Tuesday 11 December 2018

Autumn in eight sentences


Yes, I realise it is now winter and I'm only just summarising the previous season, so I will be a brief as I can...

Aside from the engagements I mentioned in my previous post, autumn brought three surprise in terms of my activities as Otley Town Poet. The first was a supporting slot at (the fabulous) Tom Weir's book launch on November 18th - if you haven't read his latest collection, 'Ruin', yet, I strongly recommend you get a copy from Templar press. The second was having two poems accepted by Strix magazine, which is a beautifully produced periodical featuring poetry and prose, and I read at the launch in the Victoria Hotel in Leeds on November 20th - again, I urge everyone to buy copies or subscribe. And the final surprise was being asked to return to Nostell Priory on December 7th for one more Chippendale-themed reading, this time featuring customised Christmas crackers loaded with a poem, a terrible joke and a piece of miniature furniture. Here are some photos from James Nash's launch on October 1st and my reading at the Purple Room in Ben Rhydding on November 22nd - which is a fantastic event and everyone should attend in the New Year!


There will be more readings for me in 2019 as well as a children's workshop in February, but I'll offer an update towards the end of winter... I promise. Until then, Merry Christmas!

Wednesday 19 September 2018

Summer


I think I’ve made a habit of reaching the back-end of the season before putting a blogpost together. Although the summer hasn’t involved many public readings, things have been bubbling away behind the scenes. The interactive poetry-play, ‘Carried on a Cloud of Sawdust’ at Nostell Priory on July 13th was well received and I was thrilled that all the characters were taken on by audience members over two performances. I was also able to see the incredibly versatile and very talented poet, Zodwa Nyoni perform her poem, ‘Mahogany’, at the same event. The National Trust have very kindly asked me to return to Nostell for one more performance of my Chippendale play on September 28th, if anyone is able to make it, it’d be great to see you there.

I’ve also been fortunate enough to work on a project with Forward Prize-winning poet Vahni Capildeo, who is exploring the theme of journeys and Windrush at Dewsbury Road Community Hub. I helped Vahni deliver a workshop on August 14th and the work produced by the writers attending the workshops will feature in a text exhibition in the building next year. This is part of a larger project called Collections in Verse taking place across Leeds.

 
Next up I’ll be part of the judging panel at Otley’s first-ever Town Crier Competition on Sunday September 23rd. On September 30th I will appear at The Bridge Church to read a commissioned poem celebrating their stained-glass window which commemorates the end of the First World War. This is followed by a performance at Ilkley Literature Festival with the Courthouse Writers who have devised a piece entitled ‘No Cold Callers’ with fellow poet and friend James Nash on October 1st at Ilkley Playhouse. Then I will join Otley Poets to celebrate National Poetry Day on Oct 4th and support James for the launch of his new book ‘A Bench for Billie Holiday’ at The Leeds Library on October 16th alongside Di Slaney. I will return to Chesterfield Labour Club on October 27th. And I will be appearing at The Purple Room in Ben Rhydding on November 22nd. I’ve most likely missed something out, so I’ll quit while I’m ahead and try to be more organised when compiling autumn’s blogpost.
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday 19 June 2018

Spring (only just)

It's fair to say that Thomas Chippendale has been my main focus this season... and rightly so!
My poem, 'Thomas Carved Our Town', commissioned by Otley Town Council celebrating Otley's most famous son's 300th birthday, has appeared on many platforms. The most high profile has to be BBC Radio 4's Front Row programme on April 24th, featuring myself, competition-winning bellman Terry Ford, and Visit Otley chairman Laurence Ross. Reading the poem and discussing poetry and carpentry for the show was a highlight of my career and great promotion for the town. In addition to this, I have appeared on BBC Radio Leeds twice throughout the spring, again reading the poem and explaining the duties of being the UK's only official Town Poet. Also, both the Yorkshire Reporter and Wharfedale Observer newspapers published 'Thomas Carved Our Town', which I was extremely pleased about because one of my aims as a poet is to engage readers that might not normally seek out poetry.

Lastly, the National Trust's Nostell Priory has kindly asked me to take part in two of their Nostell Nights events. The first was May 4th and was, undoubtedly, one of the grandest venues I've ever read at. I read two sets of poems on two themes (Otley, and Poetry Vs Carpentry) over four readings. The feedback was amazing and most of the people in attendance were inspired to visit Otley to check validity of my verse! My next visit to Nostell is July 13th where I will perform an interactive poetry-play based on the Chippendale pieces at the Priory, specifically commissioned by the National Trust.


A few other engagements, closer to home, have included the Otley Town AGM on May 14th - this time I didn't subject the attendees to a game of 'poetry bingo', Otley's Great Get Together on June 17th, where I created a haiku at the Festival Sticker Art tent, and the Town Mayor's Civic Lunch on June 24th.

I am very much looking forward to judging the Town Crier Competition September 23rd alongside bellman Terry Ford, and I'm sure there will be projects in the pipeline.

Wednesday 28 February 2018

Winter

As this season sees itself out, the Beast from the East has barged into Otley and made blank pages of our backstreets for poets and 4x4s to scribble on. Whenever we get a good layer of snowfall I always think of Robert Bridges poem 'London Snow', "hiding difference, making unevenness even". And this was key when writing a poem celebrating the tercentenary of Thomas Chippendale's birth, commissioned by Otley Town Council. This was, of course, a daunting task and also a challenging one, as furniture isn't typically a romantic or poetic subject. Nevertheless, carpentry is an honest, egalitarian trade and I conjured up a world where Chippendale is creator and protector, taking the sentiment of Bridges's poem, how differences can be made even. I don't want to say too much at this point, but there are plenty of other attractions relating to Chippendale300, which are included on the official website.




Aside from writing poems about pioneering sons of Otley, last month I was asked to read a poem for Radio 3's The Verb podcast, as part of their Christmas Special. The very talented and frustratingly youthful Laura Potts, recently selected as a BBC New Voice, invited me to interpret her poem, 'The Wise Child', which meant a trip to Salford Media City. I realised this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, so I was eager to oblige, but in my haste I forgot to take any pictures of the studio (or 'dead room') where I read Laura's poem and the famous soundstage (and more famous stairs with three types of surface) where they record radio plays. The experience was unforgettable and I am chuffed to appear on the same podcast as Laura, Carol Ann Duffy, Berlie Doherty and Hollie McNish - which will, no doubt, never happen again.

Then late last month I was asked to deliver a day-long poetry workshop for Year 5 and 6 pupils at Harewood Primary on the topic of WWII (you will notice in the pictures I am proudly wearing my Otley Ambassador badge). This, again, was a first for me because I had never prepared an entire day's worth of writing activities nor had I researched WWII so much since secondary school. The results of the workshop were really interesting and I was overwhelmed with the young poets' enthusiasm, especially during such a gruelling day with me.


I tried a few new formats for prompts, including what I like to call 'exploding poems' and some ice-breakers to keep the energy levels up after lunchtime. It was a really inspiring day and I'm incredibly thankful for being invited to the school.

What next? There is plenty to come and I don't want to give the game away, but I will say there will be a new 'poetry item' in celebration of the Tour de Yorkshire passing through Otley again and a little something for National Pie Week.




In the meantime, you can catch me compering A Night of Subversive Poetry at Otley Labour Rooms on St Patrick's Day, March 17th at 7.30pm. Featuring Laura Taylor, Janine Booth and my old chum Brendan McPartlan. Hopefully see you there!