Poetry and a blast from the past
A few chores this morning, and chats with Betty before boofing up to the smoke this afternoon to do a poetry reading in The Poetry Cafe with Robin, Sarah Barnsley, Tammy Yoseloff and Sue Rose. Arrived in good time with Tammy and Sue already there, went downstairs and started organising the microphone and chairs. Not long after I returned upstairs, when Kev Holmes, a friend from Warwick University who I had not seen in the flesh since then, simply turned up larger than life from the mists of time. Not seen him in the flesh for over 30 years, so it was quite a surprise. He'd not changed much in has manner or indeed his face.
The readings were interesting. We also had a reader from the US, Laura Donnelly who I'd invited at the last moment. Sarah read really well, and with some emotion. Robin read brilliantly, and Sue and Tammy, who had struggled out of her sickbed to be there were both excellent. I read first and kicked off with two poems entirely from memory, which went down well. I decided to read an untried longish new poem as the final thing, but wished I'd hadn't.
Into a nearby pub for a fast drink, with all the poets and Kev after he'd been co-opted into taking the team photo of the poets, and helped tidy the chairs away.
Tammy, her artist friend Dave, Sue and her partner, Robin and Sarah. Then the scramble for Victoria, taxied off with Sue, Sue's partner, Robin and Sarah and Sarah and I got the train and chatted all the way to Brighton. Hopped back on a train to Preston Park and home at a little before midnight. Kissed Lorraine good night and came back downstair for a snack as I hadn't eaten anything since lunch.
Below the post reading photo taken by Kev. Robin, myself looking strangely small, Sarah, Tammy and Sue.
The readings were interesting. We also had a reader from the US, Laura Donnelly who I'd invited at the last moment. Sarah read really well, and with some emotion. Robin read brilliantly, and Sue and Tammy, who had struggled out of her sickbed to be there were both excellent. I read first and kicked off with two poems entirely from memory, which went down well. I decided to read an untried longish new poem as the final thing, but wished I'd hadn't.
Into a nearby pub for a fast drink, with all the poets and Kev after he'd been co-opted into taking the team photo of the poets, and helped tidy the chairs away.
Tammy, her artist friend Dave, Sue and her partner, Robin and Sarah. Then the scramble for Victoria, taxied off with Sue, Sue's partner, Robin and Sarah and Sarah and I got the train and chatted all the way to Brighton. Hopped back on a train to Preston Park and home at a little before midnight. Kissed Lorraine good night and came back downstair for a snack as I hadn't eaten anything since lunch.
Below the post reading photo taken by Kev. Robin, myself looking strangely small, Sarah, Tammy and Sue.
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