Dead Pop Stars

Posted on February 21, 2012 by garylongden

It has come to my attention that the calibre of dead pop stars,

And their deaths,
Is not what it once was.
I just thought that I should mention
That it is my intention to point out that
Whitney was not the greatest
Or rather that her greatest was in fact Dolly Parton’s.
If greatness is measured by a capacity to consume alcohol, crystal meth, cocaine and downers – then she is of course up there
Yet that is overlooked by record company execs, who expect
To increase product prices,
And ignore all the vices ,
Of the deceased
To keep them in alcohol, crystal meth, downers and cocaine
Just the same – ironic isn’t it?
Or was that Alanis Morrissette?

Taking waiting to exhale just a little too seriously,
A life slipped by as it sank beneath the cooling bath waters of a Beverley hills suite
As if being baptised into a holy sect for those for whom a premature death is the ultimate encore

Amy Winehouse lived her surname , rather than the dream, and just two albums into a career,

Dusty Springfield would have turned that out in a year,
She is now feted becuae she has been “lated”
Why? Because of her great output? No
Because she did it, the rock n roll suicide which we loved to watch,
But not participate in, or die of, we stop short
For celebrity death is a spectator sport

Michael Jackson’s doctor is now in jail just for giving his fans what they wanted, fifty shows in London from a body too frail to cope, too riddled with dope
The greatest black dancer ever, apart from Sammy Davis Jnr, the greatest black singer apart from Marvin Gaye, the greatest performer apart from James Brown, the greatest entertainer, apart from Nat King Cole, even in death they cannot live up to the standards we set them in life.

Because rock n roll death is not what it used to be,

When it came, Buddy Holly had to be brought down in a plane,
John Lennon gunned down to stop them,
But hey both won fame, for what they had achieved

Jim Morrision completed a life’s work in a summer,
Three decades it took Joe Strummer

Before checking out
Jimi Hendrix defined an instrument, no doubt,
Before saying “beat that” not “beat it” – forty years on no-one has

We expect too much, and accept too little
From departed lips coated with drying spittle
Not a purple coloured haze, just a purple coloured hearse
An ignominious demise which confirms the worst
Aspects of dead pop stars bad taste
Proof beyond the grave of talent laid waste
And that in your quest for immortality
You’ll need more than your funeral played on MTV.

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At Home with God

Posted on February 21, 2012 by garylongden

Inspired by Richard Frost

“How many times do I have to tell you lot to stop that fighting?
Can’t you sort your own problems without dragging Me into it
And, expecting Me to take sides?
If I have to come down there again, I’ll smite the lot of you!
And It won’t be a messenger, this time, it will be the real thing”

And Mankind answered unto the Father:
“God – It’s so unfair!, He started it!, I didn’t ask to be born!”
Some, with real existential angst, said
“You can’t tell us what to do, You’re not even our real dad!”
And there was much wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
And mighty was the wrath of the Lord
“As long as you live under My roof, You’ll do as you’re told!
When you’ve got your own place you can do as you bloody well like!
And while we’re at it, stop treating this place like a hotel
Making a mess everywhere and ruining things
Organising floods, earthquakes and famine, is a real pain
I’m not a miracle worker, you know.”

And, muttering something under his breath
About how they’d all be better off without him,
God went out into his potting shed
Where he could have some peace.
And the Almighty contemplated unto Himself:
Okay, He wasn’t perfect. He never seemed to be around when they needed Him,
But hey ,He worked a six day week
And He couldn’t be everywhere at once.
Besides, He had other things to think about:
He still hadn’t got round to fixing that hole in the roof
And now He had to figure out what to do with all the polar bears
When the ice caps melted,
Then there was loss of habitat for Panda’s,
Edinburgh zoo was no solution.

“Christmas is always mad, especially at midnight, Easter is 72 hours non-stop, and what other business would offer an eternal forgiveness service on demand? And , for the record, I find transubstantiation a little spooky.”

So he switched his mobile to the messaging service
Whilst Man looked in disbelief, at all the grief, and turmoil in the world;
The anguish of families torn apart by war,
Children suffering through famine and disease, but what for?
When all they wanted to do was please
And such was their despair
They fell onto their knees
And turned to prayer, calling out to God
“Lord, are you there watching over us,
Where are you when disaster strikes?
Do you really care? Are you still there?
And this was God’s message:
Your call is being held in a queue.
Please hold and salvation will be with you as soon as possible.
However, if you require approval for wars, please press one
If you want forgiveness for something I told you not to do in the first place, press two, if you want to make a payment, of a goat or virgin , press three, if you are thinking of leaving the Faith, please wait.”

But Mankind couldn’t wait
“Lord, we’ve held on for long enough;
We look on helplessly ,and see,
Those who have more than they need
Taking from those who cannot even feed themselves.
The regimes of tyrants, oppressing the weak
Cannot be, what you seek,
Whilst the poor fight for the wealthy.
What can be done to free us from this slavery?”

