Friday, February 27, 2009

HALESWORTH: Poetry at The Cut

Friday, March 13, 2009, 7.30pm, £7 (£3.50 under 18s)
The Cut,
Halesworth,
Suffolk

Poetry reading and writing workshop with Ann Sansom and Peter Sansom, the legendary team from Sheffield’s The Poetry Business.

Join Ann and Peter for a reading guaranteed to improve anyone’s mood! Both are utterly genuine and engaging writers and performers, and their marvellously human poems work beautifully both on the page and stage.

Ann Sansom has published six collections, has written and directed plays for stage and radio, and is currently working on a series of film-related poems with the British Film Institute. Her poems celebrate the lives of ordinary people – stoics with the courage to laugh in the face of adversity.

Peter Sansom was previously poet-in-residence at Marks and Spencer and The Prudential, and has had poems commissioned by The Guardian, BBC Radio 3 and The Big Breakfast. He relishes colloquial language and everyday experiences, making art out of darts and banquets out of butties!

The following day (Saturday March 14th, 10.30am – 4pm), at the Hopper Room, The Cut, Halesworth, there's a Poetry Business Writing Day. It's a unique chance to experience Ann and Peter’s skills as inspirational and highly experienced tutors – “the best poetry teachers in the world”, according to The Guardian. Come and benefit from their brilliant repertoire of exercises and write your most surprising, truthful and rewarding poems. Tickets are £45, including lunch. Maximum 16 places available.

Box Office (both events) 0845 673 2123, e-mail: boxoffice@newcut.org

Supported by The Limbourne Trust

Thursday, February 26, 2009

LONDON: Philip Kuhn and Robert Sheppard

Tuesday, 3rd March, 2009, 7:30pm, FREE
Swedenborg Hall
Swedenborg House
20/21 Bloomsbury Way
London WC1A 2TH

The second in Shearsman's 2009 Reading Series features Philip Kuhn and Robert Sheppard, both of whom have new collections from Shearsman Books. More details are at:
http://www.shearsman.com/pages/books/catalog/2009/kuhn.html
http://www.shearsman.com/pages/books/catalog/2009/sheppardWE.html

Biographical details may be found at:
http://www.shearsman.com/pages/books/authors/kuhnA.html
http://www.shearsman.com/pages/books/authors/sheppardA.html

Subsequent readings - all at the same venue - will take place on Tuesday 31st March, with Erin Moure (reading her translations of Chus Pato) and Lisa Samuels, 16th April with Martin Anderson and Claire Crowther, 5th May with Anne Blonstein and others tbc, 2nd June with Kenny Knight and others tbc.

LEAMINGTON SPA: Geometry Of Fear

Thursday, February 26, 2009, 6pm-7pm, £3
Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum
Royal Pump Rooms,
The Parade,
Leamington Spa
CV32 4AA

British poet Kelvin Corcoran will recite poems inspired by the spiky, twisted forms of the sculptures on display in the Geometry of Fear exhibition. The exhibition, which brings together sculptures and works on paper from the Arts Council Collection, explores the generation of sculptors that emerged in the post-war years and created work in direct response to the horrors of the Holocaust, World War II and the climate of fear generated by the Cold War. Corcoran’s poems, taken from his recently published book, What Hit Them (Oystercatcher Press, 2008), focus on the post-war achievement of key figures in the group and put the sculptures into a contemporary and personal context.

Places are limited for this event which takes place within the exhibition space. Please call 01926 742700 to reserve your place.

LONDON: Rhythm & Muse

Thursday, 26th February, 2009, 8.30pm-10.30pm, £5/£4
The Lion,
27 Wick Road,
Teddington,
TW11

Guest poets Myra Schneider and Andre Mangeot, music from singer-songwriter Janis Haves, plus an open mic (book in advance)

Email Alison Hill for more details: alison-hill@blueyonder.co.uk or see
new website at: www.rhythmandmuse.org

Tom Chivers book launch in London: diary date

Launch of The Terrors by Tom Chivers

Sunday 29th March
The Market Trader
50 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EX
Nearest Tubes: Aldgate, Aldgate East, Liverpool Street
Free entry

Drinking games & petty chit-chat from 7pm
Readings by Tom Chivers, Tim Wells, Jane Holland, Jane Commane & James Wilkes from 8pm

The Terrors is the first in a series of special mini-pamphlets from Nine Arches Press; darkly-humoured e-dispatches of crime and punishment from over the walls and across centuries....

The Terrors is a sequence of imagined emails; poetic missives from the start of the 21st century to inmates at London's notorious Newgate Prison. The emails introduce a cast of 18th century villains and their gruesome crimes: 'Half-hanged Smith'; executioner-turned-murderer Jack Ketch; the notorious Waltham Blacks.

Mimicking the tone of its primary source, The Newgate Calendar, The Terrors tacks from horror to humour, from moral disgust to the casual chit-chat of the digital generation, all the time delineating London's violent urban undercurrent in bold, energetic and sometimes shocking language.

