resources. Enjoy!

Background

The story behindWorld Poetry Day.

The Poetry Station

https://poetrystation.org.uk/was an Arts Council funded project for the English and Media Centre. The aim was to create a freely accessible web-based video channel and portal for poetry. Bringing together the diverse worlds of poetry from the Classics to Slam.

Poetry Society

A link to a multitude of resources and poetry.

Article – Creative Cities Network

Read how the UNESCO Creative Cities of Literature are joining forces to celebrate WPD.

“Recognizing the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirits of people around the globe, this year’s celebration echoes the objectives of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and fosters synergies between literature and other artistic fields…

View original post 65 more words

March Review 2018

This month I got stuck into two new projects, missed several events due to the snow, submitted poems, sent proof copies/edited Special Edition Contour Magazine in preparation for the next issue launch (April) ATOTC, organised a poetry exhibition at the Jinney Ring & a Hanbury Reading for the Sculpture Trail Poets, facilitated 1 community workshop and 2 school workshops, dressed as Little Miss Splendid for World Book Day, worked on a special celebration of poetry to mark International Women’s Day, finished my Reader in Residence residency at Rugby Library with WMRN, did Poetry on Demand for Mother’s Day, organised my official WPL remit World Poetry Day event, took my WWM Spark Young Writers group through the editing process, attended the final Room 204 17/18 cohort meeting, a Book Launch, celebrated Earth Day and worked pretty much full time as a one week contract turned into 3 weeks!

I now feel and look about 10 years older!

Week 1: The Snow

I missed Images from the Past at The Hive, due to snow and a workshop and oakley’s Book Launch for the same reason.

I was booked for an exciting event as part of the Anchor Gallery in April and asked to do Stablemates – which I would have loved, but the date clashed with my appearance at Cheltenham Poetry Festival.

I facilitated the 1st of 3 workshops booked with The Basement Project, a charity in Bromsgrove. The first community workshop (in WPL role) was Arts & Words where participants created their own canvas. It was a successful morning and gave me a welcome break from the classroom. The snow meant we were thin on the ground, but those involved had a good time.

Read more here.

 

Week 2: Planning, Poetry on Demand & New Projects

All of the final proofs from ATOTC were sent.

I planned my next workshop, this one at a school in Worcester. Gathering the resources and researching the subject matter. I missed Stirchley Speaks with Cynthia Miller as work is exhausting and I am busy online for most of the evening when I get home, mainly with ATOTC – now in proof reading stages with copy flying out to 46 poets.

I was booked as part of an event for this year’s Worcester LitFest alongside the new Poet Laureate (my time finishes on 10th June).

I attended an exciting meeting in Ledbury with Rick Sanders as he unveiled the 2nd PoArtry project. I have been buddied up with Molly Bythell – a talented young artist and cannot wait to make a start on this.

I missed the MeToo Anthology Launch in Birmingham because I was asleep before 6:30 after a particularly bad end to an otherwise good but tiring week of work.

On Saturday I had my WWM writing group and ran a workshop (at their request) on editing and we wrote about mum’s too with Mother’s Day being so close.

From Worcester I hot-footed to Rugby for a job as Poetry on Demand for Mother’s Day. I wrote bespoke poems and made lots of people very happy.

It was an exhausting but fun day!

 

Week 3: Workshops, Interviews & Book Launches

The week started with full days of work (a one week temporary cover  turned into 3 weeks full-time, with a day off for good behaviour/ I mean pre-booked workshops)!

On Thursday I filled an entire day with poetry to make up for all the poetry I had missed from being too exhausted after work!

My School Workshops at Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College in October were postponed. I was delighted to offer new bespoke workshops to fit the work they have been doing on Monsters. It was a fantastic, fun morning and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

You can read a review here

From there I hot-footed across to BBC Hereford & Worcester for my radio interview with Tammy Gooding, where I was able to promote WPD.

The evening saw 3 clashing events. I went to Math Jones’ Book Launch of Sabrina Bridge published by Black Pear Press. This was the 2nd collection I was asked to endorse and it is a magical read. It was wonderful to watch Math breathe fire into his work in a stellar performance. Being an actor helps! It was great fun and an opportunity to see Suz Winspear, Jenny Hope, Polly Stretton and Keleigh Wolf perform too.

I missed Stanza but spent the evening prepping for my next school workshop next week, creating film clips and found poetry texts. I also wrote copy to promote World Poetry Day.

I had the final Room 204 Cohort meeting on Saturday at The Custard Factory, crazy to think nearly 12 months has gone already, the new cohort will be announced mid-April, exciting to think they already know who they are.