And this was God’s message:
“Your plight is important to us.
Please continue to hold
And your prayers will be answered
As soon as an angel is available.”
Mankind wailed: “Lord hear our pleas”

And this was God’s message:

“Due to overwhelming demand at this time
We are experiencing a high level of calls.
You may wish to try again later,
Or continue to hope.”

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A Life in Live Music in Words

Posted on February 18, 2012 by garylongden

Santana, Journey, Eric Burdon, Black Sabbath, Trapeze, Nutz, Motors, Deaf School, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Boz Scaggs, Bob Dylan, Camel, Lindisfarne, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Doobie Bros, Crawler, The Jam, The Clash,Chelsea, The Slits, The Buzzcocks, Ludus, Magazine, Railway Children, Radio Stars, The Boomtown Rats, Cherry Vanilla, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Ian Dury, Thompson Twins,U2, Echo and the Bunnymen, Graham Parker& The Rumour, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Duran Duran, The Pretenders, Tod Rungren’s Utopia, Led Zeppelin, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Brand x, Genesis, Jefferson Airplane, Roy Harper, Paul Young, Rod Argent, Human League, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, Howard Jones, Roger McGuinn, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Dire Straits, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Roxy Music,Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, Status Quo, Tina Turner, P.J.Harvey , Dodgy, Roy Wood, Jess Roden,Nine Below Zero, Dodgy, Ian Hunter, Deep Purple, Van Morrison, Pointer Sisters, ABC, Steve Miller Band, Little Feat, Diana Ross,Lloyd Cole & The Commotions Cher, The Darkness, Stray Cats, Lemonheads, The Guillemots, Marc Almond, David Essex, Ludus, Bauhaus, Blondie, Pointer Sisters, Paul Rodgers, Crosby& Nash, Crosby, Stills& Nash, Steely Dan, Brian Wilson, Bryan Ferry, Jools Holland, Oasis, Kaiser Chiefs, Manic Street Preachers, The Editors, Ocean Colour Scene, Franz Ferdinand, Johnny Winter, Echo & The Bunnymen,Suede, Madness, Eurythmics, The Hives, Florence & The Machine, Kylie, White Lies, Friendly Fires, Glasvegas, Morgan Heritage, Judas Priest, Neil Young,Nick Lowe The Kinks, Ray Davies, Mark Knopfler, Sting, The Who, Thin Lizzy, The Stranglers, Elton John,Art Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Racing Cars, Meat Loaf, Jefferson Starship, The Cribs, Lisa Stansfield, Primal Scream,Simple Minds, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Morrissey, UB40, Climax Blues Band, Burlesque, Horslips, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Chris Spedding,Hot Chocolate, Television, The Only Ones, Heavy Metal kids, Pirates, the Drones, Squeeze, Wreckless Eric, Van halen,Pirates, Culture Club, Belinda Carlisle, Heaven 17,The Twang, REM, Hazel O’Connor, Simply Red, Cherry Vanilla, Kula Shaker, Devo, Shania Twain,David Essex, Manhattan Transfer, Texas, M People, The Puppini Sisters, Manhattan Transfer,The Editors, Scissor Sisters, Robbie Williams,Franz Ferdinand, Blondie, We Are Scientists,Thompson Twins,Van Morrison, Razorlight, Meat Loaf,Tom Jones, Clover, Yachts, Morrissey, Misty’s Big Adventure, Luigi Ana da Boys, Courteeners, Milburn, Reverend & The Makers, Ting Tings, The Hives,Alison Moyet, Robin Gibb, Marc Almond, The The,Glen Tillbrook

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Kreativ Blogger Award

Posted on February 17, 2012 by garylongden

Mal Dewhirst generously bestowed this honour upon me, inviting me to offer six random facts about my life, with or without photos.I commend his “Pollysworda” blog for anyone interested in poetry,music, film and artistic good taste.

Random is good.Why have I chosen these? I have no idea.

I have responded, and duly invite Ruth Stacey and Jenny Hope to respond similarly:

1.As a child I was a very accomplished fisherman.
Fisherman

2.I saw the Boomtown Rats on their first ever tour during which Bob Geldof declared that he was going to be more famous than anyone in the 400 strong crowd were ever going to be.The rest is history.

3.My first public appearance was singing in a child talent competition on the RMS Queen Mary

4.I have been bowled by Australian Test spinner Terry Jenner

5.I went to school with Colin MacFarlane – our headmaster advised against him taking up acting as “black people can’t act”.He was Commisioner Loeb in the Batman film “Dark Knight”

6.I have dived on, and in, the wreck of the SS Dunraven to a depth of around 27 metres.

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Transience

Posted on February 15, 2012 by garylongden

Let me tiptoe on the spray of swollen surf
Or bake in the momentary imprint of soft sand
As it cradles my inert corpse

May circling gulls swoop to peck my glazed eye balls
Whilst nimble crabs nibble loose flesh
Salted by a whispering breeze

Drawing my exhaled breath beyond
So that it may touch far off shores
Before being absorbed into oblivion

As the incoming tide bites ever closer
Tenderly tickling before full embrace
May it bear my spent frame easily

That limp limbs should not snag
Nor matted hair drag
During my journey on the ebb

May my bones be stripped
Before they are engulfed
In sedimentary permanence.

