Welcome to the August Poetry Can Newsletter. August is traditionally a time when many regular events take a break for the summer, allowing you to relax and gather yourselves for poetry being back with a bang in September when Bristol Poetry Festival 2010 will be taking place between 13th and 19th September (with an aperitif on the 10th and sweet desserts on 22nd and 23rd). This years highlight poets are Kit Wright, Ruth Fainlight, W N Herbert, Paul Farley and Robin Bolam with a whole host of national and local poets also bringing their words, wisdom and exciting new shows to Arnolfini stage and venues around Bristol. Full details of the festival and how to book for events can be found on the Poetry Can website and a brief glimpse of what is in store can be seen on the right of this newsletter. For a FREE festival brochure email festivalbrochure@poetrycan.co.uk or phone 0117 9330900.
But don't rest on your laurels too much, there's still plenty going on, and check out Steve Tasane's Poetry Double Bill on the right too...
| Poem of the Month
| Monopoly
We sat like slum landlords around the board buying each other out with fake banknotes, until we lost more than we could afford, or ever hope to pay back. Now our seats are empty - one by one we left the game to play for real, at first completely lost in this other world, its building sites, its rain; but slowly learned the rules and made our own, stayed out of jail and kept our noses clean. And now there's only me - sole freeholder of every empty office space in town, and from the quayside I can count the cost each low tide brings - the skeletons and rust of boats, cars, hats, boots, iron, a terrier.
Paul Farley From 'The Boy From the Chemist is Here to See You' Picador
| Notices
LiteratureTraining jobs and opportunities Literature Training is a wing of NAWE (National association of Writers in Education) and have a comprehensive listing of jobs and opportunities on their website: http://www.nawe.co.uk and follow the links to the jobs and opportunities database.
Contribute to the Poetry Tree - Global Circle of Peace Ceremony, Bath Nikki Bennett is co-ordinating a 'poetry tree' as part of the Global Circle of Peace Ceremony, Kingston Parade Gardens, Bath on 21st September 2010 18.30 for 18.45 - 20.00 The 'tree' will be hung with poems - each poem (one per poet) to be written on a postcard cut into the shape of a leaf or a dove, with a hole and a ribbon through it with which it can be tied on the tree. You can sumbit poems to Nikki (ready to be hung), if you cannot attend the ceremony yourself, or you can get a free entry ticket from Lizzie Davies: lizzie@theglobalcircleofpeace.com For full details email: nikkibennett27@hotmail.com
'Liverpool Lennon Poet' FREE to Enter Competition. £1000 first prize. Judge: Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy Closing date for entries 10th September 2010 In October/November this year Liverpool is celebrating the life of John Lennon with a number of blockbuster events for what would have been John's 70th year. The Beatles story are organizing a competition to find the Liverpool Lennon Poet in two categories paper poet (via email) and performance poet. 1.Paper poet - entries via email only. Prizes: 1st £ 100 : 2nd £50 : 3rd £25 send email poem to poetry@beatlesstory.com* (attachments not accepted) 2. Performance poet (over 17yrs) Prizes: 1st £1000 : 2nd £250 : 3rd £100. For selection: e-mail one sample poem about John clearly stating 'performance poet' to poetry@beatlesstory.com *(attachments not accepted) Details www.beatlesstory.com.
I Am What I Slam online youth poetry slam SLAMbassadors UK, the Poetry Society's pioneering performance poetry championship is open for entries. Open to 12 -18 year olds who have something to say, spit, rap or beat box on the theme of "Identity". SLAMbassadors UK is the only online slam competition. http://slam.poetrysociety.org.uk for details of how to enter.
| Spoken/Written Bulletin SW website Spoken/Written Bulletin SW covers the entire southwest region and contains a wealth of information about all things live and literary. Sign up now! www.cartwheels-collective.co.uk/Spoken_Written_Bulletin.html Professional Development Surgeries Poetry Can offers free professional development surgeries for poets in the region. These will be available on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. To book a surgery call Colin Brown, Director of Poetry Can, on: (0117) 933 0900
Poetry Can address The Poetry Can 12 Great George Street, Bristol,BS1 5RH Tel: (0117) 933 0900 website: www.poetrycan.co.uk e: info@poetrycan.co.uk
| Events (chronological) | We would like to ask all events organisers to please update us whenever you can at: info@poetrycan.co.uk or visit www.poetrycan.co.uk to submit your event to the website, and your event will be added to this newsletter. Events listing as accurate as possible at time of publishing using information received.
