Wenlock Poetry Festival

5th - 7th

April2013

WenlockPoetryFestival

enlock

Po

etry Festival

‘...the perfect place for poetry’

www.wenlockpoetryfestival.org

Welcome to the 2013 Wenlock Poetry Festival!

Wenlock Poetry Festival returns for the fourth year, with aweekend of exciting, dynamic and thought provoking eventsand activities for all ages. We look forward to welcomingsome of the best poets working today to Much Wenlock.A major addition to the festival this year is The Adrian HenriPoetry in Art Prize delivered in partnership with TwentyTwenty gallery. This innovative prize honours the life andwork of poet and artist Adrian Henri, and the winner will beannounced over the festival weekend. We are exploring therelationship between poetry and art within our 2013programme, with opportunities to hear from artists whocreate work inspired by poetry and poets who create workinspired by art.The festival opens on Friday 5th April with a Shropshire Poetsevent, presenting a selection of high quality poets from theregion. We continue with three fantastic headline eventsincluding poet and visual artist Frieda Hughes, the wonderfulpoetry in performance production ‘Being Human’ and thesuperb Ian McMillan. Ian will be accompanied by his sonAndrew and we can’t wait to see father and son in action.Other headline events over the weekend include the formerwar reporter and independent MP Martin Bell, FionaSampson, Luke Wright, Matthew Sweeney, a joint readingwith Owen Sheers and Menna Elfyn and BenjaminZephaniah. We are also delighted that our founding patronCarol Ann Duffy will be reading on Saturday evening, this yearin the company of Imtiaz Dharker and Sean Borodale (TS EliotPrize Shortlist 2012).Saturday and Sunday are also brimming with readings,workshops and events taking place around the town of MuchWenlock. Some new features include ‘My Desert IslandPoems’ hosted by Fiona Talkington (Sat) and Chris Eldon Lee(Sun) and an open mic ‘Poems and Pints’ lunchtime session inThe George and Dragon Inn, hosted by Mark Niel (PoetLaureate for Milton Keynes).We are honoured that Kit Wright will be judging our Children& Young People’s Poetry Competition this year andpresenting the awards to the three finalists on Saturday 6th

April. Kit will also be delivering a children’s poetry reading onSaturday afternoon.And if you feel inspired to develop your own writing andpoetry skills (or learn some new ones), then we have andiverse programme of workshops on offer , including‘Performance Poetry’ with Jacob Sam La Rose and ‘Sense ofPlace’ with Menna Elfyn.So to dedicated Wenlock Poetry festival goers and newvisitors, we say welcome and enjoy. See you in April!Antonia Beck (Festival Producer, on behalf of the WPF team)

How To Book TicketsOnline Tickets Tickets can be booked via ourwebsite: www.wenlockpoetryfestival.orgOnline purchases are made through PayPal.

By Phone Tickets can be reserved over thephone by calling 07561 208841

In Person The WPF Box Office in MuchWenlock will be open to the public for ticket salesand other information from 1st March - 7th April2013, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10am - 4pmPlease check website for box office details.Sorry - cheques/cash only - no cards accepted.

Tickets for poetry events held at The Edge ArtsCentre will also be available from the 1st March fromthe Box Office at The Edge Arts Centre, Farley Rd,Much Wenlock, TF13 6NB. Tel: 01952 728911NB Box Office opens 30 minutes before any Edge event.

Become a Friend The Wenlock Poetry Festival is anot-for-profit organisation largely run by volunteers andpoetry enthusiasts. We greatly rely on the support we receivefrom Friends, private individuals, sponsors and grant-givingbodies to cover the costs of running the festival (which areonly partly met by ticket sales).

With this support, we are able to deliver an annual poetryfestival that brings the best national and international poetswriting and working today, to our rural town in Shropshire.Any profit that is made from the festival is re-invested tomake subsequent years' festivals bigger and better, ensuringmore people are able to access and enjoy poetry. Bybecoming a Friend you will make an invaluable contributionto our success and also be able to enjoy a number of benefitsincluding a concessionary rate on tickets.

