');--icon-close:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 20 20'%3E%3Cpath d='M15.898 4.045c-.271-.272-.713-.272-.986 0l-4.71 4.711-4.709-4.711c-.272-.272-.714-.272-.986 0s-.272.714 0 .986l4.709 4.711-4.71 4.711c-.272.271-.272.713 0 .986.136.136.314.203.492.203.179 0 .357-.067.493-.203l4.711-4.711 4.71 4.711c.137.136.314.203.494.203.178 0 .355-.067.492-.203.273-.273.273-.715 0-.986l-4.711-4.711 4.711-4.711c.274-.272.274-.714 0-.986z'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-chevron-down:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=US-ASCII,%3Csvg%20width%3D%2220%22%20height%3D%2220%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M5%206l5%205%205-5%202%201-7%207-7-7%202-1z%22%20fill%3D%22%23555%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E");--icon-chevron-up:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'%3E%3Cg fill='%23555'%3E%3Cpath d='M5.8 16.4c.4 0 .7-.1.9-.4l4.3-4.6c.5-.5 1.4-.5 1.9 0l4.3 4.6c.2.3.6.4.9.4 1.1 0 1.7-1.3.9-2.1l-6.2-6.8c-.5-.6-1.4-.6-1.9 0l-6.2 6.8c-.5.8.1 2.1 1.1 2.1z'%3E%3C/path%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-magnifying-glass:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' xml:space='preserve' viewBox='0 0 53.627 53.627'%3E%3Cpath d='M53.627 49.385 37.795 33.553C40.423 30.046 42 25.709 42 21 42 9.42 32.58 0 21 0S0 9.42 0 21s9.42 21 21 21c4.709 0 9.046-1.577 12.553-4.205l15.832 15.832 4.242-4.242zM2 21C2 10.523 10.523 2 21 2s19 8.523 19 19-8.523 19-19 19S2 31.477 2 21zm33.567 15.093c.178-.172.353-.347.525-.525.146-.151.304-.29.445-.445l14.262 14.262-1.415 1.415-14.261-14.263c.155-.141.293-.299.444-.444z'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-location-on:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'%3E%3Cg fill='%2389ba89'%3E%3Cpath d='M12 1C7.6 1 4 4.6 4 9s8 14 8 14 8-9.6 8-14-3.6-8-8-8zm0 12c-2.2 0-4-1.8-4-4s1.8-4 4-4 4 1.8 4 4-1.8 4-4 4z'%3E%3C/path%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-location-off:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'%3E%3Cg fill='%23c46464'%3E%3Cpath d='M12 1C7.6 1 4 4.6 4 9s8 14 8 14 8-9.6 8-14-3.6-8-8-8zm0 12c-2.2 0-4-1.8-4-4s1.8-4 4-4 4 1.8 4 4-1.8 4-4 4z'%3E%3C/path%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-checkmark:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'%3E%3Cg fill='%23555'%3E%3Cpath d='M22.5 4.5c-.8-.8-2.2-.8-3 0L9 15l-4.5-4.5c-.8-.8-2.2-.8-3 0s-.8 2.2 0 3L9 21 22.5 7.5c.8-.8.8-2.2 0-3z'%3E%3C/path%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-plus:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 256 256' fill='%23555'%3E%3Cpath d='M220 128a4.0002 4.0002 0 0 1-4 4h-84v84a4 4 0 0 1-8 0v-84H40a4 4 0 0 1 0-8h84V40a4 4 0 0 1 8 0v84h84a4.0002 4.0002 0 0 1 4 4Z'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-minus:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 256 256' fill='%23555'%3E%3Cpath d='M216 132H40a4 4 0 0 1 0-8h176a4 4 0 0 1 0 8Z'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-compass:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'%3E%3Cg fill='%23555555'%3E%3Cpath d='M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12s4.5 10 10 10 10-4.5 10-10S17.5 2 12 2zm0 18c-4.4 0-8-3.6-8-8s3.6-8 8-8 8 3.6 8 8-3.6 8-8 8zM12 4l-2 8 2 8 2-8-2-8zm0 9c-.6 0-1-.4-1-1s.4-1 1-1 1 .4 1 1-.4 1-1 1z'%3E%3C/path%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-options-v:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'%3E%3Cg fill='%23555555'%3E%3Ccircle cx='12' cy='12' r='2'%3E%3C/circle%3E%3Ccircle cx='12' cy='5' r='2'%3E%3C/circle%3E%3Ccircle cx='12' cy='19' r='2'%3E%3C/circle%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E");--icon-point-down:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 24 24'%3E%3Cg fill='%23555555'%3E%3Cpath d='M7.8 7h8.5c.8 0 1.3.8.9 1.5L13 15.6c-.4.6-1.3.6-1.7 0L6.9 8.5C6.5 7.8 7 7 7.8 7z'%3E%3C/path%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E");--button-icon-padding:20px}.em.pixelbones{scroll-behavior:smooth!important;font-size:var(--font-size)!important;line-height:var(--line-height)!important;font-weight:var(--font-weight)!important;font-family:var(--font-family)!important;color:var(--text-color-normal)!important;background-color:var(--background-color)!important}.em.pixelbones a{color:var(--accent-color)!important;background-color:transparent!important;-webkit-box-shadow:none!important;box-shadow:none!important}.em.pixelbones *{box-sizing:border-box!important}.em.pixelbones h3{margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:20px!important;font-weight:300!important}.em.pixelbones h3{font-size:calc(var(--font-size) + 20px)!important;line-height:1.25!important;letter-spacing:-1px!important}.em.pixelbones h3{font-size:calc(var(--font-size) + 14px)!important;line-height:1.3!important}@media (min-width:600px){.em.pixelbones h3{font-size:calc(var(--font-size) + 20px)!important}}.em.pixelbones p{margin:0 0 5px!important;line-height:var(--line-height)!important}.em.pixelbones p{margin-bottom:25px!important}.em .em-icon{display:inline-block;font-size:20px;line-height:22px;width:20px;height:20px;color:var(--meta-dashicons);margin:0 0 -4px;padding:0;background-position:0 0;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:20px}.em .em-icon.em-icon-calendar{background-image:var(--icon-calendar)}.em .em-icon.em-icon-clock{background-image:var(--icon-clock)}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-image{min-width:150px;width:100%;height:100%}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-image.has-placeholder{display:flex;justify-content:center;align-items:center}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-image .em-item-image-placeholder{width:100%;max-width:150px;aspect-ratio:1/1;background:var(--icon-calendar-empty) center center no-repeat;background-size:100%;opacity:.45}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-image .em-item-image-placeholder div:first-child{align-self:end}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-meta .em-item-meta-line{line-height:22px;margin-bottom:10px;display:grid;grid-template-columns:35px 1fr}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-meta .em-item-meta-line .em-icon{margin-right:15px}.em.em-list{width:100%;display:grid;grid-template-rows:1fr;grid-gap:25px}.em.em-list .em-item{width:100%;display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) 2fr;border-top:1px solid #efefef;padding:30px 4px 3px;background-color:var(--meta-bg);color:var(--default-color)}.em.em-list .em-item:first-child{border-top:0;padding-top:5px}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-info{border-left:4px solid var(--default-border);padding:0 10px 0 35px}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-info h3.em-item-title{font-size:22px;line-height:26px;font-weight:400;clear:none;margin:0 0 7px;padding:0;text-decoration:none}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-info h3.em-item-title a{color:var(--a-color-1);text-decoration:none}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-info .em-item-meta{margin-bottom:20px;display:flex;flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-info .em-item-meta>div{flex:1 1 50%;min-width:250px}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-info .em-item-desc{font-size:16px;margin:20px 0}.em.em-events-list .em-item-image .em-item-image-placeholder div.date{display:grid;grid-template-rows:7fr 4fr;justify-content:center;align-items:start;height:100%;min-width:125px}.em.em-events-list .em-item-image .em-item-image-placeholder div.date span{text-align:center;display:block;font-size:30px;line-height:30px}.em.em-events-list .em-item-image .em-item-image-placeholder div.date span.day{font-size:45px;line-height:45px;align-self:end}.em.em-view-container{position:relative}.em-view-container,div[data-view-id]{position:relative}body .em{--font-family:inherit;--font-weight:inherit;--font-size:1em;--line-height:inherit}.page-header-wall{background-image:url(https://www.eastcokerpoetry.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/rough-edge-white-bottom-2.png),url(https://www.eastcokerpoetry.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/rough-edge-white-top-2.png),url(https://www.eastcokerpoetry.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/wall.jpg);background-repeat:repeat-x,repeat-x,no-repeat;background-position:bottom left,top left,50% 55%;background-size:60% auto,60% auto,cover}.wp-block-uagb-container{display:flex;position:relative;box-sizing:border-box}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-is-root-container{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto}.wp-block-uagb-container.alignfull.uagb-is-root-container .uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap{display:flex;position:relative;box-sizing:border-box;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important}body .wp-block-uagb-container>.uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap>*:not(.wp-block-uagb-container):not(.wp-block-uagb-column):not(.wp-block-uagb-container):not(.wp-block-uagb-section):not(.uagb-container__shape):not(.uagb-container__video-wrap):not(.wp-block-spectra-pro-register):not(.wp-block-spectra-pro-login):not(.uagb-slider-container):not(.spectra-image-gallery__control-lightbox),body .wp-block-uagb-container>.uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap,body .wp-block-uagb-container>*:not(.wp-block-uagb-container):not(.wp-block-uagb-column):not(.wp-block-uagb-container):not(.wp-block-uagb-section):not(.uagb-container__shape):not(.uagb-container__video-wrap):not(.wp-block-uagb-image):not(.wp-block-spectra-pro-register):not(.wp-block-spectra-pro-login):not(.uagb-slider-container):not(.spectra-container-link-overlay):not(.spectra-image-gallery__control-lightbox):not(.wp-block-uagb-lottie):not(.uagb-faq__outer-wrap){min-width:unset!important;width:100%;position:relative}@media only screen and (max-width:767px){.wp-block-uagb-container .wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading{width:-webkit-fill-available!important}}.wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading .uagb-heading-text{margin:0}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-is-root-container.alignfull.uagb-block-a1e4f3fe>.uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap{--inner-content-custom-width:min(100%,1240px);max-width:var(--inner-content-custom-width);width:100%;flex-direction:column;align-items:flex-start;justify-content:center;flex-wrap:nowrap;row-gap:20px;column-gap:20px}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-a1e4f3fe{box-shadow:0px 0px #00000070;padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:0;padding-right:0;margin-top:!important;margin-bottom:!important;row-gap:20px;column-gap:20px;overflow:visible;border-color:inherit;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:50% 60%;background-size:cover;background-attachment:scroll;background-clip:padding-box}.wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading.uagb-block-eef4e722.wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading .uagb-heading-text{color:var(--ast-global-color-5);text-shadow:2px 2px 3px var(--ast-global-color-1)}.wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading.uagb-block-eef4e722 .uagb-heading-text{font-size:3.4em}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-is-root-container.alignfull.uagb-block-80f2330d>.uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap{--inner-content-custom-width:min(100%,1240px);max-width:var(--inner-content-custom-width);width:100%;flex-direction:column;align-items:center;justify-content:center;flex-wrap:nowrap;row-gap:20px;column-gap:20px}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-80f2330d{box-shadow:0px 0px #00000070;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0;padding-right:0;margin-top:!important;margin-bottom:!important;row-gap:20px;column-gap:20px;overflow:visible;border-color:inherit}@media only screen and (max-width:976px){.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-is-root-container.alignfull.uagb-block-a1e4f3fe>.uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap{--inner-content-custom-width:min(100%,1024px);max-width:var(--inner-content-custom-width);width:100%}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-a1e4f3fe{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:0;padding-right:0;margin-top:!important;margin-bottom:!important;background-clip:padding-box}.wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading.uagb-block-eef4e722 .uagb-heading-text{font-size:2.6px}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-is-root-container.alignfull.uagb-block-80f2330d>.uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap{--inner-content-custom-width:min(100%,1024px);max-width:var(--inner-content-custom-width);width:100%}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-80f2330d{padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0;padding-right:0;margin-top:!important;margin-bottom:!important}}@media only screen and (max-width:767px){.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-is-root-container.alignfull.uagb-block-a1e4f3fe>.uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap{--inner-content-custom-width:min(100%,767px);max-width:var(--inner-content-custom-width);width:100%;flex-wrap:wrap}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-a1e4f3fe{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:0;padding-right:0;margin-top:!important;margin-bottom:!important;background-clip:padding-box}.wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading.uagb-block-eef4e722 .uagb-heading-text{font-size:2.4px}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-is-root-container.alignfull.uagb-block-80f2330d>.uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap{--inner-content-custom-width:min(100%,767px);max-width:var(--inner-content-custom-width);width:100%;flex-wrap:wrap}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-80f2330d{padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0;padding-right:0;margin-top:!important;margin-bottom:!important}}#ast-mobile-header .content-align-flex-start{max-height:60vh;overflow:auto}@media (min-width:922px){.ast-container{max-width:1280px}}@media (min-width:993px){.ast-container{max-width:1280px}}@media (min-width:1201px){.ast-container{max-width:1280px}}.ast-above-header,.ast-below-header{max-width:100%}.site-title,.site-title a{font-family:'Marcellus',serif;line-height:1.6em}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-info h3.em-item-title a{color:#4d5c85}.em.pixelbones h3{font-size:1.5rem!important}@media only screen and (min-width:921px){.em.pixelbones h3{font-size:1.8rem!important}}.em.pixelbones a{color:#4d5c85!important}.em.em-list .em-item{background:#fff;padding:25px}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-meta .em-item-meta-line{font-weight:700}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-meta .em-item-meta-line{width:66%}@media only screen and (max-width:767px){.