Writing and reading

Up early and getting on with stuff. These include getting a brief for a new video, and working on this and writing other freelance stuff before zooming off to London to attend a Stanza Bonanza this evening. This is when two groups of poets from different areas read with each other at the Poetry Cafe. Tonight it was bards from Brighton versus poets from Kent and Sussex. I read lots of new stuff and generally felt carefree and Robin said it was the best she'd seen me read. All the Brighton folks did well, Robin was top, Susan Evans who is becoming a slick performer, Tony Gill who is innovative and funny, Andie Davidson whose poem about not being invited to her daughter's wedding was heartbreaking, and Marek Urbanowicz who is just a fine poet. Some excellent readers on the Kent side too, and I particularly enjoyed Jess Mookherjee's reading.

A quick zoom to the pub afterwards with Robin, Tony and Robin Taylor who now organises the Brighton group. Trained home with a brace of Robins, till Robin H got off to catch a train to Eastbourne and Robin T and I stayed on to Brighton discussing religions. He is a prominent pagan, which I found interesting, and he has migrated from Christianity, via Buddhism to Paganism.

I clambered into a cab and was home late, crawling into bed beside my lovely wife. I read a couple of miserablist (but hopefully quite amusing) relationship poems, but explained that I was very happy now. When Susan read she referred to this, saying I wasn't loved up like Peter Kenny, but that's because she was choosy. This clearly came out wrong but made everyone laugh.

Photos were taken of the night, but haven't surfaced yet.