Omss Poems: Oct 1, 2010

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Poetry Can Newsletter

October 2010

Welcome to the October Poetry Can Newsletter.

The 15th Bristol Poetry Festival left plenty of happy poets and poetry lovers in its merry wake. How quickly and how thrillingly it passed in all directions as of a hot afternoon in the life of a grasshopper, as Robert Frost would probably have said.

Thanks to the local poetry promoters, thanks to the dedicated volunteers, thanks to everyone up at Halo, thanks to the crowd at the Lansdown, thanks to the faithful at Can Openers in Central Library, thanks to the Arnolfini too.

Thanks to Arts Council England and Bristol City Council for your wise and shrewd funding decisions, may you continue to be as wise and as shrewd in the future.

Thanks to the poetry audiences of Bristol, warmest of audiences, respected and enjoyed by the poets as much as the poets are respected and enjoyed by you.

Thanks to the poets for the pains you take and the joy you give.

Let's do it all again next wild Springtime...

Special Note: Poetry Can recommends Verbalized, a UK touring show featuring South African poets Mpho Ya Badimo, Naima McLean, Bulelwa Basse and Masana Mulaudzi alongside local poets Miles Chambers and Edson Burton on Thurs 14th Oct at Bristol Old vic. See events listing below for details.

In This Issue

Poem of the Month

Notices

Events - Bristol and Bath September 2009

Featured Article

Poem of the Month

Gunga Jumna

you know that day when it comes
all your family are gathered at the flight path
to welcome you home
you are asked to touch the feet of your
hunch-back great-grandmother which you do
but then she lifts you up on a cackle
and puts around your head a haar

in a clay back-room your gaze
is drawn to gods on juggernauts
battling about the egg of the earth
on a hand-woven drape
which you sense is over a telly

when the khaki and ochre unformed
gourds are skonked on the hearth
singing women blade large lumps
for the evening stew

as you know by now the electricity goes
and every villager is around a fire
with ancestral tales
of tales from around the ancestral fire
whilst gaurs and frogs are woken
by the far-off yawp of a calf
being born or swallowed by a snake

Notices

Bristol Poetry School Courses
Places are still available on the following courses:
David Briggs: Poetry Writing (fortnightly over 3 terms)
Start date: 14th Oct   Price: £66/£52/£44
Bring your work to a dedicated surgery for line by line diagnosis to receive detailed, in-depth feedback.
Book online at: www.poetryschool.com or call 0207 582 1679
Malika Booker: Total Local: writing about your town
Date: Sat 23rd Oct   10.30am-4.30pm    Price: £53/£41/£35
Explore different ways that source material (documents, photos and archives) can be used to start poems about your home town.
Book online at: www.poetryschool.com or call 0207 582 1679

Short Courses in Creative Writing for Theraputic Purposes
University of Bristol are hosting some short courses in Using Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes this Autumn.
10 week course on Monday afternoons, commencing 4 October 2010
Tutors:Claire Williamson, Fiona Hamilton, Rose Flint, Graham Hartill.
Dayschool with Claire Williamson on Saturday 9 October 'Creative Process'
Dayschool with Graham Hartill on Saturday 6 November 'Writing with Oneself and Others.'
For more details of these courses click on this link: www.poetrycan.co.uk/news_details.asp?id=401

Poetry Book Society launches new websites
The poetry Book Society has launched two new websites:
www.poetrybookshoponline.com will offer around 90,000 poetry titles in print around the UK and Ireland as well as archive recordings, SoundBlast performance poetry CDs and poetry pamphlets.
www.poetrybooks.co.ukwill be updates frequently with new material about poetry including news, prizes and listings of events.

A Different Direction: Bristol
Bursaries and training for independent artists, curators and managers.
Asian Arts Agency are offering 8 training places working in the cultural field.
This course offers new skills that will help your career as an artist as well as networking opportunities and ideas for how to move forward.
For a full application pack visit: www.asianartsagency.co.uk

New art/literary magazine seeking submissions
Theme: 'The Love of Looking'    Deadline 31st Oct
Poetry Submissions should be 30 lines
Flash fiction: 200 words
Short stories: 1500 words.
Ffi: bristolstories@gmail.com

Troubadour International Poetry Prize 2010
Prizes: 1st £1000; 2nd £500; 3rd £250 plus 20 prizes of £20 each
Deadline: Fri 15th Oct 2010
Judges: Gwyneth Lewis and Maurice Riordan.
For full information visit:
www.poetrycan.co.uk/news

Poetry Society National Poetry Competition 2010
Deadline: 31st Oct 2010
Judges: George Szirtes, Deryn Rees-Jones, Sinead Morrissey
Prizes: Overall winner £5,000; second £2000; third £1000 plus seven commendations.
Enter online or download an entry form at www.poetrysociety.org.uk

Ravenglass Poetry Award
Deadline: December 1st
Judge: John Burnside
Prizes: 1st 30-50 page publication of collection; 2nd publication in anthology.
Fee: £10 through PayPal
Length: portfolio of work 3-5 poems; 150 lines.
Over 18s.
Entries online by email attachment to info@ravenglasspoetrypress.co.uk.
Full details: www.ravenglasspoetrypress.co.uk

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.