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-image.has-placeholder{display:-webkit-flex;display:flex;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;-webkit-align-items:center;align-items:center}.em.em-list .em-item .em-item-image .em-item-image-placeholder{max-width:120px}.em.em-events-list .em-item-image .em-item-image-placeholder div.date span.day{font-size:35px;line-height:35px;-webkit-align-self:end;align-self:end}.em.em-events-list .em-item-image .em-item-image-placeholder div.date span{font-size:20px;line-height:25px}}#primary{margin:0}p{max-width:60em}#primary{display:flex;justify-content:center}#main{max-width:1024px}.ast-site-identity{padding:1em 0;display:flex;flex-direction:column;align-items:center}.page-header-wall{background-image:url("https://www.eastcokerpoetry.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/wall.jpg");background-repeat:repeat-x,repeat-x,no-repeat;background-position:bottom left,top left,50% 55%;background-size:60% auto,60% auto,cover}}
Archive – East Coker Poetry Group
Skip to content
Sounding the Silence with R S Thomas. A talk by John Summers
R S Thomas was a Welsh Poet and Priest. John Summers will be exploring how he interpreted silence in his poetry, focusing particularly on the silence of place, the silence of self and the silence of God.
He will explore how R S Thomas found redemption in the menace and danger of quietness and absence.
A poet for difficult times like ours.
Two Bristol poets, Elizabeth Parker and Luke Palmer, are coming to East Coker to read. Both poets are recently published; Luke Palmer was the winner of this year’s Prole Pamphlet Competition for Spring in the Hospital , and Elizabeth Parker has had her debut collection In her Shambles published in 2018.
Christmas Open Evening
Ho! Ho! Ho! This is the time to bring some really highbrow poetry (like limericks) to add to the festive season.
Come and read your own poetry or something by any poet that you think will entertain the group – or just come and eat mince pies………
2018 marks the 100-year anniversary of the Representation of the People Act which first gave women the right to vote.
Chris Salberg and Margaret Hamilton have put together this evening on their personal view of women’s poetry.
The theme this year was ‘Colours ’. Every poet taking part was allocated a colour – how this was to be interpreted was left entirely to the poet.
The competition evening brought surprising and varied poetry and was great fun. All the poems entered in our competition were read on the night. Our three equal winners were :-
Chris Salberg with On the Madonna and Child by Bernardo Daddi, 1348
Diane Summer with The Art of Man
Ama Bolton with Yellow Ochre
Our judge this year was Dorset artist Jenny Cuthbert – our thanks to her for taking on this difficult task
November sees the centenary of the Armistice which brought an end to the First World War.
Jem Langworthy presented – with the aid of volunteer and conscript readers – an evening of poetry written by and about those who lived through the years 1914 to 1918, from the jingoists to the pacifists and the soldiers who found themselves ‘here because we’re here because we’re here…’.
We saw how the war affected the poetry of some well-known writers and heard some too-often overlooked poetry written by women – nurses, wives, girlfriends, mothers. In addition to some refreshingly humorous verse written at the time we looked at poetry written long after the war which attempted to put it in some perspective.
Kim Squirrel and music
Bridport poet, Kim Squirrel, comes to East Coker
An open meeting to bring some poetry books or booklets and tell us how the cover design works for you – and why.
And perhaps read a poem or two from the books…….
This was a joint meeting with the Wells Fountain Poets and Taunton Fire River Poets at the excellent Great Bow Wharf facility in Langport.
It was a lovely relaxed day. The sun shone; the poetry flowed; a good time was had.
Readings from the Bard’s poetry or plays.
Heather Murphy coordinating the ecellent evening and many of our members read from a good variety of Shakespeare’s poetry and plays.