Friends Membership - £35 (individual)Become a Supporter - £15 (individual)

Young Friend (25 and under) - £10 (individual)

For more details on our Friends offer and to view the Friendsbenefits please visit our website:

www.wenlockpoetryfestival.orgEmail: [email protected]

HOW

TO

BOOK

HOW

TO

BOOK

All performances will be of approximately 45 minutes duration and followed by book signings, unless specified otherwise

Friends and under 25s - concession prices in brackets

WHAT’S ON FRIDAY...Shropshire Poets

The Pottery, 5pm, £3 (£2.50) advance or on door

Join us as we launch the fourth Wenlock PoetryFestival with one of our popular local poets’ events,featuring Keith Chandler, Paul Francis, Marilyn Gunnand Chris Kinsey from two local writing groups;Bridgnorth Writer’s Group and Border Poets. Comeand hear a selection of high quality readings from fourdistinct, local writers.

Frieda Hughes – Poetry and Visual ArtThe Edge Studio 1, 7pm, £10 (£9)

Frieda Hughes is a poetand award winning visualartist. Frieda was born inLondon in 1960, grew upin Devon, and after livingin various parts of Englandand Australia now lives onthe Welsh Borders. Shewrote and painted from

an early age, and studied at St Martin’s School of Art.Frieda will be reading a selection of poems from fourof her collections, the most recent being The Book ofMirrors published by Bloodaxe Books, and talkingabout her poetry in relation to her paintings, some ofwhich will be on display.

Being HumanThe Edge Studio 2/37pm - 8.30pm, £10

(£9)Fresh from a nationaltour, Being Humanpresents thoughtfuland passionate poems

that will touch the heart, stir the mind and fire the spirit;poems about being human, about love and loss, fear andlonging, hurt and wonder. Being Human is a dramaticperformance of poetry drawn from the anthology BeingHuman (Ed. Neil Astley), published by Bloodaxe Books.

Audiences have described this show as ‘…an amazing theatricalexperience’ and ‘absolutely stunning’.

A Midland Creative Projects production in association with the BelgradeTheatre, Coventry and Bloodaxe Books. Being Human is Made in the Midlands.

Ian McMillan and Andrew McMillanThe Edge Studio 1, 8.45pm, £12 (£10)

‘the verbal gymnastics of a north country Spike Milligan coupledwith the comic timing of Eric Morecambe' Frome Festival

We are delighted to welcome Ian McMillan back toWenlock Poetry Festival and are thrilled that his sonAndrew will be joining him for this double McMillanevent. Prepare yourself for a rollicking evening of poetry.

Ian McMillan is poet-in-residence forEnglish National Opera, The Academyof Urbanism and Barnsley FC. Hepresents The Verb every week on BBCRadio 3 and appears regularly on Pickof the Week, Quote Unquote, The ArtsShow, Just A Minute, You & Yours and Coast.

Andrew McMillan was born in 1988;his poetry is collected in twopamphlets, every salt advance (2009)and the moon is a supporting player(2011) and a selection can be found inthe Salt Book of Younger Poets.



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WHAT’S ON SATURDAY...‘My Desert Island Poems’

hosted by Fiona Talkington (Sat) and Chris Eldon Lee (Sun)The Pottery, various times, Free

We are very pleased to introduce a new feature forWenlock Poetry Festival 2013 – ‘My Desert Island Poems’,hosted by two fantastic radio broadcasters Fiona

Talkington (BBC Radio 3) on Saturdayand Chris Eldon Lee (BBC Radio 4) onSunday. These 20minute sessions willoffer the chance to heara selection of poets talkabout some of theirfavourite poems.

The first session confirmed is Saturday 6th April,10.30am – 11am: Breakfast special with Ian and AndrewMcMillan. Coffee/tea and croissants available to buy atThe Pottery.Please check the website for details on our sessions.

