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Kicking off the New Year at the Poetry Cafe

The Poetry Cafe

Telltale Poets & Friends were at the Poetry Cafe last night and it was a lovely evening. I’d been a bit nervous about holding this event so soon in the New Year but it felt really good and positive – plus we had a super quality audience and no empty seats! (OK so we didn’t put ALL the seats out!)

Peter Kenny & I were joined by special guests Rhona McAdam (over from Canada), Catherine Smith (who read an extract from her pamphlet The New Cockaigne, a wonderful paean to excess and debauchery) and our new discovery Siegfried Baber who gave a very self-assured and entertaining reading. You’ll be hearing more about him.

We all sold a few books/pamphlets, which was great. And with a 7pm start, it meant many of us had some quality time in the pub afterwards, and us Lewes folks were still home by not long after midnight.

My only regret is not taking photos – what is wrong with me?? I always either forget or end up with rubbish pics I can’t use. DUH! Must do better.

I really enjoyed meeting Rhona and Sieg, and also poets in the audience including Tamar Yoseloff, Robert Seatter, Nancy Mattson and Mike Bartholomew-Briggs. Lovely to see Lynne Hjelmgaard there also. What a warm atmosphere. We even had an audience member all the way from Knoxville, Tennessee, who’d come across the event by chance and was on his first visit to London. Needless to say we took him under our wing and he came with us to the Cross Keys afterwards. I like to think he’ll go home with a story about the crazy night in the basement room in Covent Garden listening to poetry, followed by the full London Pub Experience.

Published inBlogEventsPamphletsReadings

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  1. charlottegann charlottegann

    Yay! Glad you had such a good evening, Robin. 🙂

  2. You’ve got the Poetry Cafe to a tee. I was planning to go to the Telltale Press event too but those first few days back at work after the Xmas break wiped me out. And I love your idea of the open mic approach to football matches!

    • Sorry, Robin, I meant to post the above comment on the Proletarian Poetry post about the Poetry Cafe and then read your post about the event. I’m obviously having a challenging January!

      • Ha ha! I knew I’d seen the comment about open mics at footies matches but couldn’t remember where! Thanks for your comment, anyhow!

  3. […] with the Telltale Poets was great fun, and has been well reported by champion blogger and poet Robin Houghton (whose book  for blogging writers is essential reading – practical and well illustrated […]

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Robin Houghton 2021