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The 5th Bilston Love Slam, Imperial Ballroom, Bilston

Posted on February 12, 2012 by garylongden

This is now a well established event drawing competitors from as far away as Gloucester and Manchester. That success is down to the alchemy of Emma Purshouse’s pre show organisational skills , and the onstage charisma of co-hosts Marcus Moore and Sarah Jane Arbury. The latter’s routine is a simple one, Marcus plays the grumpy old git, Sarah Jane the flighty glamour puss, it works a treat. They operate under the Spiel Unlimited banner hosting slams around the country and organising poetry workshops and retreats. The road honed experience that brings was much in evidence tonight.

Fifteen entrants fought it out over three knock-out rounds, with the first round demanding a love theme. Curiously this brought out the serious and soppy side in our poets rather than the satirical and waspish edge which you might have expected. Performer Fergus McGonigal was even moved to kiss his wife afterwards!

Overall this was an event for seasoned performers with two thirds well known to me. Special mention should be made of Jackie Evans, the least experienced of the slammers who performed with courage and conviction. The opening compulsory theme had a curiously destabilising effect on the pecking order one might have assumed. Richard Tyrone Jones is a poet of local and national repute, and his poem from a tower block was very strong, but didn’t take him through to the next round. Equally local star Heather Wastie performed an intelligent , sharp and wistful piece about the importance of kisses on e-mails, but met a similar fate.

Louise Stokes writes accomplished poetry both as herself, and as her alter-ego, the street sharp chav, Kimmy Sue Ann. This time she hedged her bets by performing a Kimmy Sue Ann poem as herself .It was good to see her “work” a character and idea which has so much potential a bit harder, taking her character on a Spanish holiday this time. Her partner’s snoring endeared itself to Jane James in a little gem of a poem, Peter Wyton’s word play around his Swiss army wife was possibly a bit too convoluted for its own good. The poet whom I felt most sorry for was Steve Rooney. Greetings Cards was excellent, but as the final poet before the break, he acknowledged that the only thing between a hungry audience and an aromatic curry was him – he didn’t get through.

At this point it is worth mentioning two curious features of Slams. The first is “points creep”. The judges always start low, and as the evening wears on, and alcoholic intake increases, then ramp up the scoring. The first, arbitrarily chosen trio scored 209/200/200 respectively, the final trio 239/254/218. Were the last trio really almost 20% better than the first? Fortunately the highest score from each trio goes through so that even though the lowest score from the last trio was higher than the highest from the last, that low scorer from the first group still went through.

The second curiosity is that five out of the six semi finalists were men, even though seven out of the fifteen contestants were women. Why is difficult to explain. The audience was roughly 50/50 men and women, the six judges an exact 50/50 split. So this was a case of women voting for men . Of course it is possible that the men were just much better than the women. My own judgement is that was not so, and an experienced female performer suggested to me that, for whatever reason, this outcome was quite common. I don’t have an easy answer to this. On my travels I expect, and find, the best female poets to be more than a match for their male counterparts, yet still there is substance to the claim of female disadvantage. I would welcome your thoughts when you next see me – or by message.

Local circuits can be dominated by familiar faces, so it was a particular pleasure when a Manchester contingent appeared for the night, and did so well. Rod Tames’ material was very strong in both rounds, and I suspect would have been amongst the strongest of the evening on the page. Dave Viney oozed smooth Mancunian swagger as trademarked by Liam Gallagher. I gained the impression that the Noisy Neighbours whom he name-checked in his poem would have got short shrift from him. Dominic Berry went one step further and even wore a Noel Gallagher style parka whilst delivering the performance of the night in the first round with his paean to aubergines, and his sharp love poem Time Travellers in the second, but it was Kieren King who made it through to the final. Fergus McGonigal entertained splendidly with his Hangover lament, but it was Lorna Meehan’s experiences as a lesbian extras arm on a television show which carried her through to the final.

One of the pleasures of reviewing the Midland’s poetry scene for some years now is watching talent grow. Lorna has always been a very good poet, but now she is adding polish and a relaxed confidence to her overall performance which manifested itself in a splendid Rock Chick, which was just trumped by Kieren King’s ,Whatever Happened to the Heroes, for the judge’s vote, both working on a musical theme.

Kieren was a worthy winner, and I later learned that all of the Manchester boys were indebted to the inspiration of fellow Mancunian Ben Mellor, who won the Radio 4 National Slam in Birmingham three years ago, and is appearing in Worcester next week. Kieren’s work was pithy, economical, and incisive in an evening where comic poetry, which so often dominates slams, was scarcely in evidence. He has an invite to join the next variety bill at the Imperial on the 28th April which also features Steve Rooney from last night’s performers.