£5 from Nine Arches (from launch date)

Salmon Launches in Galway, March 13th

Two Salmon Books To Be Launched at Sheridan’s Gala Literary Evening

Over The Edge and Salmon Poetry present the launch of Seaway: New and Selected Poems by Todd Swift & Poetry: Reading It, Writing It, Publishing It (Edited by Jessie Lendennie) plus readings by Patrick Chapman, Edward Boyne & Megan Buckley at Sheridan’s Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, March 13th, 8pm.

There is no entrance fee. All are welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of the Arts Council and Galway City Council.

http://www.overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/

Poet-Performers Wanted Urgently!

Heritage: 7 poets wanted to perform new work inspired by museums objects.

As part of The Lyric Lounge, WORD! and 2Funky Arts are seeking seven emerging talents to write and perform new work, inspired by museum objects.

Commissioned poets will be paid £200 each and attend six closely mentored workshops, between April and July 09, with renowned poet and director, Kevin Fegan. Their finished work will be professionally set to music and visuals and performed as part of ‘Heritage’ one of 7 high profile ‘Lyric Lounge’ nights. ‘Heritage’ will explore Special Olympics values and be a chance to develop your talent and profile whilst learning more about accessing museum resources.

WORD! and 2Funky Arts will be holding an audition to select participants for ‘Heritage’. The audition will be held as part of WORD! on Tuesday March 3rd 2009, 8pm, at The Y (East St) Leicester. We'd really like you to perform as you would at an open mic (3-5 mins), but feel free to incorporate the theme(s) of heritage into your piece if you'd like. To register and for more information please contact Pam Thompson, via: violetstar22@hotmail.com. You can also register on the night.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

LONDON: Lumen Poetry Series

Tuesday, 10th March, 2009, doors open 6.30pm for 7pm, £4/£3, wine
88 Tavistock Place,
London
WC1
Tubes: Russell Square , Kings Cross, St Pancras.

Ruth O'Callaghan presents Katabasis with Maria Eugenia Bravo Calderara, Adele David, Cicely Herbert, Dinah Livingstone and Dilys Wood.

Poets from the floor very welcome. Please bring a copy of your poem if you wish to be considered for the anthology sponsored by the thought-provoking Cinnamon Press. Proceeds to the Cold Weather Shelter.

ST ALBANS: Chris Hicks on Poetry Link tour

Wednesday, 25th February, 2009, 8pm
Oral Cabaret @ The Maltings Arts Theatre

February’s Poetry Link tour is headlined by Chris Hicks – the sharpest legal mind in poetry. Chris is a quarter of Aisle16 and his work has featured on McSweeneys, Radio 1 and Resonance FM. He has performed at Reading, Glastonbury, Leeds, Latitude and Port Elliot Literature Festival.

With Mat Lloyd.

Monday, February 23, 2009

LEWES: Lewes Poetry

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009, 8pm, £5
Lewes Arms,
Lewes,
1 Mount Place,
Lewes,
East Sussex

Lewes Poetry celebrates its first birthday with an extended set by Elvis McGonagall. Elvis won the World Slam Poetry Championships and is a regular performer on Radio 4’s Saturday Live. It’s just a fiver for that, an open mic, and the famous prize limerick competition.

CHELTENHAM: Buzzwords Poetry Night

Sunday, 1st March, 2009, 8pm, minimum £3, £5 if you are able
upstairs at The Exmouth Arms,
Bath Road,
Cheltenham

TALES FROM THE WOMAN IN BLACK
Chloe the Midnight Storyteller unearths some of her strangest stories, from spinetingling adventure to bloodfreezing fear, from Venice to East Africa via wild magic, living nightmares and squelching horror… not for the fainthearted. Tonight, love and laughter will be severely tested by the voices of darkness. This show is intended for adults and is not suitable for under 12s.

7pm YarnSpinning workshop, led by Chloe [designed to encourage poets and other writers to try verbal improvisation]

LINGFIELD: Writing poetry the Haiku way

Monday, March 9th - Friday, March 13th, 2009
Claridge House
Dormans Road, Lingfield, Surrey, RH7 6QH
Website: http://www.claridgehousequaker.org.uk
online enquiry: http://www.claridgehousequaker.org.uk/mailform.php
Phone: +44 (0)845 3457281
Phone: +44 (0)1342 832150

This haiku poetry course also includes an insight into other 'forms' associated with haiku:
  • The Haiku Game: great entertainment & ice-breaker and a relaxed way to start to understand all about haiku
  • Haiku: history & techniques; how to keep a haiku journal (complimentary Haiku Journal); how to read or perform haiku (and haibun); and how to get published.
  • Tanka: the short love poem
  • Haibun (prose with haiku): great for journal/diary entries; and travel writing
  • Ginko: (writing walk) with complimentary Haiku Journal
  • Renga Party: the last full day with a 12 verse renga, just for fun!
There will be plenty of opportunity to read and perform, and to have one-one and/or group feedback on haiku and other forms that you wish to either get to publishable quality, or wish to develop further in your writing as a poet; novelist; travel writer (and other non-fiction); or journal/diarist.

