Tuesday 13 December 2016

Winter

Nine months have passed since I was appointed Otley Town Poet and the time has zipped by as quick as a rat up the garden. Another busy season has been and gone and we are now entering, what should be, a bleak and chilly period, but this has yet to be seen. This will be the penultimate blogpost of my year in the role, and just typing these words has conjured up many emotions for me - it has been such a marvellous job being Otley's Town Poet and don't want it to end!

I first want to thank everyone involved in the 'Responses' event at Otley Folk Festival in mid-September. We packed out the tap room at The Fleece and there is definite scope to set up a similar event next year. What was most striking was the mixture of folk and poetry fans, Otliensians and out-of-towners in the room, all brought together for the love of music and words. The commissioned poems were truly outstanding, as was the guitar playing.



Also there has been a great deal of interest in the 'poetry parcels' I've hidden around the town. There is still time to find them and take part in a communal writing experience (details of the project are featured in the blogpost for autumn, below). This will feature in Otley Matters, the town's newsletter, which has published three instalments of my serialised poem, 'Shaman', which focuses on a fictional character who walks the streets and hedgerows, drunk on the landscape and history of the region.

I especially want to congratulate Jane Kite and Peter White at Otley Word Feast Press/Half Moon Books for the successful launch of their pub poems anthology and also the inspired idea to open a Pop-up Poetry Book Shop at their HQ. The last weekend in November saw a book exchange and poetry readings and a high attendance of passers-by. I think this really represents to the innovative work by Otley's artistic community to engage new and existing audiences.

Last season was a busy period for in terms of poetry readings. Apart from commitments on home turf, I visited Manchester, Sheffield and Scunthorpe to recite verse and spread the word of what's happening in Otley. Here's a picture of me (not sure what I'm describing!) at Off the Shelf Festival and here's the link for my reading at Scunthorpe's Cafe INDIEpendent and interview for Mouth Magazine. This season won't be as busy, but there are plenty of projects and outings in the pipeline.

I'll be reading at Chesterfield's Spire Writes on January 28th at the Labour Club where I'll be sharing a stage with the amazing Helen Mort and Steve Nash. Then I'll be reading in Leeds at Wharf Chambers on February 9th as part of the Enemies Project North by North-West Tour, for which I'll be joining poetry royalty Ian McMillan for readings. In addition to this, there will certainly be more Otley-based projects before my tenure is up. The only project I can confirm is a play for voices that will be broadcast on East Leeds FM and available to download. I will be writing a narrative to link together poems by other writers relating to Otley in the style of Dylan Thomas's 'Under Milk Wood'. And to finish on a festive note, I tried a little experiment on the X84, leaving seven Christmas Crackers containing specific poems and (bad) jokes relating to Otley. One commuter kindly tweeted about it here.

So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and do say hello or get in touch if you have any thoughts on poetry in Otley. Here is a festive poem for you - and a cautionary tale!

Unplug the fairylights before bedtime.

Royalty wearing paper crowns,
amongst snapped crackers and sherry,
battled with burnt turkey thighs,
passing round sharper knives
and pointier forks in a cavalry charge of cutlery.

A kitten pawing baubles
near the balding tree’s stump
shook pine needles from its mane
taking a running jump into a box where
a urinating baby had laid.

Itchy knitwear smothered
a boy sneaking in from the garden
after shooting two robins
and the next-door-neighbour-but-one
with a GAT gun whilst out hunting a partridge.

Farts and reruns filled the air
and batteries from smoke alarms
powered a train chugging along
plastic tracks, beside skirting boards,
derailed by a tartan slipper.

Fairylights circling the roof
spat sparks, flames snaked
down the walls, each room
razed to the carpet in seconds,
doused with a giant glass of egg nog.

The fire engine from last year
gathering dust under bunk beds
was not needed, for the charred remains
of tenants asleep in the dolls house
were carried away by remote control ambulance. 


Tuesday 13 September 2016

Autumn


Despite the record-breaking heat, it certainly feels like the summer is reaching its end and the evenings are punctuated by a welcoming gloom and jittery swallows - or maybe bats! It was certainly a busy spell for me with readings all over the north of England, and it will remain busy throughout the autumn.

Next up is a cross-genre event thanks to Otley Folk Festival. On Saturday September 17th at 6.30pm I will open the Folk Club, joined by fellow poets Hannah Batley, Tony Boltini, Jo Brandon and Joanna Sedgwick for an evening of readings that are inspired by traditional songs, called 'Responses'. We will be accompanied by guitar virtuoso Ben Young (pictured right, attempting to belt me one!) in the taproom of The Fleece, Westgate, LS21 3DT. Not to be missed!

The second project I'd like to announce is an interactive writing/walking/cycling adventure via the Geocache website. I'm inviting everyone to contribute to the final part of my serialised poem, 'Shaman', published in Otley Matters, by finding each cache and completing the challenge inside. It has only been hidden for a day at the time of writing this blog, so you'll need to get your skates on if you want to take part. It's called 'The Shaman's Trail' (GC6RP9F) and the three caches are pictured below, if you're wondering what they look like.
           
At the end of September I will also be delivering a FREE poetry workshop at Leeds Central Library, celebrating European Day of Languages: Sept 26th, 12noon-1pm. October will see me read at both Manchester and Sheffield Literature Festivals alongside other Valley Press poets. National Poetry Day will see the launch of Otley Word Feast Press's pub anthology, 'Half Moon'' which I will host at the Horse and Farrier. And I will be making a trip to Scunthorpe at the end of the month to perform at The Mouth Magazine's showcase night. That'll do for now.