11/2/12

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East of Sudan

Posted on February 12, 2012 by garylongden

Judging this film forty eight years after release requires some care. In 1964 it pandered to the escapism that cinema goers still relished, echoed days of colonial glory which were rapidly fading and offered a glimpse of the exotic before foreign travel and mass television made it accessible. The core triumvirate of actors, Anthony Quayle, Sylvia Syms and Derek Fowlds are strong supported by child star Jenny Agutter.

Chaos in Sudan is not new to 21st century audiences as Quayle does battle with Dervish hordes from the 19th century. The plot is a formulaic one, Quayle as Private Baker escapes a native assault and helps the upmarket Simms to escape. This provides for chase sequences and encounters with various wild animals including snakes, rhinos and elephants – it’s pretty much like walking though a zoo.

The problem is that not only is the plot formulaic and laborious, but the sets are studio ones, with excessive use of archive and stock footage (some from The Four Feathers)that require considerable suspension of disbelief. As a drama it fails. As entertainment at the time, it probably did the job. Quayle was a massive star at the time with HMS Defiant, The Guns of Navarone, and Lawrence of Arabia under his belt when he made the film, Sylvia Syms was an established love interest and has had a distinguished career which has lasted till this day, most recently as the Queen Mother in The Queen. Fowlds went on to considerable television success in Yes Minister and Heartbeat. Director Nathan Juran had a solid but unspectacular career having some success with sci-fi movies but also trying his hand at Western’s and fantasy with Sinbad. There is nothing in his work on this film which is of note.

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Time & Place

Posted on February 12, 2012 by garylongden

Two locations have inspired me recently. The first is a prison I visited,the second is a community cafe.The following poems reflect those two experiences:

Reverie

If you close your eyes
You are not there
The air can smell sweet
Drawn by puffed lungs
Unencumbered

Dreams can unpick locked doors
And scale the highest fences
You stroll unnoticed along empty beaches
Consumed by a hazy horizon

Smouldering kisses, not rage, unleashed
In desperate embrace

With lids tightly shut
Bare glare is lost
Struggle won

Sunk, hunched and broken
In limp despair
If you close your eyes
You are not there

Reverie- Version

If you close your eyes
The air can smell sweet
Drawn by puffed lungs
Unencumbered

Dreams can unpick locked doors
In unfettered abandon
You stroll unnoticed along empty beaches
Consumed by a hazy horizon

Smouldering kisses, not rage, unleashed
In desperate embrace
With lids tightly shut
Bare glare is lost

Sunk, hunched, in silent prayer
If you close your eyes
You are not there

Cafe Ort

Where ink once mixed in chemical alchemy
Folk and ideas now flow
They come and go
In babbling chatter
Of this and that
Of what does and doesn’t matter

Some talk of Plato
Others of Descartes
Or come just to think
But not of ink, anymore

To pontificate, about who or what they rated
Whilst hunger and thirst are satisfyingly sated
Did the Sexy Weirdos live up to their name last night?
Was Johnny Kowalski a bit of alright?

Or did he pass beyond vanishing point?

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Lunchtime Poetry with Write Down Speak Up, Ort cafe, Moseley Rd, Balsall Heath

Posted on February 11, 2012 by garylongden

The following poem is one I wrote on the day and is featured as the introductory voice-over.

Ort cafe

Where ink once mixed in chemical alchemy
Folk and ideas now flow
They come and go
In babbling chatter
Of this and that
Of what does and doesn’t matter

Some talk of Plato
Others of Descartes
Or come just to think
But not of ink, anymore

To pontificate, about who or what they rated
Whilst hunger and thirst are satisfyingly sated
Did the Sexy Weirdos live up to their name last night?
Was Johnny Kowalski a bit of alright?

Or did he pass beyond vanishing point?

The Ort cafe is part of the Old Print Works occupying a space previously given over to ink mixing. The building includes 30+ business units for skilled professionals creating fine crafted goods, open access workshop and performance spaces, the cafe itself, a massive gallery hall for exhibitions and community events, as well as a Skills Shed for after school training, apprenticeships and practical hands-on learning sessions for young people. Local older volunteers are encouraged to exchange their skills with others. This innovative development is taking place at the old factory of a successful printing company, which stands almost opposite the historic swimming baths. A major focus of The Old Print Works is preserving and celebrating its history whilst demonstrating that old buildings can be rehabilitated through intermediate technologies for low-carbon and sustainable use.

This one off event was a poetry first at a cafe that has only been open since November but which is awash with innovation and activity. Write down Speak Up is Birmingham’s leading poetry collective and arrived to bring a suitably innovative event comprising performances from the three visiting poets, and take audio visual recordings of audience contributions to the Big Brum Poem, a compilation of community offerings from across the city being displayed on Victoria Square’s Big Screen throughout the year. Poet and national and Regional DJ Charlie Jordan tantalised by imagining various market foods as parts of the male body, Kurly McGeachie made everyone Smile as the pro-poets set the mood.

