Our second live poetry event
Shall we drink coffee, eat crisps and read poetry to one another?
Friends, I have procrastinated.
And when this happens it tends to mean I have fallen pray to my tendency to over-think:
“We’ll do another poetry open mic night. But it is probably too soon after the first one? Ok, we’ll do a collective poetry writing night? But what even is that, no one will turn up. Fine, we’ll write together on a prompt? But isn’t that what we do weekly anyway? Right, this is proving tricky. What to do? How about…nothing.”
Just a little insight into my thought processes for you there.
There are so many places we could go with our live virtual events. And I’ve realised that actually, the idea of these events evolving each time, just as our poetry pen pal letters do each week, is an enjoyable one. We should definitely go back to the ‘open-mic’ style format at some point because it was sooo good. And I would LOVE to write a collective poem.
But how about for our second virtual event, we just drink coffee, eat crisps and read / chat about some poetry? This was the most popular option on the poll I did a few months back. We read some poetry and we chat about some poetry. And maybe, maybe, seeing how we get on, we could finish with a cheeky little poetry write. Depending on how we get on for time?
It will be warm and relaxed with zero requirement to know any poetry facts (I know very few poetry facts). Come along to listen to some poetry read out loud and let the chat flow over you OR to join in the discussion. And by discussion, I don’t mean the more literary, “what poetic techniques can we see employed in this poem,” type chat. I do like that sort of chat, but this isn’t a poetry workshop. I mean more, “wow, this poem took my breath away,” or, “anyone else completely lost by what the title meant,” type chat. I tell you this because as a poetry novice, previously the idea of me having to give an opinion on a poem out loud would have made me want to shove my head under the nearest cushion. I’d have liked the idea of the poetry and the chat but been worried about joining in. So, if this is you, please don’t let that put you off coming along. This will be, in my entirely subjective and unofficial opinion, the most playful, laid back, entirely welcoming poetry event around.
Did I mention that I always imagined Poetry Pals being like a corner table at the back of a great coffee shop where a group of women just hang out and get giddy about some flaming gorgeous poetry which then inspires us to write our own words. It’s just that really, but without, erm, the coffee shop.
So, here’s the date for your diary - Thursday 9th May, 8pm (London). Joining details below.
These events are for paid subscribers, but if finances are a problem for you please just send me a quick DM. And if you’re not in the community yet, come on in, what are you waiting for…
It’s going to be fun!