Poetry Unlimited - Cafe Kino, 3 Ninetree Hill, Bristol Date: Tues 3rd Aug Time: 11.30am Price: Free Bring a couple of poems to share, another poets or your own This month's theme - Narrow Escapes Ffi: 0117 986 2257 Adam O'Riordan - Topping and Co Booksellers, The Paragon, Bath Date: Weds 4th Aug Time: 7.45pm for 8pm Price: £6 Adam O'Riordan, a striking new voice in contemporary poetry will be reading from his debut collection In The Flesh. Special Bookshop Price: Tickets £5 with £5 off the book. (To benefit from the specially reduced price, please make your booking in person at the bookshop before the day of the event.) Ffi: http://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/bath-events
Open Write Night - The Folkhouse, 40a Park St, Bristol Date: Fri 6th Aug Time: 7.00pm Price: £4 adv, £6 on door An opportunity for writers to share their work and entertain or be entertained. Writers will have 20 minutes to produce work using suggestions from the audience. A share of the ticket price will go to Pride, Bristol Ffi: openwritenight@hotmail.co.uk
Acoustic Night -Halo Cafe Bar, 141 Gloucester Rd, Bristol Date: Mon 9th Aug Time: 8.00pm Price: Free (donations) Bristol's longest running open mic poetry and music night. Sign up from 7.45 for a slot. Ffi: Andi 07900 432533 http://www.myspace.com/acousticnightbristol
Portcullis Poets- Eugenie House, 1-3 Royal York Cres, Clifton, Bristol Date: Thurs 19th Aug Time: 7.50 for 8.00pm Price: free (or donation) Open reading and discussion. Optional Theme: Aspects of Love FfI: 0117 9733119
Acoustic Night - Halo Cafe Bar, 141 Gloucester Rd, Bristol Date: Mon 23rd Aug Time: 8.00pm Price: Free (donations) Bristol's longest running open mic poetry and music night. Sign up for open mic on the night Sign up from 7.45 for a slot. Ffi: Andi: 07900 432533
Please remember to check the Poetry Can website for further events news. The website is updated on a weekly basis.
| | Poetry Can is a poetry development agency based in Bristol UK.
Poetry Can believes that poetry has a unique power to explore and express the experiences of life: poetry affects everyone. Poetry Can sees its role as enabling and encouraging as many people as possible across communities to get involved in poetry activity, raising awareness and enjoyment of this powerful art form. | | | bristol poetry festival 2010 sept 13 - sept 19
| Full details of Bristol Poetry Festival 2010 here

| Poetry Can is excited to announce the September festival that will feature:
Kit Wright; W N Herbert; Ruth Fainlight; Paul Farley; Robyn Bolam; Andy croft; Paul Summers; David Briggs; Patrick Brandon; Maggie Harris; Ros Martin with Fideles Merembi; Claire Williamson; Lucy English; Sara-Jane Arbury; Glenn Carmichael; Anna Freeman; Nick Moore; Mark Neil; Pete the Temp; Tina Sederholm; Mac McFadden; Sally Jenkinson; Johnny Fluffypunk; Angie Belcher; Liz Greenfield; Robin Cairns; Wendy Miller; Kieran Singh; Andy Fleming; The In-Congruity Project; The Firebird Poets; Festival Exhibition with work from Patrick Brandon, Annie Freud, Heather Phillipson, Mark Warner and Abren Warner; Festival Can Openers; Acoustic Night Instant Anthology; Lansdown Poetry Night; Dead Poets Slam.
For a FREE brochure contact: info@poetrycan.co.uk or call 0117 933 0900
Tickets on sale NOW From: Arnolfini Box Office 0117 917 2300/01 boxoffice@arnolfini.org.uk www.arnolfini.org.uk or in Person at: Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA
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Steve Tasane's Poetry Double Bill
| Poetry Double Bill is a whole new way of publishing performance poetry. These two radically different films are being posted or published virally over Summer 2010 by Apples & Snakes, Lyric Lounge, Poetry Can, Spread The Word, Survivors Poetry and Write Out Loud, to reach tens of thousands of poetry lovers simultaneously. The first poem, Human Touch, originates from Steve's work as Associate Artist for the Live Literature Consortium. Film made by Phil Smith.
The second poem's Grumblebum character originates from a residency with Rosemary Harris for Bexley Playbuilders Scheme - brought to life so vividly by Year 5, St Paul's School, London E1. Film made by Stella Scott.
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