Alan Summers is a Japan Times award-winning poet for haiku and renga with 15 years' experience; former General Secretary of the British Haiku Society: and founder of With Words. The Haiku Journal notebook was launched last year at the Royal Festival Hall as part of the Thames Festival. He is currently a Japan-UK 150 renga & haiku poet-in-residence.

Residential Course "Writing Poetry: the haiku way" is £290, including accomodation and food. Bursary help available - enquire online or phone for details. Claridge House have a policy of not asking people to share.

PETERBOROUGH: Chris Hicks on Poetry Link tour

Tuesday, 24th February, 2009, 8pm
Speakeasy @ The Glass Onion

February’s Poetry Link tour is headlined by Chris Hicks – the sharpest legal mind in poetry. Chris is a quarter of Aisle16 and his work has featured on McSweeneys, Radio 1 and Resonance FM. He has performed at Reading, Glastonbury, Leeds, Latitude and Port Elliot Literature Festival.

With Jenny Orr and Cardinal Cox.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

NORWICH: Chris Hicks on Poetry Link tour

Monday, 23rd February 2009, 8pm, £5
The Monday Night Alternative @ Norwich Arts Centre

February’s Poetry Link tour is headlined by Chris Hicks – the sharpest legal mind in poetry. Chris is a quarter of Aisle16 and his work has featured on McSweeneys, Radio 1 and Resonance FM. He has performed at Reading, Glastonbury, Leeds, Latitude and Port Elliot Literature Festival.
With Molly Naylor, Patrick Lappin and Susie Showers.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

SOUTHEND: Chris Hicks on Poetry Link tour

Sunday, 22nd February, 2009, 7pm
Sundown @ Tiffins Restaurant
11-12 The Esplanade,
Southend

February’s Poetry Link tour is headlined by Chris Hicks – the sharpest legal mind in poetry. Chris is a quarter of Aisle16 and his work has featured on McSweeneys, Radio 1 and Resonance FM. He has performed at Reading, Glastonbury, Leeds, Latitude and Port Elliot Literature Festival.

With Project Adorno and Johnny Fluffypunk.

LEAMINGTON SPA: PureandGoodandRight

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009, 7pm to book a slot, 7.30pm prompt start, £3/£2
The Fox,
32 Clarendon Avenue,
Leamington Spa
CV32 4RZ

PUREandGOODandRIGHT is an open mic poetry event - we also have great guest performance poets! Every event is an opportunity for YOU to come along and perform your poetry!!

Our VERY special guest this month is our very own and truly amazing Dick Leith. He has been a regular performer at PureandGoodandRight for the last two years. He specialises in daft verse, silly voices and likes nothing more than a good laugh. He is also a singer songwriter, actor, storyteller, lecturer and academic writer...an all-round show-off!

Frequent visitors to PGR will know that even a victim of Medusa's worst stare would find it impossible not to crack a smile at much of Dick's verse. By turns laugh-out-loud funny, bitingly satirical, and often deeply thought provoking - this is a chance to see a true master of his craft being given the chance to do what he does best.

With open mic support from…….YOU! Come and share your poems - seasoned poets and first time performers most welcome!

If you're planning to come along, or would like to know more about the night, please email pgrpoetryandpints@talktalk.net

Friday, February 20, 2009

LEAMINGTON SPA: Geometry Of Fear

Thursday, February 26, 2009, 6pm-7pm, £3
Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum
Royal Pump Rooms,
The Parade,
Leamington Spa
CV32 4AA

British poet Kelvin Corcoran will recite poems inspired by the spiky, twisted forms of the sculptures on display in the Geometry of Fear exhibition. The exhibition, which brings together sculptures and works on paper from the Arts Council Collection, explores the generation of sculptors that emerged in the post-war years and created work in direct response to the horrors of the Holocaust, World War II and the climate of fear generated by the Cold War. Corcoran’s poems, taken from his recently published book, What Hit Them (Oystercatcher Press, 2008), focus on the post-war achievement of key figures in the group and put the sculptures into a contemporary and personal context.

Places are limited for this event which takes place within the exhibition space. Please call 01926 742700 to reserve your place.

KENDAL: A Twist Of Malice reading

Saturday, 21st February, 2009, 2pm-3pm, all welcome
Waterstones,
Westmorland Centre

A Twist of Malice
Meg Peacocke, Carole Bromley, Gina Shaw and Rosemary McLeish will be reading poems from this popular new anthology and more…plus wine and nibbles.