A very good turn-out elicited contributions from established poetic talents like Elizabeth Charis, Lizzy Piphany, Shabz Ahmed and Chris Akers – as well as several exciting new ones including saxophonist Jo from up and coming local band “The Heels.” The pro poets inspired, and the enthusiastic audience followed. A steady stream of latent poetic talent declared itself as the afternoon unfolded including Mums whose rhyming skills had been reawakened by reciting nursery rhymes and lapsed or hidden talent that had simply not had the opportunity to have a go previously. Keep an eye open on the Big Screen for when the Ort Cafe and its audience and their contributions are featured.

The cafe itself is an excellent venue for poetry and co-owners, and philosophy graduates, Richi, Josephine and Noemi are keen for it to be used more widely as such. An incredibly diverse bill of events which takes in maths classes, language coaching, theatre, philosophy, film, sewing and a Swap Shop provides a bohemian arty audience and ambience well suited to things poetic. Add freshly cooked and baked food and a range of reasonably priced drinks and you have a resipe for success.

For future events Ort Cafe has its own website:www.ortcafe.co.uk and is on Facebook under Ort Cafe and The Old Print Works.
Gary Longden 11/2/12

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Midlands Poetry Workshops 2012

Posted on February 10, 2012 by garylongden

Saturday 11th Feb Music of the Spheres, the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum, Warwick, CV34 4NF.1.30-4.00pm, £16.00 Nine Arches Press, These workshops, based in the tranquil surroundings of the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum in Warwick, are designed for all levels of experience and aim to increase your confidence in your poetry writing skills. Each workshop covers a range of topics and themes to inspire and fire your imagination, and also introduces poetic forms, techniques and methods.

The workshops provide support and encouragement with the redrafting process of the poems you create, with advice from two experienced editors, poets and workshop tutors, Jane Commane and Matt Nunn of Nine Arches Press.
http://www.ninearchespress.com/workshops.html

Feb 19th Sun Mark Gonzales, The Hub, Birmingham.
Masterclass – Wage Beauty: Creative language as defense, affirmation and innovation of humanity
Time: 10am – 4pm
Venue: The Hubb, 9a Stoney Lane, Balsall Heath, B12 8DL
Price: £25 |

An Evening with Mark Gonzales (Performance)
Time: 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Venue: The Hubb, 9a Stoney Lane, Balsall Heath, B12 8DL
Price: £10 |
The Birmingham tour is organised in association with Soul City Arts.

Tickets for the masterclasses and performances are limited by venue capacity.
http://muslimwritersawards.org.uk/news-and-events/news/mark-gonzales-poetry-masterclass-and-performance-series

Feb 19th Sun, Learn, Eat, Perform, Poetry Workshop with Ben Mellor, at Worcester Arts Workshop,11.00am till 3.00pm £7 in: More Information About Ben Mellor.

BBC Radio 4 National Slam Champion 2009, Ben is a writer, performer and educator who has performed his work nationally and internationally at venues and events including Contact Theatre, the Edinburgh Fringe, Latitude Festival, the RSC’s New Work Festival and Kathmandu International Theatre Festival.He was Commonword’s poet-in-residence after winning the Dike Omeje Slam Poetry Award. He presented his first solo theatre show, Voices of Dissent, in 2008 and plans to tour the piece nationally by bicycle. Ben is also a founder member of new spoken word collective, Pen-ultimate, whose debut show, A Night On The Tiles, was a sellout success in Manchester and will tour nationally in 2010/11. Ben is an experienced workshop facilitator and has delivered educational programmes to diverse groups including young offenders and adult mental health survivors. His workshop interests include creative writing (poetry, lyrics, scripts and stories), drama and performance skills, basic beat-boxing and theatre of the oppressed.www.moksha-arts.org

ENTRY FEE AND HOW TO PAY, This workshop costs £6.00 in advance of the event or £7.00 on the door of the event. Please visit http://www.worcslitfest.com to pay in advance using paypal. Eat – share lunch with other like-minded poets and budding poets, while sharing hints and tips. Perform – put into practice what you have learnt by reading your poetry to a group for feedback.

Thurs 23rd Carving Out the Poem, Victoria PH, Birmingham City Centre : 4pm-5.30pm When our life experience suggests that celebration always comes laced with a hint of melancholy, and joy is a border that surrounds sorrow; how can we construct poems that acknowledge a complicated and dynamic world? How do we avoid writing that only does one thing, and performances that transform us into caricatures?

Touring American poets Jon Sands and Ken Arkind will hold a one-off workshop at the Victoria before featuring at Hit the Ode on the same night. Here’s what they had to say: “In this workshop, we will explore tangible ways to reveal a 3-dimensional view of our poems. Bring a notebook, pen, and a sense of adventure as we take our art to the edge of the universe, and bring back proof that we’ve been there.”

There is a suggested donation of £5.

