Bloggus Interruptus: Merry Christmas to Poets on Fire Everywhere!

Merry Christmas and my sincere compliments of the season to all poets on fire - or at least smouldering - and other interested browsers, in whichever part of the world you currently find yourself.

I'm off on my festive holidays now, to the land of sofas and wine-drowsy duvets, and will not be posting events up again - I hope - until we're well into the New Year. Apologies to anyone whose impending event has been missed off the blog. That's life.

My hopes and dreams for 2008: I'm hoping this year that I won't receive quite so many emails from people wanting me to post up events which have buggar all to do with live poetry or which take place in the US or which arrive with ridiculously massive attachments or which are laid out in such a loony way that it takes me ten minutes just to sift through them for the facts, and that when I rightly refuse to post such events up on POF I won't receive quite so many pompous and irate replies from irritating idiots.

So again, a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Jane xxx

Oddments from Oxford, January 12th 2008

14 Hour: live literature, eclectic acoustica and garage-punk.

Featuring Tamsin Kendrick, alumnus of Regent's Park College, Oxford, reading about gin, London and the Never Ending Story. As seen this year at Latitude Festival, as well as supporting the likes of Kate Nash and Laura Marling, Dockers MC reveals her love of Rolf Harris. Hear Emma Robertson, of successful poetry night Littlest Birds, explain about the compatibility of jam tarts and ducks. Angela Cleland will be reading from her collections Waiting to Burn and And in here, the Menagerie, both available from Templar.

The night also features the alt-folk intricacies of Ruth Theodore, and playing dirty blues and 60s garage psych The Terrible Dr. Tumnus (sub-editor of Trespass Magazine) and Defecting Grey.

Saturday 12th January
7pm - Upstairs at The Griffin
93 Leonard Street EC2A
Nearest tube Old Street
London
FREE entry


http://www.myspace.com/14hour

Poetry in Galway this Christmas

Galway End of Year Poetry Events

Billy Ramsell will also be the guest reader at the Lunchtime Reading in Galway City Museum on Friday 21 December at 1 pm.

Admission 5 Euro

North Beach Poetry Nights gratefully acknowledges the support of the Galway City Council Arts Office - info: john walsh @ 593290

AND ON SATURDAY EVENING, probably the VERY last poetry event IN IRELAND for 2007:

North Beach Poetry Nights

Upstairs at Richardsons on the Square.
Saturday 22 December at 9 pm
Admission 7 Euro

THE FIRST EVER NORTH BEACH POETRY NIGHTS' GRAND SLAM !!!!

TWELVE of the VERY BEST PERFORMANCE POETS in IRELAND - winners of Slams, Grand Slams, Cúirt Grand Slams, All-Ireland Slams, BBC Slams - go before a top panel of Judges:
Trish Casey
Lucy English
Neil McCarthy
Billy Ramsell

in a 2 Round Slam to find a WINNER for the North Beach Poetry Nights' Publication Prize. Don't miss it! North Beach Poetry Nights gratefully acknowledges the support of Galway City Council.

Info: John Walsh 091-593290

Salt at the Troubadour, London: Monday February 4th

Salt at the Troubadour

Monday 4th February
8 - 10pm
A special Salt reading for
Coffee-house poetry at The Troubadour featuring:

Peter Abbs
Sascha Aurora Akhtar
Vincent De Souza
Isobel Dixon
Tim Dooley
Tobias Hill
Luke Kennard
Chris McCabe
Eleanor Rees
Tamar Yoseloff

… life, literature and the pursuit of happiness… in the famous Troubadour basement:
London's liveliest & best-loved poetry venue…

readings MONDAYS from 8 to 10 pm, tickets £6 concessions £5,
season tickets 30% off…
cheques payable to Coffee-House Poetry, no credit cards

265 Old Brompton Road LONDON SW5
(no mail to this address, see correspondence address below)
nr. junct. Earls Court Rd & Old Brompton Rd
nearest Tube station: Earls Court (District & Piccadilly Lines)
for information, advance booking, season ticket & mailing list enquiries,
phone 020-8354 0660,
write to Anne-Marie Fyfe
at Coffee-House Poetry, PO Box 16210, LONDON, W4 1ZP
or e-mail: CoffPoetry@aol.com
supported by The National Lottery through Arts Council England

Bah Humbug! with special guests and floor spots for YOU

Bah Humbug!

All-day Christmas poetry/spoken word special
Penned in the Margins
Saturday, December 15, 2007
12:00am - 11:00pm
The Betsey Trotwood, Farringdon Road, London

Email: info@pennedinthemargins.co.uk

Bah Humbug! is a Christmas party to remember. Throughout the day and on all three floors of the Betsey Trotwood there will be readings and performances by some of London’s top poets, comedians, musicians and spoken word artists.