‘Nothing mimsy about these poems by older women. Fierce, funny, disturbing and fairly vicious. Lovely’.
Michele Hanson in The Guardian

Thursday, February 19, 2009

LONDON: Shoestring Take 5 '09

Friday, 20th February, 2009, 7pm (doors open 6.30), £4/£3, wine
Trinity United Reform Church
1 Buck St,
Camden Town
(2 minutes Camden Town tube.)

Ruth O'Callaghan presents Shoestring's Take 5 '09 Australian edition with Adrian Caesar, Christopher Salveson and guest poet Peter Porter. Poets from the floor very welcome. Cinnamon Press is our new sponsor - please bring a copy of the poem if you wish to be considered for the new anthology.

Proceeds to COLD WEATHER SHELTER

BRADFORD: Basir Sultan Kazmi in performance

Friday 20th February, 6.30pm, FREE
Theatre in the Mill,
University of Bradford
Reserve your place by calling 01274 233200

Born in Pakistan in 1955, Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of Bradford, Basir Sultan Kazmi, is a poet who works in the ghazal tradition, following in the footsteps of his late father, Nasir Kazmi.

Basir both studied and taught English Literature at the Government College Lahore where he edited Ravi (1974) and ran the college literary and dramatic societies. He studied for his M.Ed, P.G.C.E and M.Phil at the University of Manchester between 1991 and 2000. Currently a teacher in Manchester, Basir has also worked for the BBC Asian programme (19991-92) and has conducted poetry and drama workshops all over the UK.

He has published an Urdu poetry collection Moj-e-Khayal (1997) and his translations of ghazals were published as A Little Bridge (1997) and Generations of Ghazals (2003) as well as in several magazines and anthologies.

Basir’s Urdu play Bisaat was published in 1987 and its translation The Chess Board in 1997. In 1992 he won the North West Playwrights Workshop Award.

His plays have been performed in theatres across the north of England and he has given poetry readings in Europe, Pakistan and the USA.

TLMC on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7080962005

Myspace www.myspace.com/tasminlittlemusiccentre

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

LONDON: Rhythm & Muse

Thursday, 26th February, 2009, 8.30pm-10.30pm, £5/£4
The Lion,
27 Wick Road,
Teddington,
TW11

Guest poets Myra Schneider and Andre Mangeot, music from singer-songwriter Janis Haves, plus an open mic (book in advance)

Email Alison Hill for more details: alison-hill@blueyonder.co.uk or see
new website at: www.rhythmandmuse.org

BALLINA: Kevin Higgins

Thursday, February 19th, 2009, 8pm
Ballina Arts Centre

Kevin Higgins was born in London in 1967, and grew up in Galway City, where he still lives. He is co-organiser of the highly successful Over The Edge literary events. His two poetry collections are The Boy With No Face (Salmon, 2005) and Time Gentlemen, Please (Salmon, 2008). The Boy With No Face was short-listed for the 2006 Strong Award and has recently gone to its second printing. One of the poems from Time Gentlemen, Please, My Militant Tendency, features in the Forward Book of Poetry 2009. He is the poetry critic of The Galway Advertiser. His work will be featured in the forthcoming anthology Identity Parade – The New British and Irish Poets (Bloodaxe, 2010). His third collection of poems, Frightening New Furniture, will be published by Salmon Poetry next year.

http://www.ballinaartscentre.com/events/2009/feb/19/kevin-higgins-reading/

LONDON: Apples & Snakes Open Mic

Thursday, February 19th, 2009, 7.30pm, £3

The Albany,
Douglas Way,
London,
SE8 4AG

Newcomers meet the seasoned performers on equal terms. It's simple - a roomful of poets, performers and people who just want to hear poetry. Arrive early and claim your all important slot in the spotlight. Hosted by Inua 'Phaze' Ellams and featuring Esther Poyer.

Box Office:02086924446

Info:www.applesandsnakes.org/02084656154

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

KENDAL: A Twist Of Malice reading

Saturday, 21st February, 2009, 2pm-3pm, all welcome
Waterstones,
Westmorland Centre

A Twist of Malice
Meg Peacocke, Carole Bromley, Gina Shaw and Rosemary McLeish will be reading poems from this popular new anthology and more…plus wine and nibbles.

‘Nothing mimsy about these poems by older women. Fierce, funny, disturbing and fairly vicious. Lovely’.
Michele Hanson in The Guardian

SHEFFIELD: Cake Open Mic

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009, from 8pm
CAKE art space,
above Lounge bar,
West Street,
Sheffield

This is only our second event, but the first was awesome, so it's back by popular demand and now it's monthly! An open mic event, featuring spokenword, haiku, poetry, slam, sonnet - everyone welcome!