Tuesday 21 June 2016

Summer

Downpour after downpour during the closing weeks of the last season has failed to dampen my enthusiasm for the summer ahead. It seems an age since my last blogpost, simply because so much has happened in terms of my role as Otley Town Poet. All 80 Poetry Puncture Repair Kits were snapped up at Stage 2 of the Tour de Yorkshire where I set up my stall at Otley Courthouse, and the responses were overwhelming; people as far afield as Southend wrote poems, as well as budding bards from the local area.


And it was busy spell for me in terms of poetry readings across the north of England. I was invited to join the line up at The Quiet Compere's event in Hebden Bridge on Good Friday, sharing a stage with other poets much more accomplished than myself! Then came the Otley AGM on May 16th, held at Otley Bridge Church, at which I really understood the civic pride and duty possessed by our townsfolk and the fantastic work our town councillors undertake on an entirely voluntary basis. For my part, I test-drove a version of 'Poetry Bingo' I had been refining. I have to say that my lighthearted contribution worked very well and we did have someone who won the full house - sadly I didn't catch his name.

The day after the AGM, I was invited to join a panel of poets for a digital radio programme on East Leeds FM to celebrate the launch of Peter Spafford's debut 'Quick' published by Valley Press. Again, I was dwarfed by the eloquence of poets James Nash, Jo Brandon, Peter and publisher Jamie McGarry. Four days later, I was in my birthplace, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, reading at The Labour Club, alongside Matt Abbott and Victoria Garbutt, as part of Matt's Nymphs & Thugs project, which is quickly gaining momentum. I should also mention that the Chesterfield event was organised by the marvellous Matt McAteer's Spire Writes.

Throughout this period I have been finding time to write poems (and enjoy a bit of Maypole Dancing, walking on the Chevin and a few pints). I have begun work on a four part poem entitled 'Shaman', which is a seasonal narrative that will be serialised in Otley Matters. Part I is already available and I have almost completed Part II.

So what next? Another busy spell of poetry readings. I'm supporting rock band Bunkerpop and visual artist and musician Ruby Tingle at The New Adelphi Club in Hull June 25th, presented by Awayke. Then I have two readings in one day on July 3rd, first at Poetry at the Parsonage in Haworth, organised by the multi-talented Mark Connors and the second at Shipley Street Arts Festival. Phew! Until the next time.





Thursday 28 April 2016

Poetry Puncture Repair Kit


Thanks to the tireless efforts of Otley Word Feast Press and the volunteers and staff at Otley Courthouse, we now have the 'Poetry Puncture Repair Kit'; an entirely recyclable literary pack in celebration of the Tour de Yorkshire and one of West Yorkshire's most unique towns.

Inside the Poetry Puncture Repair Kit you'll find: a pencil, inspiration from an extract from the 'Spokes' anthology, a paper jersey to write your poem on and sticky spots to decorate it.

On Thursday (April 28th), I delivered a workshop for pupils from All Saints, Ashfield and St Joseph's Primary Schools in Otley, asking our budding poets to write haiku on the theme of 'Freedom' and how we feel when we feel free and what makes us feel free - like cycling (or mopedding!). The results were overwhelming, and can be seen at the Courthouse and further a field around the town as the year runs on.

 


At the opening of Stage Two of the Tour de Yorkshire (April 30th), I am inviting everyone in Otley to become part the legacy of April 30th's event by taking a Poetry Puncture Repair Kit (completely useless if you are cyclist but useful if you like poetry) and submitting a poem to the Courthouse, which will become bunting, along with the efforts of the aforementioned schoolchildren, and be part of the history of le Tour.

The Courthouse opens at 6.30am and will have screenings of the race throughout the day, as well as various events and performances. I will be there from 11am(ish) to hand out FREE Poetry Puncture Repair Kits - see you there!


Tuesday 22 March 2016

Spring



The frogs are getting frisky and the hills are alive with lambs, so it seems a fitting time to introduce myself as the first-ever official Otley Town Poet.

For those who don't know me, my name is Matthew Hedley Stoppard: I'm a family man, a librarian and poet with two books published by Valley Press and spoken word releases by Adult Teeth Recording Company. I write poems and prose, and I read them aloud all over the country, either on my own or with my friends A Firm of Poets.


I was born and brought up in a town and have always felt compelled to return to one, so to represent Otley, as a poet, is an immense honour, far beyond my imagination.

My family and I have lived here for almost a year and have endeavoured to become familiar with every resident and rodent, every pint of beer and earwig; The Chevin, the allotment sheds, the characters and customs, and I've always felt very much at home.

The Steinbeck fans among you will remember the famous opening line from Cannery Row: "Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem..." And this is what I thought when I first visited Otley many years ago. When you begin to describe the region it takes little effort to convert it's landscape into verse, and this will be my duty over next 12 months.





It thrills me to think of the year ahead in this role, and I can't wait to get stuck in and produce poetry and deliver events inspired my our community.

As Town Poet, I have a very exciting programme of events for 2016/17, including involvement in Stage 2 of the Tour de Yorkshire, the Town Meeting, Otley Carnival, National Poetry Day and Otley Victorian Fair - and I'm sure some others will crop up, too.

One of my main aims is to engage non-poetry fans in poetry, as well as nurture and support the immense talent we have in the area - Otley Poets and Courthouse Poets to name just two groups.

It goes without saying that I will be writing poetry inspired by the town, and representing Otley in other areas in the North and further afield. I will also offer seasonal blog posts along with posts about events and projects. 

If you see in me in the street, please say "hello" and look out for me on my trusty Honda Cub. I also have a presence on Facebook and Twitter.