Grey Hen Press presents…The Pottery, 11.30am, £5 (£4.50)

Alison Brackenbury, Ann Drysdale, Gill McEvoy andPat Simmons from the popular Grey Hen anthologies.Grey Hen is a small independent press, which aims topublish poetry by older women.

www.greyhenpress.com



Adult and Children & Young People’sPoetry Competition Award Ceremony

Priory Hall, 12pm, FreeJoin us as we announce the winnersand runners-up of this year’s Adultpoetry competition and the Children &Young People’s poetry competition.Winners from both competitions will

read their poems and Kit Wright and Liz Roberts (Chair ofWPF) will present the prizes.

Poems and Pints!The George and Dragon Inn, High Street

12.30pm, FreeRefresh yourself with a pint,a poem and the brilliantMark Niel (Poet Laureate forMilton Keynes), who willhost this brand new openmic session, taking place inone of Wenlock’s charminglocal pubs. Sign up for a performance slot on the day.

Offa’s Press presents…The Pottery, 1.30pm, £5 (£4.50)

Jeff Phelps, Jane Seabourne, NickPearson and Win Saha.Offa’s Press is an independent press

dedicated to publishing and promoting the best incontemporary West Midland poetry and poets.

www.offaspress.co.uk

Martin BellThe Edge 1, 1.30pm, £10 (£9)

Martin Bell is a former war reporter andIndependent MP. He wrote his first poemwhen he was a Corporal with the SuffolkRegiment in 1958, and his second 51 years

later while waiting to give evidence in a war crimes trial inThe Hague. His collection of light and dark verse, ForWhom The Bell Tolls, was published by Icon in October2011. He says that the writing of what he calls his 'dodgyverses' has redirected his life.

Write On! Writing SquadsPriory Hall, 2.30 - 3.30pm, FreeWrite On! Writing Squads are

creative writing groups for children and young people aged8-16. They meet monthly all over the region and allowyoung writers to develop their skills; each group is led by aprofessional writer. Join young writers from some of the 16groups as they share their poems anddiscuss their love of creative writing!

A Write On! Writing Squad workshopfor 8-16 year olds, will take place on Saturday morning,10.30am led by Emma Purshouse. This will take place inour Poetry Hang Out Tent.

Nine Arches Press presents…The Pottery, 3pm, £5 (£4.50)

Angela France and Daniel Sluman.Nine Arches Press is an independent press,which emerged from an awareness of ourlocal literary landscape and the importance

of providing a platform for new and emerging poets.

www.ninearchespress.com

Pascale Petit: Frida KahloThe Edge Studio 2/3, 3.15pm, £10 (£9)

Pascale will give an illustrated readingfrom her latest collection What theWater Gave Me: Poems after FridaKahlo, which was shortlisted for boththe T.S. Eliot Prize and Wales Book ofthe Year. The poems are written in thevoice of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.More than just a verse biography, the

book evokes how art works on the pain spectrum.

Pascale will also be delivering a workshop on Saturday at 10amentitled Writing Poetry From Art, see the workshop section formore information.

“Pascale’s poems are as fresh as paint, and make you look allover again at Frida and her brilliant and tragic life.” Jackie Kay,

Books of the Year Observer. “Petit’s collection, exploring the waytrauma hurts an artist into creation, celebrates the rebarbative

energy with which Kahlo redeemed pain and transformed it intopaint.” Ruth Padel, The Guardian.



Kit WrightPriory Hall, 4pm, £6 (£5)

Kit Wright is one of Britain's best-loved poets for both adults andchildren. His work has won manyawards including the

Hawthornden Prize for Literature, the Geoffrey FaberMemorial Prize and the Heinemann Prize for Poetry. Kitwill give a reading from his most recent poetry collectionfor children ‘The Magic Box’, as well as some new poemsand possibly a song or two!

"Kit Wright's poetry for children has an exuberance, a vitality anda technical virtuosity that works equally well on the page or when

read aloud." Twentieth Century Children's Writers.

"Wright's poetry is full of verve and energy, with a strong musicalquality that makes you want to read on and hear more."

Sohie Hannah, PN Review

Oversteps Press presents…The Pottery, 4.45pm, £5 (£4)

Charles Bennett, R V Bailey, AlwynMarriage and Jean Atkin.