Note that clicking “attending” does not guarantee a place. Contact bohdan@applesandsnakes.org​ to reserve yours.

Saturday 25th February Feast of the Senses, the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum, Warwick, CV34 4NF.1.30-4.00pm, £16.00 Nine Arches Press, These workshops, based in the tranquil surroundings of the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum in Warwick, are designed for all levels of experience and aim to increase your confidence in your poetry writing skills. Each workshop covers a range of topics and themes to inspire and fire your imagination, and also introduces poetic forms, techniques and methods.

The workshops provide support and encouragement with the redrafting process of the poems you create, with advice from two experienced editors, poets and workshop tutors, Jane Commane and Matt Nunn of Nine Arches Press.
http://www.ninearchespress.com/workshops.html

Mar 3rd Sat, Environmental Poetry workshop at the Art Gallery, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton. 11am-1pm with Jane Seabourne & Nick Pearson. Meet in the Gathering Space. Tickets £10/£7. For further info ring Jane on 01902 757863
http://www.offaspress.co.uk/events/

Saturday 3rd March Poetry Day School – Exploring Poetic Form the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum, Warwick, CV34 4NF,10.00am – 4.00pm. £35.00 (includes a sandwich lunch) Nine Arches Press, These workshops, based in the tranquil surroundings of the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum in Warwick, are designed for all levels of experience and aim to increase your confidence in your poetry writing skills. Each workshop covers a range of topics and themes to inspire and fire your imagination, and also introduces poetic forms, techniques and methods.

The workshops provide support and encouragement with the redrafting process of the poems you create, with advice from two experienced editors, poets and workshop tutors, Jane Commane and Matt Nunn of Nine Arches Press.
http://www.ninearchespress.com/workshops.html

Mar 6th Tues “How Creatives can engage with the Public Sector.”LCB Depot,31 Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1RE:10am -1pm £10 in, http://www.mainstreampartnership.eventbrite.com

Sunday 11th March, Derbyshire Stanza 12noon-3pm, at The Brunswick Inn (real ale pub, no car park), 1 Railway Terrace, Derby, DE1 2RU. It is a couple of minutes walk from Derby railway station. The meeting will include a writing exercise, poetry reading and a critiquing session of poems-in-progress inspired by the month of March (bring 10 copies of poem). All poets welcome. More information from alisonriley777@btinternet.com.

Mar 17th Sat Half Moon Walking and Writing Workshop, Stratford Upon Avon, with David Calcutt:11am-2pm, £10/£8, Join is on next month’s walking a writing workshop with playwright, novelist and poet David Calcutt in the beautiful and historical setting of Strafford upon Avon.
The walk will take place along the banks of the River Avon where it runs through the town, passing the chain ferry, Holy Trinity Church on the opposite bank, the weirs and to Mill Bridge. Writers will make their way back past the church, through the stunning Avonbank Gardens.
The walk will last one hour, with note-taking on sights and sounds of interest, and a writing exercise along the way. Writers will then gather at a local pub or café for refreshments, lunch, a further writing exercise, and writing.
This workshop is Shakespeare themed, and each writer is asked to bring with them a single line from one of Shakespeare’s plays or poems, that has resonance for the writer, and which will feed into the writer’s own work.Walk: Easy
http://www.artsjobs.org.uk/arts-news/post/half-moon-walking-and-writing-workshop-stratford-upon-avon/

Saturday 17th March Poetry & Emotion, the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum, Warwick, CV34 4NF.1.30-4.00pm, £16.00 Nine Arches Press, These workshops, based in the tranquil surroundings of the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum in Warwick, are designed for all levels of experience and aim to increase your confidence in your poetry writing skills. Each workshop covers a range of topics and themes to inspire and fire your imagination, and also introduces poetic forms, techniques and methods.

The workshops provide support and encouragement with the redrafting process of the poems you create, with advice from two experienced editors, poets and workshop tutors, Jane Commane and Matt Nunn of Nine Arches Press.
http://www.ninearchespress.com/workshops.html

Tues 20th MarPerformance, Poetry & Pizazz workshop,Boars Head,39 Worcester Street, DY101EW Kidderminster, 7pm-9.30pm:Brewers’ Troupe,Performance poetry workshop, with, Emma Purshouse & Heather Wastie,Find your voice, develop your stage presence, give your poetry pizazz!

An opportunity to create pieces of poetry that might work on stage and explore ways of delivering your work to best effect. Friendly advice on performance techniques and informal feedback about the way you deliver your work. Bring a short poem of your own which you think would work well presented on stage (as opposed to simply read aloud), a notebook and pen. We will use the pub as inspiration and offer priority open mic at a special,“Mouth and Music” event at the same venue on Tuesday 10th April

Quotes from people who attended our last workshop:
“Inspirational!” “Blown away by your workshop.” “Brilliant … run with warmth, good sense & good humour” “Very helpful feedback. Much appreciated!”

