My diary posts are the place for a bit of my news, poetry community news, plus my adventures in creativity including features on what’s out now, upcoming and nurturing your practice.
This is going to be short and sweet hopefully as there’s that whole Christmas preparation thing to do for a festival don’t even really hold with beyond the impulse to eat, drink and be merry.
My MA course has been a bit of a social whirl with readings from the tutors, from first and second years, from recent graduates and now concludes with a final end of term event on the 16th of December. So haven’t had a lot of time to keep up with events elsewhere.
OUT NOW
From one of my poetry community sisters, we have INHERITANCE, the debut pamphlet for Jasmine Cooray, a Poetry Book Society Recommendation Winter 2023, described as, “a profoundly moving exploration of what is passed down by our forebearers, what is left behind when we lose someone, and what we learn from being loved.” Anthony Joseph
She says, “Absolutely overjoyed to announce that ‘my debut poetry collection ‘Inheritance’ is now out. Look at the beautiful cover!!! Thankyou to @badbettypress for making it happen! And extra thanks to Anthony Joseph for his generous endorsement.”
Available to order here
COMING UP
The Poetry Society are holding an event in Johannesburg on 4th December, new poems will be unveiled as The Poetry Society is supporting Portland Japanese Garden in a South Africa Peace Symposium featuring readings from a commissioned poet Siphokazi Jonas alongside Young Poets Network winners – find out more here.
Free Mind – Spoken Word Wednesday takes place at the The Dalston Lounge, 13 Bradbury St, London
A regular event that, “Free Mind is not just a poetry event, it’s an experience that connects people through the power of words. The atmosphere is electric, and the audience is encouraged to participate and engage with the poets.”
Book via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-mind-spoken-word-wednesday-tickets-654370709407
A heads up the T S Eliot prize readings take place on 14th January 7pm at the Southbank. As Malika Booker puts it, “it’s my kick starter for the year.” Make it yours.
NURTURING YOUR PRACTICE
Registration is open for The Climate of Change Poetry Workshops, 2024 – UK morning presented by Cath Drake who writes, “This is a time of great change, and writers are at the forefront of describing and envisaging change. We will explore cherishing and re-envisaging our world. We need innovation, understanding, adaptation and resilience as our climate changes and as we try to do what we can.”
In the U.K. these take place at 10am London time // 5pm Perth Australia // 7pm Sydney & Brisbane Australia // 6.30pm Adelaide & Darwin
In addition there is an evening option 6.30pm to 9pm UK time https://www.cathdrake.com/events/climatechangepoetryworkshopsevening/
Poetry Society are offering feedback on poems at a friendly poetry workshop on Zoom with Vanessa Kisuule on 14 December 6pm GMT? Details here
LAST WORD
This is meant to be a season of comfort, peace and joy. It’s hard sometimes to truly believe that, and definitely hard to believe it at a time like this when we takes to our screens of one kind or another. I ardently believe though it seems to be getting darker the veils that have clouded our vision are being lifted. The true meaning of apocalypse.
We see the world as it truly is, tortured and traumatised, we are given the gift to see ourselves as we truly are flawed and wounded, maybe even broken and yet our destiny is nothing less than to create a new world from the rubble of the old, whether politically or personally, and to heal and transform ourselves in the process.
In my opinion there is no one saviour, as god is in all of us and we are all part of god, as much as every blade of grass or limping arthropod. And driven by our collective spirits and will that yearn for respect, recognition, compassion, empathy and love as love conquers all, we are all Neo. Namaste.
A blog post by Anne Enith Cooper
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