These open meetings always produce a great mix of poetry.  There is was no theme for this meeting and the poetry ranged widely with a variety of styles and moods.  Some excellent Christmas cake specially made for the occasion by Iona Lambe ensured that the meeting was a success!

The winner of the 2009 competition was Jane Williams with her poem ‘Space’ that can be read, along with the other entries, on our Competition page. All the entries were read at the well attended meeting, held in the Apple Loft of the Helyar Arms.  This year our Judge was Anthony Watts who was the winner last year.

Katrina Porteous, poet, historian and broadcaster came to East Coker on a rare visit to the South West. Her particular interests include the inshore fishing community of the Northumberland coast, and the cultural and natural history of that area and her poetry brought this alive in a vivid and exciting way. 
‘Katrina Porteous, now being hailed as one of the most exciting talents of the North East: . . ..’ (Alan Franks, The Times).
 

This was an evening of Scottish and Welsh Poetry to redress any charge of bias following our ‘England’ evening in April.  Jean Caunter and Joyce Best lead a group of our members reading for this ‘themed’ event.  The evening started with a rousing bagpipe introduction by Hugh Constable.

South Poetry Magazine was established in 1990, to promote poetry from, for and about, the southern counties of England. Since then its scope has widened to include poet-contributors from all over the world, but it continues to be edited and run from the south. Regular contributors to South, Tim Harris from the South Management Team, Joan McGavin and Stella Davis, who now lives in locally, read a selection of their work, and hoped to find among the East Coker audience, some new contributors to the magazine.

Our last ‘Open Evening’ in January was so popular that we decided to have a Summer open evening too.  There was no specific subject; just anything that members thought would interest the group.  

“300 Trees” – an evening of poems (and photographic images) inspired by Moscow, its people and traditions, presented by Brian Patman. Brian Patman won the East Coker Poetry competition in 2007 and his masterful judging of our 2008 competition was one of the highlights of our poetry meetings last year.

Anne Bingley hosted this St Georges Day evening.  Poetry about ‘England’ read by Anne Bingley, Clive Bingley and Richard Vickers. 

‘Poetry and films’

Paddy Hughes joined the RAF and became a fast jet fighter pilot. He flew Hunters and the 1000 mph Lightning. Through illness, he was forced to change careers and became a documentary film writer. A couple of lucky breaks and he became a director. In all he has made over 500 films and video programmes many of which have won major British or international awards.

He began writing poetry in 1971. They span from life at school to the excitement of front-line flying, film work, rugby, travel and concern for the environment. Many are about the moods, weather, seasons, flora, fauna and characters of Richmond Park.
 

Jo Waterworth presented an evening of her poetry. She is an accomplished poet whose poetry is often surprising, offbeat and never dull. She is an enthusiastic advocate of modern poetry.