LONDON: Ride The Word

Wednesday, 18th February 2009, 7.30pm-9pm, FREE
Holborn Library,
32-38 Theobalds Road,
London
WC1X 8PA

On stage will be Jay Merill, Elizabeth Baines, Julia Bird, Vincent De Souza and Katy Evans-Bush, plus special guests Rack Press and New River Writers.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

GLASGOW: Waxing Lyrical

Monday, 16th February 2009, 7.30pm, £1
Waxy O'Connors
44 West George Street
Glasgow

Outspoken Word presents Waxing Lyrical, the newest monthly spoken word evening on the block. Hosted by J.S. Savage and Ray Evans - the aforementioned Outspoken Word - this peomises to be an uncompromising evening of hard hitting verse and uncensored lyric.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

LONDON: Sundays at the Oto

Sunday, February 15th, 2009, 3pm-5 pm, £4 entry.
Café Oto,
18-22 Ashwin Street,
Dalston,
London
E8 3DL

Presented by Peter Philpott, and featuring Sarah Jacobs, Richard Makin, Dawn Scarfe and Mel Gough.

Art, language and music come together. Sarah Jacobs is a sculptor making objects, performance, installation, books on paper, and books in electronic form. Her electronic piece Deciphering Human Chromosome 16: We Report Here uses text in a visual way to document the ethical, economic, political and philosophical polemics associated with mapping the human genome, and their changes through time
Richard Makin is a writer of fiction and poetry and a visual artist. Experience his language as a complex and haunting landscape to drift across.
Carillon is an experimental sound performance by artists Dawn Scarfe and Mel Gough. Guitars are tuned to resonant nodes in cymbals to produce a rich bell-like sound. The aim is to investigate accents and textures within the spectrum of resonant sound in immersive and meditative live exploration. Expect from this afternoon completely new stances on language, music and performance!

for further information:
* http://www.myspace.com/sundaysattheoto
* Facebook Group: Sundays at the Oto

Friday, February 13, 2009

COLCHESTER: Chris Hicks on Poetry Link tour

Thursday, 26th February, 2009, 8pm
Wax Lyrical @ Colchester Arts Centre

February’s Poetry Link tour is headlined by Chris Hicks – the sharpest legal mind in poetry. Chris is a quarter of Aisle16 and his work has featured on McSweeneys, Radio 1 and Resonance FM. He has performed at Reading, Glastonbury, Leeds, Latitude and Port Elliot Literature Festival.

With Susie Showers, Drew Taylor and Ross Sutherland.

ST ALBANS: Chris Hicks on Poetry Link tour

Wednesday, 25th February, 2009, 8pm
Oral Cabaret @ The Maltings Arts Theatre

February’s Poetry Link tour is headlined by Chris Hicks – the sharpest legal mind in poetry. Chris is a quarter of Aisle16 and his work has featured on McSweeneys, Radio 1 and Resonance FM. He has performed at Reading, Glastonbury, Leeds, Latitude and Port Elliot Literature Festival.

With Mat Lloyd.

PETERBOROUGH: Chris Hicks on Poetry Link tour

Tuesday, 24th February, 2009, 8pm
Speakeasy @ The Glass Onion

February’s Poetry Link tour is headlined by Chris Hicks – the sharpest legal mind in poetry. Chris is a quarter of Aisle16 and his work has featured on McSweeneys, Radio 1 and Resonance FM. He has performed at Reading, Glastonbury, Leeds, Latitude and Port Elliot Literature Festival.

With Jenny Orr and Cardinal Cox.

NORWICH: Chris Hicks on Poetry Link tour

Monday, 23rd February 2009, 8pm, £5
The Monday Night Alternative @ Norwich Arts Centre

February’s Poetry Link tour is headlined by Chris Hicks – the sharpest legal mind in poetry. Chris is a quarter of Aisle16 and his work has featured on McSweeneys, Radio 1 and Resonance FM. He has performed at Reading, Glastonbury, Leeds, Latitude and Port Elliot Literature Festival.
With Molly Naylor, Patrick Lappin and Susie Showers.

SOUTHEND: Chris Hicks on Poetry Link tour

Sunday, 22nd February, 2009, 7pm
Sundown @ Tiffins Restaurant
11-12 The Esplanade,
Southend

February’s Poetry Link tour is headlined by Chris Hicks – the sharpest legal mind in poetry. Chris is a quarter of Aisle16 and his work has featured on McSweeneys, Radio 1 and Resonance FM. He has performed at Reading, Glastonbury, Leeds, Latitude and Port Elliot Literature Festival.

With Project Adorno and Johnny Fluffypunk.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

GALWAY: February Over The Edge reading

Thursday, February 26th, 2009, 6.30-8.00pm.
Galway City Library

The featured readers are Hajo Quade, Marie Cadden and Geraldine Mitchell.

Hajo Quade was born in Germany but has lived in Galway since 1989. He took up writing in 2007 when he did a number of creative writing classes with Susan Millar DuMars. He was runner-up in the 2008 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. Hajo works as a freelance translator and teaches survival techniques for those unfortunate enough to have to battle personal computers on a regular basis.