Lazy Gramophone will be on hand with face-painting and seasonal fun. Tim Wells will be masquerading as Santa Claus. The lovely people from Legend Press, Pen Pusher, Succour and Trespass Magazine will sell their wares. There will be an open mic. There will be fairy lights. There may be mince pies. Failing that, there will be steak and kidney pies.

And because it’s Christmas all profits will go to charity.

We’ve put this together to celebrate what has been a breakthrough year for the poetry and spoken word scene. So if you’ve been part of the ‘revolution’ (that’s The Times, not us), or if you fancy dipping your toe into London’s most exciting underground arts scene, Bah Humbug! is for you.

* * *

Zena Edwards, Simon Munnery, Generation Txt, Tim Wells, Roddy Lumsden, Niall O'Sullivan, Ross Sutherland, D'Archetypes, Ventriloquist & Tongue Fu Band, Excentral Tempest, Yap and more tba!

Recommended donation £5
Midday til closing time

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The 12 Days of Christmas

36 poets read commissioned Xmas poems
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
7:00pm - 11:00pm
The Miller of Mansfield, 96 Snowsfields Road (nr London Bridge), London

36 London poets have been asked to write a new poem based on the gifts in the famous song. This will function as the backdrop for seasonal drinks for the thirsty bards of the smoke. Readings start 8pm sharp, will be in three half hour sets and will end by 10, but come along at 7 for drinks and gossip.

£5 fee for non-participants.

HooHah Poetry Christmas Show, with floor spots

HooHah Poetry Christmas Show

First in a series of poetry in performance events
Organised by Adam Horovitz
Thursday, December 13, 2007
8:00pm - 11:00pm
Artspace, John Street, Stroud
Tel: 07974892793

An evening of performance poetry and music from Stroud and Bristol poets, including the multi-layered musings and amusings of Helen Gregory, the hard fi conspiracy theorising of Chris Seiles, poetry and wit from Pip Heywood and music from harpist and singer Jade Hamzelou plus others to be announced.

Open mic slots available. Contact Adam Horovitz if you'd like to perform.

Tickets £5 or £3.50 concessions on the door.

New Blood at the Poetry Cafe: Wednesday 19th December

New Blood

Wednesday, December 19, 2007
7:30pm - 10:30pm
The Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street, London

Email:newbloodpoetry@gmail.com

This month we have one of our finest line-ups yet so it really is a night not to miss. As usual New Blood takes place at The Poetry Café (22 Betterton St, Covent Garden, WC2H 9BX) and will begin at 7.30pm. Floorspots are available on the night (but be there early to sign up) and the featured poets are: Mark Ford, the author of two collections of poetry - Landlocked (Chatto & Windus) and Soft Sift (Faber & Faber), he is also a regular contributor to the Times Literary Supplement and London Review of Books. A chance to hear one of the best poets in the UK. Also Richard O’Brien, one of the most promising young poets around and winner of the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award, a rare chance to see an exceptionally fine poet, and Louis Antwi, Roundhouse Poetry Slam Champion and recently commissioned by the Committee for Racial Equality to write a poem celebrating the abolition of the slave trade. A poet and performer not to miss.

Doors: £5/£3

Final 'Over the Edge' Reading of 2007

Final Over The Edge: Open Reading before Christmas

The final ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ of 2007 takes place in Galway City Library on Thursday, December 13th, 6.30-8.00pm.

The Featured Readers are Anne-Marie Fyfe, Aidan Hynes & Val Nolan.

UK SLAM CHAMPIONSHIPS, this Thursday

The UK SLAM! Championships

(Organised by Farrago Poetry since 1994)
Thursday, 20th December
7:30pm.
The George Bernard Shaw Theatre at RADA, Malet St, WC1. Goodge St tube.
Map

Open to ANY poet based in the UK SLAM! Read or perfom, any subject or style. Sign up on the night at 7pm. Special guests include Fran Landesman and her band, others tbc. Emcee: John Paul O’Neill.

Tickets from the RADA Box Office, 0207 908 4800: £6/£5 in advance, £7/£6 on the night. Information from John Paul O’Neill: 07905078376. farragopoetry@yahoo.co.uk. Farrago Poetry

Merekatz Cabaret: TONIGHT in Norwich, December 11th

MEREKATZ CABARET

Norwich Arts Centre
Tuesday December 11th @ 8pm

After 30 years apart, performance wordsmiths and musicians come together for first gig at Norwich Arts Centre to celebrate the spirit of alternative cabaret - the spirit of the 60s and 70s transported into the here and now! John Row - known to tens of thousands via festivals - heads the line up for John was inspirational 70s lead performer with an array of bands. K.M. Dersley - the blues man and wordsmith of Ipswich. Rupert Mallin - ever the performer. joined by Florence Cox and Joan Jerome.