Cost £8 ,To reserve a place tel: 07950 165265 or email info@brewerstroupe.co.uk ,www.brewerstroupe.co.uk, http://www.boars-head-kidderminst​er.co.uk,Supported by Worcestershire County Council

Sunday 25th March , Creative Writing Workshop with Naomi Alderman Gladstone’s Library,Church Lane,Hawarden,Flintshire,CH5 3DF10.30am – 4.30pmWriting Convincing Dialogue Naomi Alderman will guide you through practical exercises and readings, to refine your ability to write convincing dialogue in fiction and to understand the many layers of meaning that occur during even the most simple conversation.
 Cost £25 includes brunch and afternoon tea
http://www.st-deiniols.com/courses/

Tuesdays 27 March to 15 May, “From Idea to Publication” Lighthouse, Fryer St, Wolverhampton, 6pm-8.30pm
Cost: £100. Book your place by calling 01902 716055
There is a phenomenal demand for creative writing tutoring – many people wish to write, but don’t know where to start. Others want to revisit their writing having lost the creative spark. This course gives students all the grounding they need artistically and creatively, as well as encouraging them to think in terms of publication and long-term success.
More info:
FROM IDEA TO PUBLICATION
This eight-week creative writing course gives you all the tools you need to discover your writing talent, explore what makes a great story and all the information you need to get your story out there with an agent and a publisher. With a host of practical exercises and helpful advice, this course is ideal for anyone just getting interested in writing or experienced scribes looking for a refresher course.
Lesson 1: Building Blocks of Writing
How to develop strong plots and character
Lesson 2: Description
Setting up effective mood and atmosphere
Lesson 3: Forms of writing
How to write good short stories, novellas and novels
Lesson 4: Editing your work
How to improve your work through drafting and rewriting
Lesson 5: Getting it ‘out there’
How to find – and sell your work to – magazines and anthologies
Lesson 6: Agents and the first book
How to research and submit your work to a literary agent
Lesson 7: Dealing with publishers
What to expect from your publishing house, and good publicity practice
Lesson 8: Making a living
Making the most of your writing and other avenues of work
http://light-house.co.uk/featured/2012/01/creative-writing-at-light-house/

Saturday 31st March Poetry & Science the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum, Warwick, CV34 4NF.1.30-4.00pm, £16.00 Nine Arches Press, These workshops, based in the tranquil surroundings of the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum in Warwick, are designed for all levels of experience and aim to increase your confidence in your poetry writing skills. Each workshop covers a range of topics and themes to inspire and fire your imagination, and also introduces poetic forms, techniques and methods.
The workshops provide support and encouragement with the redrafting process of the poems you create, with advice from two experienced editors, poets and workshop tutors, Jane Commane and Matt Nunn of Nine Arches Press.
http://www.ninearchespress.com/workshops.html

Saturday 14th April ,Stories in Verse, the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum, Warwick, CV34 4NF.1.30-4.00pm, £16.00

Nine Arches Press, These workshops, based in the tranquil surroundings of the Wattlewood Room at St John’s Museum in Warwick, are designed for all levels of experience and aim to increase your confidence in your poetry writing skills. Each workshop covers a range of topics and themes to inspire and fire your imagination, and also introduces poetic forms, techniques and methods.

The workshops provide support and encouragement with the redrafting process of the poems you create, with advice from two experienced editors, poets and workshop tutors, Jane Commane and Matt Nunn of Nine Arches Press.
http://www.ninearchespress.com/workshops.html

Sunday 27th May Creative Writing Workshop with Stella Duffy Gladstone’s Library,Church Lane,Hawarden,Flintshire,CH5 3DF 10.30am – 4,30pm,Inspiration for the Application – Stella will teach a writing workshop using improvisation and theatre techniques to inspire, kick-start, open and excite your work. A firm believer in doing rather than talking, in work rather than talking about work, she will offer a day’s worth of tools to get you started, keep you going, and help you get your work out there.
 Cost £25 includes brunch and afternoon tea
http://www.st-deiniols.com/courses/

Mon 4th June-9th Arvon Poetry Course, The Hurst, Shropshire.£655 week.The shape a poem takes can greatly affect its impact and meaning. In this course we’ll focus on the structure as well as the language of your poems, examining poetic form in the broadest sense, including free verse and experimental structures. You’ll be encouraged to play with forms old and new, fixed and organic, rhymed and unrhymed, and to invent novel forms of your own.
Tutors:

Jane Yeh’s book Marabou was shortlisted for the Whitbread Poetry Award, the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, and the Jerwood Aldeburgh First Collection Prize. Her next collection is published in November 2012.

Carol Rumens has published 15 collections of poetry, most recently De Chirico’s Threads. She writes the Poem of the Week column for The Guardian Books Blog and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Guest David Wheatley has published four collections of poetry, most recently A Nest on the Waves.

