This will be a lighthearted  open meeting and you are encouraged to bring poems relating to Christmas, New Year  or Winter. Mince pies will of course be available. The cafe will be open to provide seasonal liquid refreshment. 

Diane Summer leads this evening.   Will we all be sitting under the shade of a coolibah tree by the billabong while the hot antipodean sun shines……….?

There is much more to the vast continent of Australia than Waltzing Matilda – come along and hear the poetry.

These competition evenings are always fun!   The theme this year is ‘The Poetic Highway Code’ and this should bring forth an interesting collection of poems from our inventive poetry group members.

As always, we hope you can come and read your entry at the meeting, but if you cannot come or would prefer not to read, your poem will be read by one of our resident ‘readers’.

Ouir Judge this year is Sandra Snelling, well known for her work at the Swan Theatre in Yeovil.  

Note – Our venue is The Village Cafe in East Coker

Can poetry have therapeutic value?   Our main speaker will be a presentation by poet Ellie Sturrock who works within Dorset NHS.

Poetry group member Trevor Pearce will also be reading poetry from his personal experience.

This will be a ‘new area’ for the group and I hope it will stimulate interest in this facet of poetry.

Iona Lambe, Peter Tait, Stephen Beer and Catherine Simmonds each present a short reading of their personal choice of poetry.

This is likely to be a very interesting mix of poetry.

Philip Larkin and John Betjeman are quintessentially English poets who are often regarded as reflecting different aspects of twentieth-century Britain.
Jem Langworthy presents this evening and is of the view that their personalities and poetry – though at odds in many respects – have more in common than one might imagine. Listen to the poetry and see what you think.

Bring a couple of poems to read – or just come and listen and be entertained by the variety of poetry that always makes these evenings popular.

Virginia Astley has chosen the River Thames for her latest collection of poetry.  A much admired songwriter and musician since the 1980s, Virginia is known for her engaging lyrics as well as for her melodious style.   Now her other two passions take centre stage in this book: poetry and the River Thames. She grew up by the river’s upper reaches and in recent years has returned to the Thames, working for a summer as an assistant lock-keeper, and walking its length to record and respond to its landscapes, river life and river folk as a poet and photographer.

She will be reading from this collection with harp accompaniment.

This meeting will take the form of a ‘sit-down’ meal; the poetry and music intertwined between the courses.  Booking will be required as we are limited in numbers and the cost will be £16-00 a head.  Details of the menu and how to book will be given in the next Newsletter or email via this website contact page.

Leonard Cohen was a poet and novelist before he became a singer. 

This evening tries to encapsulate this and present some of his beautiful poems and lyrics.

The evening will be lead by Heather Murphy.

Bring a couple of poems to read.  Read your own or any poem you feel will interest the group.

Or just come and listen.  These open evenings are always popular.