Tag: Judith Cair

Pamphlets/

Margaret Wilmot pamphlet launch

margaret wilmot

margaret wilmot

What a lovely relaxed evening we had yesterday at the Lewes Arms for the launch of Margaret Wilmot’s Smiths Knoll pamphlet Sweet Coffee. The upstairs room at the Arms is fairly intimate – I’ve seen it packed once or twice on Lewes Poetry nights when there’s been a big name draw, but on the whole it’s well suited to a smallish gathering. Last night was well supported by Margaret’s fellow ‘Green Room Poets’, friends, family and local poets. A spread of food was a very nice touch but unfortunately I had a risotto waiting for me at home!

Margaret is originally from California, and some of the poems in the pamphlet are reflections on her ‘american’ period. I particularly enjoyed  ‘America, life’,  a kind of travelogue poem on leaving California in 1969 and crossing the US hinterland, full of energy and optimism.

There followed a range of poems including some poignant work on theme of old age. Memorable for me were the eponymous ‘Sweet Coffee’ and ‘In my box called the imagination’  – you can read this on Margaret’s Poetry PF page.

We also heard a couple of poems each from Green Room Poets Judith Cair, Celia Dixie, Andie Lewenstein, Mandy Pannett and Penny Shepherd. I really loved Andie’s poem about a mermaid.

I apologise for the quality of the photo – I should really take a proper camera to these dos!

I’m not entirely sure how you can get hold of the pamphlet as Smiths Knoll is now closed, but I would think contacting Margaret directly would be an idea, perhaps via Poetry PF.

Inspiration/

Judith Cair’s ‘The Ship’s Eye’ and other new reading matter

The Ship's Eye

Poetry Review & The Ships Eye

Judith Cair launched her debut pamphlet ‘The Ship’s Eye’ on Thursday evening in Brighton and the event was a sell-out, or rather a sell-over, as about a dozen people had to stand the whole evening. (Great for publisher/event organiser Pighog in a way. But I know from experience that packed events usually mean the next one is less than packed as people think ‘well if I’m not going to get a seat…’ especially as Pighog are now streaming their events live. Nice idea but if people choose to watch on the web then that’s £5 loss per person. Just sayin!!)

Anyway, more importantly, Judith’s pamphlet … she had said she was nervous about reading but you wouldn’t know. Her strong, calm delivery was a joy, and the way she started with all her thank yous, meticulously naming everyone, was testimony to her generous nature and thoughtfulness. Judith is a super-supportive workshop member and writes wonderfully. I’ve not yet read the whole pamphlet through closely but already I have several favourites, such as the moving simplicity of Cineribus Veris Patris Mei Dedicatum – I was slightly put off by the title but my schoolgirl Latin tells me it means something like ‘dedicated to the true ashes of my father’ (apologies if this is wrong!) the pamphlet includes many classical references/themes and indeed 3 poems are Judtith’s translations of passages from Homer’s Odyssey. Definitely a pamphlet I will be going back to.

Also through the door in the last couple of days – the latest edition of Frogmore Papers, and the big fat package from the Poetry Society with Poetry Review, Poetry News and various other bits, including a fascinating little anthology of the Foyle Young Poets – tomorrow’s stars? – you can read the whole thing online here.

Speaking of Poetry Review – I was excited to see how well Brighton poets are represented in this edition – not only John McCullough and Maria Jastrzebska but also Marion Tracy. Maria and Marion are both members of the Mimi Khalvati workshopping group I joined last year here in Lewes, and Marion’s excellent first pamphlet Giant in the Doorway (HappenStance) was published last year.

Lots of lovely reading matter to get stuck into when I’m on holiday next week.

Courses/

Forthcoming events

publishing industry day

Last week I wasn’t able to get along to the first Pighog poetry night in Brighton as it was Nick’s birthday so we ate out at the Jolly Sportsman in East Chiltington (lush). BUT I’m looking forward to the next one on March 28th as Judith Cair, a lovely poet who I know from various workshopping groups, is launching her pamphlet The Ship’s Eye.

Tomorrow is the meeting of the Brighton Stanza, and we’re combining the reading and workshopping groups into one. Although we had booked our workshopping dates, the pub omitted to ‘put them in the book’ and as a result we were bumped. So we thought we’d combine the 2 groups for this month and next. Anyway, we’ll play it by ear and do whatever people want to do on the night.

Then on Wednesday I’m facilitating the ‘First Wednesday’ poetry group here in Lewes at Pleasant Stores, run by Colin Bell who’s away this week. It’s a new group and I’ve only been to one event myself. It’s mostly a reading group, there’s no workshopping. So I shall take plenty of current magazines and collections to share and read a few things from, and hopefully others will too.

Next Saturday 9th March is the New Writing South Publishing Industry Day at Brighton Library which should be brilliant: many good speakers/writers and industry experts, plenty of opportunities to network with writers, publishers, agents etc. I’m presenting a short session on ‘building your online writer presence’ as a taster for my new course running in April/May. Do come along if you can, and say hello.