Marie Cadden was reared in Dublin and the North of England. She has lived in Spiddal, Co. Galway since 1977. She was a teacher of deaf children and children with autism, retiring last year. She is a participant in the Advanced Poetry Workshop at Galway Arts Centre. Her poems have been accepted for publication by Revival and THE SHOp. Marie was longlisted for Over the Edge New Writer of the Year 2008. She has read her poems at Westside Arts Festival & The White House. She was recently a featured poet on Flirt fm radio.

Geraldine Mitchell was born in Dublin and lives near Louisburgh, Co. Mayo. In between she has lived in France, Algeria, Spain and England where she taught English and worked as a freelance journalist. Her previous publications include two novels for young people and a biography. Her poems have been widely published in Irish journals and in the Oxfam Calendar 2009. She is the winner of the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award 2008. In their comments the judges, Moya Cannon and Theo Dorgan, said that Geraldine’s poems display: “a clear-eyed sensibility that considers, but does not judge human fragility”.

As usual there will be an open-mic after the Featured Readers have finished. New readers are always most welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748.

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of Galway City Council & The Arts Council. http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com

LEAMINGTON SPA: PureandGoodandRight

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009, 7pm to book a slot, 7.30pm prompt start, £3/£2
The Fox,
32 Clarendon Avenue,
Leamington Spa
CV32 4RZ

PUREandGOODandRIGHT is an open mic poetry event - we also have great guest performance poets! Every event is an opportunity for YOU to come along and perform your poetry!!

Our VERY special guest this month is our very own and truly amazing Dick Leith. He has been a regular performer at PureandGoodandRight for the last two years. He specialises in daft verse, silly voices and likes nothing more than a good laugh. He is also a singer songwriter, actor, storyteller, lecturer and academic writer...an all-round show-off!

Frequent visitors to PGR will know that even a victim of Medusa's worst stare would find it impossible not to crack a smile at much of Dick's verse. By turns laugh-out-loud funny, bitingly satirical, and often deeply thought provoking - this is a chance to see a true master of his craft being given the chance to do what he does best.

With open mic support from…….YOU! Come and share your poems - seasoned poets and first time performers most welcome!

If you're planning to come along, or would like to know more about the night, please email pgrpoetryandpints@talktalk.net

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

LONDON: Richmix



LONDON: Apples & Snakes In Soho, featuring Ty

Wednesday, 25th February, 2009, £8/£6
Soho Theatre,
21 Dean Street,
London
W1D 3NE

Ty is a name to conjure with. Nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2004. He's a tireless ambassador for UK hip hop, as well as being one of its harshest critics. But he's never forgotten his early days in London's spoken word workshops. And tonight - for one night only - he returns to his roots with a poetry gig. Just the man, his voice, and perhaps a few backing beats.

In support are two prime movers of the current hip-hop/poetry crossover: Ben Mellor is an environmentally-aware wordsmith from Manchester, fast becoming a respected name in hip-hop theatre, whilst MC Angel is a young spitter who honed her art in the UK's first all-female MC battle, and courts acclaim and controversy wherever she goes. Check them out on Youtube.

Finally we introduce Michael Frearson, a poet with a rapper's poise, full of in-your-face anecdotes of lost love and, ahem, cheese. And the sizzling Saran Green - poetry's Ms charisma herself - will be our host for the evening.

Bookings: 02074 780 100
www.sohotheatre.com

Monday, February 09, 2009

LONDON: Lumen Poetry Series

Tuesday, 10th February, 2009, doors open 6.30pm, for 7pm, £4/£3, wine
88 Tavistock Place
London
WC1

Tubes: Russell Square, Kings Cross, St Pancras.

Ruth O'Callaghan presents Acumen Magazine, with Sarah Boyes, Leah Fritz and India Russell. All proceeds go to the Cold Weather Shelter.

Poets from the floor very welcome. Please bring a copy of your poem if you wish to be considered for the anthology sponsored by the thought-provoking Cinnamon Press.

LONDON: Utter! Heartbreak Valentine's / Plath Day Special

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009, 7:30pm - 10:30pm, £5/£3 before 7.30pm.
Green Note Club,
106 Camden Parkway
NW1 7AN

Transport: Camden Town tube, Camden road / Euston overland

All the featured spoken word artistes will be reading both works of their own on heartbreak and delivering some of the work of our Sylvia. They include:
Julia Bird: Previous ajar mic contest winner with a wonderful book, Hannah and the Monk, out with Salt. Her life is a cage, but on stage she's free.
James Kettle: He's had shows on BBC Radios 4 and 7, regularly headlines massive comedy clubs and deputy edits The Fix magazine. His subjects are suburban goth librarians and Tony Slattery, and you can't get any more heartbreak than that really, can you?
Annie Brechin: Published in The Wolf, The Delinquent, Rising and basically everywhere, being lovelorn has never seemed so glamorous. Why she doesn't have a book out yet we don't know.
Vinnie Gibbons: Winner of November's ajar mic contest, a bastard attack poet penning
material about power struggles in the animal kingdom and the plight of dubstep hedgehogs.
PLUS
The Utter! Writing Group themselves with heartbroken writings produced at the group...
PLUS
A dramatic JG Ballard-esque reenactment of the death of Sylvia Plath starring Richard Tyrone-Jones as Ted Hughes and Robert Yates as Elizabeth Taylor! With puppets.