Lazy Birds Xmas Bash: Thursday 13th December, Whitechapel

The Lazy Birds Christmas Bash
Thursday 13th December
The Whitechapel Gallery
7.30pm
FREE ENTRY

Dark Poetry in Edinburgh: Tuesday 11th December

AUDREY WITHERSPOON and V.B. RETRIBUTION PRESENT AN EVENING OF DARK POETRY
Tuesday 11th December
7.30 pm - 10.30 pm
The Royal Oak Pub, No. 1 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh
'I AM A LAGAN - the rocking verb slinging bull riding hit you hard spoken word trio of US based Artists Buddy Wakefield, Katie Wirsing, and Andrea Gibson.'
£3.00
TEXT JONATHAN ON 07903-216-888 OR EMAIL AUDREYTHEWRITER@HOTMAIL.CO.UK

Meet some Poets on Fire

CB1 Poetry: Tuesday 11th December

CB1 Poetry at Michaelhouse

Tuesday 11th December 2007
8 - 10pm
Michaelhouse Centre, Trinity Street, Cambridge, CB2 1SU
£5 / £3 concessions

Live poetry readings from Esther Morgan, Joanne Limburg & Helen Ivory (Eric Gregory winners, Aldeburgh best first collection / Forward prize shortlist / Poetry Archive Editor).

Visit www.cb1poetry.org.uk - part of a major new series of city centre readings with well-known guest poets, each event will feature short floor spots, books for sale and a licensed bar, as well as support readings from rising stars of the Cambridge and UK poetry scene.

Events start at 8pm (floor spot sign up by 7:45).
Contact Name: Ian Cartland
Contact Telephone: 07985 708422
Contact Email: cb1poetry@fastmail.fm
Website: www.cb1poetry.org.uk

The Cellar at the Poetry Cafe: Poetry & Floor spots this Saturday

The Cellar

Saturday, December 8, 2007
7:30pm - 10:30pm
The Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street, London, WC2H 9BX

*

Hello All,
Last month's Cellar lived up to the hype of being a veritable Old-Spice bottle of concentrated testosterone, so this month we're swinging the other way. Heading up our all female bill, Fiona Curran will be reading from her Wrecking Ball Press collection, "The Hail Mary Pass". For me Fiona marks a golden standard of live poetry, taking poems that shine on the page and making them a funny, down to earth and involving live experience. We will also be welcoming back Amah-Rose McKnight-Abrams, rising star of the New Blood 2.0 generation, writer of sassy, stripped to the bone tales of London lives and sex-pest's daughters. Finishing off the bill, we'll have a special guest appearance from a previous Shortfuse Poetry Idol winner, back over this side of the pond for a fleeting visit.
I will be throwing a few poems of my own into the mix, and floor spots are open for those that arrive early.
Cheers
Niall O'Sullivan

*

Covent Garden/Holborn tube
£5/3 concs

Over the Edge Poetry Reading in Galway: Friday 7th December

OVER THE EDGE

Over The Edge in association with Poetry Ireland presents a reading by Catherine Phil MacCarthy, Elaine Feeney & Sheila Phelan at Sheridan’s Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, December 7th, 8pm.

There is no entrance fee. All are welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748. Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com

!!!NEWSFLASH!!!
Over The Edge was delighted to be notified this week that our Arts Council grant for 2008 is up on what we received in 2007. We have an exciting programme lined up for 2008 which includes readings by Pat Boran, Dennis O’Driscoll, Colette Bryce, Roddy Lumsden, Gearoid MacLochlainn, Rita Ann Higgins and many more.

Salt Winter Party & Launch Event at Foyles last week

Interested in new poetry and short fiction? You can find out more about the books launched by these authors by visiting the Salt website.
*

Catherine Smith's LIP: a poetry launch, Brighton, this Thursday

Catherine Smith launches 'Lip'

Shakespeare's Head, Spring Street, Brighton BN1 3TP
Thursday 6th December
8pm


Launch of Smith's fantastic new collection, Lip, which is published by Smith/Doorstep. Hosted by THE SOUTH.

£5 / £4 conc. Friends of THE SOUTH receive a £1 discount.
www.thesouth.org.uk

Blinking Eye Book Launches in Newcastle: this Wednesday 5th December

Blinking Eye Book Launch

Wednesday 5th December, 6pm
Newcastle Upon Tyne, Literary & Philosophical Society

Four new books will be launched by North East publisher Blinking Eye at the Literary & Philosophical Society.