Oversteps Books publishes some of the best incontemporary poetry, covering a wide range ofestablished and new poets.

www.overstepsbooks.com

Fiona SampsonThe Edge 1, 5pm, £8 (£7)

Fiona Sampson has published morethan twenty books of poetry,criticism and philosophy oflanguage, and received the

Newdigate Prize, a Cholmondeley Award and Writer’sAwards from the Arts Councils of England and of Wales.Published in more than thirty languages, she has elevenbooks in translation, and has received the Zlaten Prsten(Macedonia) and the Charles Angoff Award (US). We aredelighted to welcome Fiona back to Wenlock to read from‘Beyond the Lyric – A Map of Contemporary British Poetry’and her brand new collection ‘Coleshill’.



Image Text ImagePriory Hall, 6.15pm, £6 (£5.50)

Artists inspired by poetry and poets inspired by art.Based in Wolverhampton, Image Text Image are a groupof artists and poets who collaborate, or work in parallel,with each other to produce contemporary art and poetrythat they are passionate about. In this exhibition andpoetry reading, as always, the work on display examinesthe relationship between text and image and also givespoets and artists an opportunity to discuss their work.

www.imagetextimage.com

Luke Wright - Your New Favourite PoetThe Edge Studio 2/3, 7pm, £10 (£9)

Expect thigh-slapping acerbic wordplayand bawdy bar room ballads as Wrightintroduces you to a cast of greedypoliticians and boozy ne’er-do-wells.Meet Jeremy, the public schoolboywho draws penises on everything;

kung-fu fighting French copper Jean-Claude Gendarme;and witness the world’s first b-movie set in Brentwood.

Carol Ann Duffy, Imtiaz Dharkerand Sean Borodale

The Edge 1, 8pm, £15 (£13)

This year the Poet Laureate and our founding patron CarolAnn Duffy will be joined by two special guests; ImtiazDhaker and Sean Borodale (T S Eliot Prize shortlist).

Carol Ann Duffy lives inManchester, where she isProfessor and Creative Director ofThe Writing School at ManchesterMetropolitan University. She haswritten for both children andadults, and her poetry hasreceived many awards, includingthe Signal Prize for Children's Verse, the Whitbread andForward Prizes, and the Lannan and E. M. Forster Prize inAmerica. In 2005, she won the T. S. Eliot Prize for Rapture.

Since becoming Poet Laureate she has won the CostaPoetry Award for The Bees in 2011, and the PEN/PinterPrize in 2012, being described by PEN as "one of the mostsignificant names in contemporary British poetry". As wellas winning significant literary prizes she has also foundedthe Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry and is theinspiration behind the new Adrian Henri Prize for Poetry inArt, launched this year by the Wenlock Poetry Festival.We are very pleased to welcome her back to MuchWenlock, which she has dubbed the perfect place forpoetry.

Imtiaz Dharker calls herself a ScottishMuslim Calvinist, brought up in a Lahorihousehold in Glasgow, and working inBombay. She is a poet, artist anddocumentary filmmaker and all herbooks, Purdah, Postcards from god, Ispeak for the devil and The terrorist at my

table, include her own drawings. She now lives betweenIndia, London and Wales.

Sean Borodale works as a poet andartist, making scriptive anddocumentary poems written onlocation. His books include Notes foran Atlas, written whilst walkingaround London, and Bee Journal, hisfirst collection of poetry. Bee Journalwas shortlisted for the Costa poetryaward and the T S Eliot Prize.

The Poetry Slam with SPOZThe Edge Studio 2/3, 8.30pm, £6 (£5.50)

We warmly welcome Spoz back toWenlock Poetry Festival for the third yearrunning, to host the ever popular WenlockPoetry Slam. For those that might be newto the slam, this is competitive poetry at itsbest, and for 2013 we are delighted towelcome two special judges; Luke Wright

and Sally Crabtree.

If you would like to book a performance slot for the PoetrySlam on Saturday 6th April, please e-mail Spoz [email protected]. Places are limited so if you areinterested then do get in touch with Spoz as soon as possible.