The legendary AJAR MIC CONTEST: Rob Autton, Rowyda Amin, Amy Blakemore, and John Stiles reading from his novel Taking the Stairs. YOU vote to decide who wins a full paid slot at Utter! Bringing all your mates along to vote for you is positively welcomed, by the way.

Facebook event: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102538500230
Phone: 07912 539 098
Email: richardtyronejones@gmail.com
Utter! writing group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5704768293

Saturday, February 07, 2009

CHELMSFORD: I Scream Sunday

Sunday, 8th February, 2009, 7pm, £5
Barhouse,
16 Victoria Street,
Chelmsford,
Essex

I Scream Sunday presents Why Wait for Valentine’s Party - open mic poetry, and featuring Dee Mardi on romance, washing lines and all that jazz.

www.derek-adams.co.uk
BBC Wildlife Poet of the Year 2006

Friday, February 06, 2009

LONDON: Shoestring Take 5 '09

Friday, 20th February, 2009, 7pm (doors open 6.30), £4/£3, wine
Trinity United Reform Church
1 Buck St,
Camden Town
(2 minutes Camden Town tube.)

Ruth O'Callaghan presents Shoestring's Take 5 '09 Australian edition with Adrian Caesar, Christopher Salveson and guest poet Peter Porter. Poets from the floor very welcome. Cinnamon Press is our new sponsor - please bring a copy of the poem if you wish to be considered for the new anthology.

Proceeds to COLD WEATHER SHELTER

BALLINA: Kevin Higgins

Thursday, February 19th, 2009, 8pm
Ballina Arts Centre

Kevin Higgins was born in London in 1967, and grew up in Galway City, where he still lives. He is co-organiser of the highly successful Over The Edge literary events. His two poetry collections are The Boy With No Face (Salmon, 2005) and Time Gentlemen, Please (Salmon, 2008). The Boy With No Face was short-listed for the 2006 Strong Award and has recently gone to its second printing. One of the poems from Time Gentlemen, Please, My Militant Tendency, features in the Forward Book of Poetry 2009. He is the poetry critic of The Galway Advertiser. His work will be featured in the forthcoming anthology Identity Parade – The New British and Irish Poets (Bloodaxe, 2010). His third collection of poems, Frightening New Furniture, will be published by Salmon Poetry next year.

http://www.ballinaartscentre.com/events/2009/feb/19/kevin-higgins-reading/

LONDON: Apples & Snakes Open Mic

Thursday, February 19th, 2009, 7.30pm, £3
The Albany,
Douglas Way,
London,
SE8 4AG

Newcomers meet the seasoned performers on equal terms. It's simple - a roomful of poets, performers and people who just want to hear poetry. Arrive early and claim your all important slot in the spotlight. Hosted by Inua 'Phaze' Ellams and featuring Esther Poyer.

Box Office:02086924446

Info:www.applesandsnakes.org/02084656154

BRADFORD: Basir Sultan Kazmi in performance

Friday 20th February, 6.30pm, FREE
Theatre in the Mill,
University of Bradford
Reserve your place by calling 01274 233200

Born in Pakistan in 1955, Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of Bradford, Basir Sultan Kazmi, is a poet who works in the ghazal tradition, following in the footsteps of his late father, Nasir Kazmi.

Basir both studied and taught English Literature at the Government College Lahore where he edited Ravi (1974) and ran the college literary and dramatic societies. He studied for his M.Ed, P.G.C.E and M.Phil at the University of Manchester between 1991 and 2000. Currently a teacher in Manchester, Basir has also worked for the BBC Asian programme (19991-92) and has conducted poetry and drama workshops all over the UK.

He has published an Urdu poetry collection Moj-e-Khayal (1997) and his translations of ghazals were published as A Little Bridge (1997) and Generations of Ghazals (2003) as well as in several magazines and anthologies.

Basir’s Urdu play Bisaat was published in 1987 and its translation The Chess Board in 1997. In 1992 he won the North West Playwrights Workshop Award.

His plays have been performed in theatres across the north of England and he has given poetry readings in Europe, Pakistan and the USA.

TLMC on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7080962005

Myspace www.myspace.com/tasminlittlemusiccentre

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

SHEFFIELD: Cake Open Mic

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009, from 8pm
CAKE art space,
above Lounge bar,
West Street,
Sheffield

This is only our second event, but the first was awesome, so it's back by popular demand and now it's monthly! An open mic event, featuring spokenword, haiku, poetry, slam, sonnet - everyone welcome!