Landscape with a Hundred Bridges is the first collection by Dorothy Yamamoto, winner of the 2007 Blinking Eye poetry competition, whilst Blood line is an anthology of poems from the highly commended and commended entrants.

Adrift is Carolyn Kirk's first collection of short stories. She was the winner of the 2007 Blinking Eye short story competition, the first writing competition she had ever entered. Letters to Freddie Mercury is an anthology of short stories from the commended and shortlisted entrants.

All four books retail at £8 each and are available to buy at special rates at the launch event or from the Blinking Eye website www.blinking-eye.co.uk.

The competitions, which were judged by the acclaimed poet Don Paterson and the successful novelist and short story writer, Hilary Mantel, were open to writers aged 50 and over and attracted more than 1300 entries.

Dorothy Yamamoto and Carolyn Kirck, together with a number of the commended and shortlisted writers, will be reading their work at the launch event. Local readers include: Louise Hislop, Gordon Hodgeon, Pru Kitching, Lesley Mountain, Chris Powell, Sue Rylance and Fiona Ritchie Walker.

"It is very satisfying to bring new work to the attention of the public," said Jeanne Macdonald, poetry competition organiser and founder of Blinking Eye Publishing. "Both Dorothy and Carolyn are very talented writers, as indeed are all the people featured in our anthologies. I'm delighted so many of them are able to read at the launch event. It is always a very uplifting evening."
More/

There will be a finger buffet and wine. To reserve a place, please call 0191-232 0192. For further information please contact on 01434 600345 or email judywalker@btconnect.com

The Poetry Shack: London, Tuesday 4th December

The Poetry SHACK

Tuesday 4th December, 7.30 for 8.00 pm
The Old Crown, 33 New Oxford St.
London WC 1 (Tottenham Court Road - nearest Station)
Only £6

Christmas special from Poetry Shack. The bad boy (now reformed!!!) of modern English Literature - thinker writer commentator general all round-genius Will Self With - Angela Cleland - celebrating her full length collection!!!!! No less! Jenny Lockyer - witty, invited back after a truly wonderful set last time Annie Brechin - displaying her shy , sensual and well wrought soul Gareth Lewis - from the badlands and the ladlands of Wales

Floor spots are welcome - our Christmas Party so Bring an unusual seasonal poem!!
Hosted by - Brett Van Toen and Jack Shamash

Open Mic & Guest Poets in Brighton: Tuesday 4th December

tall-lighthouse and THE SOUTH

Komedia Studio Bar, Regent Street, Brighton BN1 1UN
Tuesday 4th December
7.30pm

Readings from Adam O'Riordan and Helen Oswald, plus open mic. In association with THE SOUTH, and part of the Poetry South Autumn Series "Studio Poetry." 04 December 2007.
£4 / £3
Further details from brighton@tall-lighthouse.co.uk

Buzzwords Poetry Night in Cheltenham: Sunday 2nd December, REMINDER!

BUZZWORDS POETRY WITH OPEN MIC

Sunday, 2nd December
Upstairs at The Exmouth, Bath Road (opposite the co-op), Cheltenham

Guest poet: A. F. Harrold
*please note that we will be starting at our old, earlier time*

7pm Workshop led by Sonia Hendy-Issacs
8pm - Open Mic and A. F. Harrold

As this is the last one of the year, do feel free to bring others' poetry to read at the open mic if you'd like. We did this last December and it was lovely to hear some of your favourite published poems.

Come at 7 if you want to write, 8 if you don't.
Entrance £3

There is a car park at The Exmouth but if it is full the bath road 'shoppers' car park is just a few yards away, around the corner.

Bristol Folk House December Open Mike: Sunday 2nd December

DECEMBER FOLK HOUSE OPEN MIKE NIGHT

SUNDAY 2ND DECEMBER
Bristol Folk House, 40a Park Street, Bristol BS1

Performers please sign up early as places go very quickly. Doors open 7.00pm Performers free, lovely audience £3. The Christmas party season starts here!

The authors and contributors of FOLK HOUSE ANTHOLOGY will be available for signings plus invited readings at Blackwell's Bookshop, Park Street, Bristol BS1 on Saturday 8th December, 3-5pm. Come along, meet the authors, hear the words and BUY THE BOOK!

BIG MOUTH will have exciting new announcements in the New Year. Until then, HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS
www.rosemarydun.co.uk
www.big-mouth-poetry.co.uk
www.myspace.com/rosemary_dun
www.myspace.com/bigmouthpoetry