What a Performance! - St James Wine Vaults, Bath
Date: Fri 1st Oct Time: 8.00pm Price: free
Open floor for poetry, prose and music
Also featuring Drift Snowbarger, The Usual Suspects and possibly Master Duncan.
Ffi: richardg.selby@virgin.net

Acoustic Night -Halo Cafe Bar, 141 Gloucester Rd, Bristol
Date: Mon 4th Oct Time: 8.15pm Price: Free (donations)
Bristol's longest running open mic poetry and music night.
Sign up from 7.45 for a slot.
Ffi: anditrans@hotmail.com
Facebook: Fans of acousticnightbristol

Poetry Unlimited - Cafe Kino, 3 Ninetree Hill, Bristol
Date: Tues 5th Oct     Time: 11.30am     Price: Free
Bring a couple of poems to share, another poets or your own
This month's theme - Ted Hughes (as a loose theme)
Ffi: 0117 986 2257

Word of Mouth- The Thunderbolt, Bath Rd, Bristol
Date: Weds 6th Oct     Time: 8.00pm       Price: Free
Monthly poetry, wortds and music event, this month featuring
Tom Phillips plus Amy Martin and Gerard Langley.
Hosted by Bertel Martin
Ffi: www.thunderbolt.net

Writing Out Loud - Paintworks, Bath Rd, Bristol
Date: Weds 6th Oct        Time: 6.30pm       Price: Free
A celebration of the writing of Studio Upstairs artists
featuring Hazel Hammond, Martin Williams and Carmen Alphonso.
Ffi: info@studioupstairs.co.uk

Bristol Can Openers - Bristol Central Library Cafe, College Green, Bristol
Date: Thurs 7th Oct       Time: 12.00 midday Price: Free
Open floor - bring your own work to share. Suggested theme: Home
Secial guest reader: Hazel Hammond
Hosted by Claire Williamson.
Ffi: info@poetrycan.co.uk

Come Write With Me!
Bristol Central Library, Bristol.
Date: Thurs 7th Oct        Time: 10am to 6pm       Price: Free
Alan Summers invites library visitors to create a multi-voiced renga poem
Ffi: http://area17.blogspot.com

Poetry at the Left Bank - Left Bank, 128 Cheltenham Rd, Bristol
Date: Sun 10th Oct        Time: 6.00pm       Price: Free
Poets are invited to bring copies of their work for sale from 6pm.
Readings/performances start at 8pm
Ffi: Nick on 0117 9444433 or Martine on 07774550723

Poetry at The Lansdown - The Lansdown, 8 Clifton Rd, Bristol
Date: Tues 12th Oct       Time: 8.00pm       Price: £3
Open floor for reading and performance.
Hosted by Charles Thompson 0796 9987102

Poetry and a Pint - St James Wine Vaults, Julian Rd, Bath

Date: Mon 11th Oct Time: 8.00pm Price: £2/£1
With featured guestsEuan Tait (& double bass) and David C Johnson
plus the usual open mike

Ffi: Richard Carder 01225 313531

Uni-verse - BRLSI, 16-18 Queens Square, Bath
Date: Weds 13th Oct Time: 1.00pm Price: £4 /£2 members
Timothy Ades, translator/poet: 'The Excitement of Rhyme and Metre'
Hosted by Nikki Bennett
Ffi: nikkibennett27@hotmail.com

Portcullis Poets - Eugenie House, 1-3 Royal York Cres, Clifton, Bristol
Date: Thurs 14th Oct Time: 7.50 for 8.00pm    Price: free (or donation)
Open reading and discussion.
FfI: 0117 9733119

Verbalized - Bristol Old Vic, King St, Bristol
Date: Thurs 14th Oct      Time: 8.00pm      Price: £10 / £7
A dynamic journey through the streets of Johannesburg, Capetown and Bristol in achingly rich, inventive, mesmerising and original spoken word.
Featuring: Mpho Ya Badimo, Naima McLean, Bulelwa Basse and Masana Mulaudzi from South African and Miles Chanbers and Edson Burton from Bristol. Hosted by Byron Vincent.
Ffi and booking: www.bristololdvic.org.uk/1323.html

West Bristol Arts Trail Poetry - Bristol Central Library Cafe
Date: Sat 16th Oct        Time: midday - 3pm      Price: Free
Featuring readings from 20 local poets.

Acoustic Night - Halo Cafe Bar, 141 Gloucester Rd, Bristol
Date: Mon 18th Oct Time: 8.15pm Price: Free (donations)
Bristol's longest running open mic poetry and music night.
Sign up from 7.45 for a slot.
Ffi: anditrans@hotmail.com
Facebook: Fans of acousticnightbristol

ASP Poetry Circle - Broadlands School, Keynsham
Date: Thurs 21st Oct       Time: 7.30pm     Price: Free
Bring a couple of poems to share, another poet's or your own.
Loose theme: Feast
Ffi: mandd@gentlyblown.co.uk

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.

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