LONDON: Ride The Word

Wednesday, 18th February 2009, 7.30pm-9pm, FREE
Holborn Library,
32-38 Theobalds Road,
London
WC1X 8PA

On stage will be Jay Merill, Elizabeth Baines, Julia Bird, Vincent De Souza and Katy Evans-Bush, plus special guests Rack Press and New River Writers.

LONDON: Sundays at the Oto

Sunday, February 15th, 2009, 3pm-5 pm, £4 entry.
Café Oto,
18-22 Ashwin Street,
Dalston,
London
E8 3DL

Presented by Peter Philpott, and featuring Sarah Jacobs, Richard Makin, Dawn Scarfe and Mel Gough.

Art, language and music come together. Sarah Jacobs is a sculptor making objects, performance, installation, books on paper, and books in electronic form. Her electronic piece Deciphering Human Chromosome 16: We Report Here uses text in a visual way to document the ethical, economic, political and philosophical polemics associated with mapping the human genome, and their changes through time
Richard Makin is a writer of fiction and poetry and a visual artist. Experience his language as a complex and haunting landscape to drift across.
Carillon is an experimental sound performance by artists Dawn Scarfe and Mel Gough. Guitars are tuned to resonant nodes in cymbals to produce a rich bell-like sound. The aim is to investigate accents and textures within the spectrum of resonant sound in immersive and meditative live exploration. Expect from this afternoon completely new stances on language, music and performance!



for further information:



* http://www.myspace.com/sundaysattheoto
* Facebook Group: Sundays at the Oto

CHELMSFORD: I Scream Sunday

Sunday, 8th February, 2009, 7pm, £5
Barhouse,
16 Victoria Street,
Chelmsford,
Essex

I Scream Sunday presents Why Wait for Valentine’s Party - open mic poetry, and featuring Dee Mardi on romance, washing lines and all that jazz.

www.derek-adams.co.uk
BBC Wildlife Poet of the Year 2006

GLASGOW: Waxing Lyrical

Monday, 16th February 2009, 7.30pm, £1
Waxy O'Connors
44 West George Street
Glasgow

Outspoken Word presents Waxing Lyrical, the newest monthly spoken word evening on the block. Hosted by J.S. Savage and Ray Evans - the aforementioned Outspoken Word - this peomises to be an uncompromising evening of hard hitting verse and uncensored lyric.

Monday, February 02, 2009

LONDON: Shearsman Reading Series

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009, 7.30pm, FREE
Swedenborg Hall,
Swedenborg House,
20/21 Bloomsbury Way,
London
WC1A 2TH

The second in Shearsman's 2009 Reading Series features Martin Anderson and Claire Crowther, both of whom have new collections from Shearsman Books:

http://www.shearsman.com/pages/books/catalog/2009/anderson2009.html
http://www.shearsman.com/pages/books/catalog/2009/crowtherCWG.html

LONDON: Shearsman Reading Series

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009, 7.30pm, FREE
Swedenborg Hall,
Swedenborg House,
20/21 Bloomsbury Way,
London
WC1A 2TH

The second in Shearsman's 2009 Reading Series features Martin Anderson and Claire Crowther, both of whom have new collections from Shearsman Books:

http://www.shearsman.com/pages/books/catalog/2009/anderson2009.html
http://www.shearsman.com/pages/books/catalog/2009/crowtherCWG.html

LONDON: Hammer and Tongue

Monday, February 2nd, 2009, 7.30pm-11pm, £5/4 (free entry for first 8 slammers to sign up on the door)
Green Note Cafe
106 Parkway
NW1 7AN
London

The unremitting misery of January banished, Hammer and Tongue warmly welcomes you to February's London night of depravity, top flight poetry and obscure foodstuffs at Camden's warmest, cosiest drinking den, the Green Note Cafe. Shipped in from the far antipodes, Australia's favourite performance poet and Nimbim World Cup winner Tug Dumbly will be doling out his very unique brand of macabre storytelling and ably supported by Brighton's poetry brothel keeper, Chris Parkinson.

The first eight lithe, primed poets to sign up for the slam get in for free and the winner will go on to compete in the London Hammer and Tongue slam final later in the Spring. Our London champion will be pitted against the nation's finest, with the winner going to to perform with us at Glastonbury, and many an exciting place on top of that.

For any more info call Michelle on 07809 236133

LONDON: Steel Grasped Poetry Mic Night

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009, 7.45pm (book in early)
Up top of The Sir Richard Steeles,
Haverstock Hill,
Belsize Park
London
NW3

Steel Grasped Poetry Mic Night, presented by Steve James.
Featuring John (Jazz Man) Clarke, who has a stylish jazz delivery to his poetry work. Alongside this we shall be announcing a new North London poetry competition. The place where celebrities may be seen, poetry will be heard.