Surrounded by Housman’s ‘blue remembered hills’, and featuring three 18th century buildings, thirty acres of lush woodland and a spring-fed lake, The Hurst is the perfect place to lose yourself in words.
The centre has 10 single rooms and three shared rooms. There are five computers and three printers. The Hurst has hearing induction loops in all public meeting places. The main work/living space is fully accessible and has a lift, and a mobility scooter is available. The centre can accommodate a personal assistant.

Fri 8th June -Sun 10th Room to Write with Spiel Unlimited Ceridwen, Wales:Fancy time away freeing up your creative juices with like-minded people? Want to pick up a pen, let your imagination wander, cast your words to the winds? Ever thought of treating yourself to a writing weekend?

Ceridwen is all about inspiration. Here you will enjoy fabulous food, cheerful companionship, spectacular scenery, and workshops that entertain, engage and exhilarate – giving you the space to create. Invention. Expression. Freedom.

Whether your interest is in poetry, prose or performance, each course will provide opportunities for you to explore and expand your writing skills. Liven up lines, pep up paragraphs, stanza and deliver. Take part in a variety of exercises, discussions, readings, tutorials, group sessions, games, walks and other adventures to stretch both brain and body!

The courses will be delivered by writers Marcus Moore and Sara-Jane Arbury, who return to Ceridwen for a fourth year, following the success of their previous Room to Write, More Room to Write and Gift of the Gab weekends. Sara-Jane and Marcus work together as Spiel Unlimited. She directs the voices off programme for Cheltenham Literature Festival, has toured nationally as a performer in the Bloodaxe production of Staying Alive, and was recently Herefordshire’s first writer-in-residence. Marcus has written Call My Bluff scripts for the BBC, had poems published by Macmillan, and run countless workshops in schools, libraries and prisons.Courses run from 5pm Friday to 5pm Sunday.

£195 all inclusive (accommodation, meals, refreshments and tuition).To book or find out more, contact Marcus on 01285 640470 or 07814 830031 or email john.marcus.moore@gmail.com.

Sunday 23rd September, Gladstone’s Library,Church Lane,Hawarden,Flintshire,CH5 3DF Creative Writing Workshop with Nadene Ghouri, 10.30am – 4.30pm,The art of writing memoir. From personal memoir to ghost-writing and biography. What makes a good memoir?
 Cost £25 includes brunch and afternoon tea
http://www.st-deiniols.com/courses/

Friday 28thSept – Sun 30th SeptRoom to Write with Spiel Unlimited Ceridwen, Wales:Fancy time away freeing up your creative juices with like-minded people? Want to pick up a pen, let your imagination wander, cast your words to the winds? Ever thought of treating yourself to a writing weekend?

Ceridwen is all about inspiration. Here you will enjoy fabulous food, cheerful companionship, spectacular scenery, and workshops that entertain, engage and exhilarate – giving you the space to create. Invention. Expression. Freedom.

Whether your interest is in poetry, prose or performance, each course will provide opportunities for you to explore and expand your writing skills. Liven up lines, pep up paragraphs, stanza and deliver. Take part in a variety of exercises, discussions, readings, tutorials, group sessions, games, walks and other adventures to stretch both brain and body!

The courses will be delivered by writers Marcus Moore and Sara-Jane Arbury, who return to Ceridwen for a fourth year, following the success of their previous Room to Write, More Room to Write and Gift of the Gab weekends. Sara-Jane and Marcus work together as Spiel Unlimited. She directs the voices off programme for Cheltenham Literature Festival, has toured nationally as a performer in the Bloodaxe production of Staying Alive, and was recently Herefordshire’s first writer-in-residence. Marcus has written Call My Bluff scripts for the BBC, had poems published by Macmillan, and run countless workshops in schools, libraries and prisons.Courses run from 5pm Friday to 5pm Sunday.

£195 all inclusive (accommodation, meals, refreshments and tuition).To book or find out more, contact Marcus on 01285 640470 or 07814 830031 or email john.marcus.moore@gmail.com.

There are rail connections to London, Wales, the North, and South West England from Craven Arms station, eight miles away.
http://www.arvonfoundation.org/1/Home

Thursday 8th November Creative Writing Workshop with Ian Parks Gladstone’s Library,Church Lane,Hawarden,Flintshire,CH5 3DF,10.30am – 4.30pm
From Blank Page to Poem: The Writing Process. Arrive with an empty notebook and go home with a poem. This workshop is aimed at anyone who wants to experience the writing process first-hand. From initiating the first few words to polishing the final poem, this workshop will get beginners started and offer those who write already a different way of approaching poetry.
 Cost £25.00 includes brunch and afternoon tea
http://www.st-deiniols.com/courses/


Thursday 15th November Creative Writing Workshop with Ian Parks, Gladstone’s Library,Church Lane,Hawarden,Flintshire,CH5 3DF6-9.30pm Stories in Verse: Writing Narrative Poetry – What is the difference between a short story and a narrative poem? How do we set about telling a story in verse? This workshop examines the nature of narrative poetry and suggests some practical approaches to writing it.
 Cost £10
http://www.st-deiniols.com/courses/

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