This was followed by a new project with Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, encompassing two weekend workshops and a performance at BMAG – and involves using their digital archive. None of us really knew what it would entail but I am always up for an afternoon in a Museum/Art Gallery, notebook in hand.

Wikimedia © 2018

It all sounded intriguing and I had a fun afternoon filling myself up with artefact inspiration.

Birmingham Museums Trust © 2018

Sunday – a day of rest? No, Mr G and I are expecting some much needed work on the house and we spent the day clearing spaces!

 

Week 4 Workshops, World Poetry Day and Earth Hour

How is it the last week of March already? The week started with my Inter-School Gifted & Talented workshop at Bromsgrove School with the theme of Nature. 

Where I had prepared a film element in case our Nature Walk was eradicated by weather – the snow and a mini-beast storm was forecast over the weekend. It certainly rained!

It was an action packed afternoon and great fun. A full review can be found here

I spent the beginning of the week (3 days) preparing for World Poetry Day, this was an evening event and the only official task I had to undertake in my WPL (Worcestershire Poet Laureate) remit.

After months of preparation Wednesday 21st arrived and I spent the day with high alert butterflies and every organiser worst worry – will there be an audience?

It was a fabulous night! People came and enjoyed and all the performers were exceptional. A full review can be read here.

 

On Saturday I had the 2nd workshop for the BMAG Rebel Uncut Digital Archive project. This was my first ever Hackathon and a long day 8-6pm – on site from 10-5. It was fun working with techies and writers and seeing our initial writing inform a digital archive. Having opportunities to play with VR and AR. We all worked in teams and there was a series of presentations at the end of the afternoon, a constant flow of refreshments and lunch thrown in too.

I love opportunities for writing beyond the page and stage, it was a great experience to be part of and the last mark of this year’s Room 204 cohort.

I followed my hour bus journey home with a power nap which meant I missed the first half of Earth Day. I made it to Worcester just after 8 PM which isn’t bad considering I got in after 6PM, had a power nap, prepared my poems including one written especially for this year’s Earth Hour Event and one I wrote on the bus journey in the morning, filled the car with petrol and made it to Worcester (can take up to 45 minutes).

Earth Hour was a brilliant event, as always. Organised by Martin Driscoll and in Support of WWF and Earth Hour. It was held at Cafe Bliss and the food (which was included in the ticket) was exceptional. Traditional Belize. Amazing, I can taste it now over a week later writing this blogpost!

The Final Week 

Was mainly work. I didn’t get the writing done I had scheduled. I missed all of my end of month targets, I could kick myself… but I am choosing to go easy on myself. I have had a full-on month and do not want to submit substandard work for the sake of ticking off a deadline. There will be writing time in the future and until then I am writing bare bones and noting ideas.

I missed the 8th Birthday at 42, as I had been to the ROH Ballet the night before with mum *a Christmas gift from Mr G. We both had a thoroughly enjoyable evening but with a full week of work, I arrived home exhausted on the Wednesday and was asleep by 8:30 pm.

I managed some work on the Art Poetry PoArtry Project for Ledbury, Molly Bythell (my partnered artist) and I have started laying out groundwork for our collaboration after exchanging artworks/poems. Her painting inspired by my poem (published by Silver Birch Press Me In A Hat series)

 has been added to her website and I am currently scaffolding a poem based on her work ‘Flower Gel’.

I also had communication with the Festival team in Perth, Australia. My trip is in planning stages and I am excited to find out more about the festival programme. I know I am able to attend as much as I can manage.

Hopefully will be fully over jet lag during the pre-festival. Last time I went over (2005) my jet lag there was almost non-existent – cancelled out by adrenaline. It was coming home I faltered. I was talking to my friend who did the airport run and just fell asleep on my rucksack mid sentence and on the lounge floor. I do have a 20 hour lay over, so hoping that will help the lag if I play on GMT/UK time.

Then I had the Easter weekend off with Mr G. to catch up with family, enjoy the warmth of our house – new boiler fitted this week after 3 months without heat or running hot water! Glad to be back in the 21st Century with that one.

I have an exhibition to organise that I am a week behind on, due to working.

In April aside from NaPoWriMo (now GloPoWriMo) – I have the Special Edition Contour magazine to edit and compile for the ATOTC Transatlantic Poetry Project, I may have a talking paper interested in some work on that and have future plans for performance and publication. It has been my main project as WPL and has been a steep learning curve tinged with fun!

I am also getting a smaller European project off the ground with new poetry partners between Twin Towns next month. Our Suffragette Collection will also go live. The rest of the month is a packed schedule of  workshops, festivals and performances.

