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.