 

So I took a very deep breath over the holiday weekend and have plenty of chocolate eggs in reserve.

Oh, and I am going back to work full-time, a temporary measure to cover summer living (as there are 3 months a year I don’t earn any money) and this year had a record 10 days over a 3 month period, so this just plugs the first term being so bad.

Onward!

 

Happy World Poetry Day

It doesn’t seem like a year has gone since the last one. I usually like to mark special days like this, but this year I have been at work all day and I have had one of those days. You know the sort, sending random S.O.S messages from your mobile in the only 10 minute break you will have all day. Still it is over now and for a little time I can immerse myself in the waters of the fountain and write about poetry.

 As you all know, I love poetry. I have had a wonderful weekend of poetry and have survived a manic week of writing. My schedule was hard going after work every night. It was worth it though. I have more poems out there flying around editors desks than EVER before.

On Friday I celebrated Woman’s History Month with new poetry written about Annie Edson Taylor, the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. This poem started life a few months ago as a poem about adventurous daredevils, I researched heavily but after the poem was finished found out subsequent information which I felt the reader/listener needed and so the poem had a rewrite. This was a great night of poetry which I will blog about soon.

On Saturday I went to the Vanguard Readings – another night of exceptional poetry. I felt recharged from listening to all the poetry that night. Special feelings, like Christmas Eve. Magical.

On Sunday (I am beginning to feel like the Hungry Caterpillar) I received great news, my poem ‘Journey’ was chosen to be published, my manuscript finally reached the end run of editorial work and I have been asked to perform at Spring/ Summer events.

So today, apart from ‘work’ work – I am having a rest and am celebrating WPD from behind my screen with Goggle and Social Media.

I asked my friends in honour of WORLD POETRY DAY to talk to me about their experience of poetry, what it means to them, favourite poems. This post will be updated to include more opinions. Perhaps you would like to add yours in a comment below. It is a great way of discovering poets and sharing some love.

---

I started writing poetry about six years ago and since I met my poetic friends from Worcestershire, I haven’t looked back with any regret as you have all been a great inspiration to me. This is a special day.

Timothy Stavert

---

Two life-changing poems for me: HD’s “Eurydice” and Margaret Atwood’s “Circe/Mud Poems.” The ideas that the myths I grew up with could center around the women in them, and not as victims, blew open my mind. In later life, two I return to again and again are Joy Harjo’s “New Orleans” and “What Music.”

Jennifer McGowan

---

Poetry is breathing, right?

Angi Holden

---

It’s my hidden language, my religion, my imagination, my comfort blanket, my pulse, my lifeblood, it’s my world!

Elaine Christie.

---

Poetry for me is exploration and communication, of and with the self, of and with the world. When I was a teenager I ran a poetry magazine from my bedroom which people could buy via mail order. One of the contributors sent me a copy of Sharon Olds’ ‘The Sign of Saturn’ as a thank you for publishing their work and ‘being supportive’. They, and no-one who bought or read the mag, knew I was a 16 year old schoolgirl! Anyway, the book had a profound effect on me and I’m a fan of Olds to this day. So, something from that book, or from ‘The Gold Cell’, which I bought soon after, would be great. Maybe ‘I Go Back to May 1937’?

Mab Jones

---

I feel like it’s a bit of a secret self for me. Perhaps my true self – or that might be the boring office one – but somewhere I can escape to.

Emma Simon

---

Sometimes it feels as if it’s all of me. It’s my way of becoming visible – of saying, ‘this is me!’ It’s not recognition, it’s validation. I exist through my poems and poetry. Sad but true.

Favourite poem:
‘The suburbs dream of violence. Asleep in their drowsy villas,
sheltered by benevolent shopping malls, they wait patiently
for the nightmares that will wake them into a more passionate world’
J. G. BALLARD

Stella Wulf

---

It’s very absorbing.

Cathy Dreyer

---

 RELATED LINKS: Eurydice Margaret Atwood

 

 

 

Celebrating World Poetry Day

I spent the day performing in Walsall, first at Southcart Books and later at Caldmore Gardens.

 The last time I performed here was Small Business Saturday, this time Scott and Amy had organised a group of Poets to read to mark World Poetry Day.

 It was a great event and I always love browsing in bookshops. I bought 2 poetry books last time I was here, I bought 2 books this time too.

Then I hotfooted over to Caldmore Gardens to read with David Calcutt (Poet in Residence) and Janet Jenkins at the Open Day. Making my Poetry Day complete.