WHAT’S ON SUNDAY...‘Round and Round the Garden’ an exploration

of garden poetry with Muriel PasseyThe Pottery, 11am, £5 (£4.50)

Muriel read languages at Oxford, after which marriage and5 children meant--inevitably--teaching which she muchenjoyed. This gradually developed into lecturing on literaryand historical subjects to a variety of audiences includingNADFAS, THE ART FUND and The NATIONAL TRUST. She isdelighted to have been invited back this year to give thesecond part of her last year's lecture Upstairs, Downstairsand in my Lady's Chamber Poetry all over the house. Thistime she continues the theme in Round and Round theGarden an exploration of the writing of Garden Poetry -including the odd original contribution.

Audience comments "elegant, erudite and entertaining" and"a spirited amalgam of information and entertainment"

Poems and Pints!The George and Dragon Inn, High Street

12.30pm, Free

Day two of our brand new open mic feature taking placein one of Wenlock’s charming local pubs. Hosted by MarkNiel (Poet Laureate for Milton Keynes), treat yourself to apint and some poetry over lunch.Sign up for a performance slot on the day.

Journey Coat by Carole JacobsThe Pottery, 12.50-1.30pm, £3 (£2.50)

This collection of poems was born out of anMA in Creative Writing that Carole followedin Trinity College, Carmarthen under thewise guidance of Menna Elfyn. The poemsconcern Nest, princess of late Eleventhcentury Deheubarth in South Wales. The

work is not a reconstruction of her life, adventurous as itwas, but more a response to her story in her part ofWales, which is also now Carole’s. It is the story ofattachment to the land, its hills and pastures and to itssteadfast people who lived through a period then ofconquest, kidnapping, the taking of hostages that is oddlyfamiliar today.

Funny WomenPriory Hall, 1pm, £6 (£5.50)

‘Funny Women’ consists of three talented poets from theWest Midlands: Emma Purshouse, Win Saha and JaneSeabourne. While being completely different in style (andage) they entertain with humorous poetry appealing to awide range ofpeople and tastes.They have beenwarmly received atvenues across theregion and are indemand for their comic and witty poetry.'

Matthew Sweeneywith Dairena Ní Chinnéide and Peadar Ó hUallaigh

The Edge Studio 2/3, 2pm, £8 (£7)Matthew was born in Donegal in 1952,but currently lives in Cork. His previouscollections include Black Moon, (2007),Sanctuary (2004) and Selected Poems(2002). His latest collection, Horse Musicwas published by Bloodaxe Books inFebruary 2013. Horse Music is not only

Matthew Sweeney's most adventurous book to date, it isalso his most varied, including not only outlandishadventures and macabre musings, but also movingresponses to family deaths – balanced by a poem to anewborn, picturing the strange new world that will unfoldfor her. Mathew will also be joined by Dairena NíChinnéide and Peadar Ó hUallaigh for this very specialIrish poets event.

Flarestack Poets presents…The Pottery, 2.15pm, £5 (£4.50)

Nichola Deane and David Clarke. Based inBirmingham, Flarestack Poets is building anational reputation for publishingoutstanding poetry. Nichola and David jointlywon the Flarestack Poets' pamphletcompetition in 2012, with their respectivecollections My Moriaty and Gaud.www.flarestackpoets.co.uk



James Sheard and Liz LefroyPriory Hall, 2.30pm, £6 (£5.50)

James Sheard currently lectures in CreativeWriting at Keele University. His first fullcollection Scattering Eva was shortlisted forthe Forward Prize for Best First Collectionand his second collection Dammtor was aPoetry Book Recommendation in 2010. His

third collection - The Abandoned Settlements - is currentlywith his publisher, Jonathan Cape.Liz Lefroy was born in London in 1964. In2011 she won the inaugural Roy Fisher Prize,endowed by Carol Ann Duffy, for new workin poetry. This resulted in the publication ofher first pamphlet, Pretending the Weather.Her second pamphlet, The Gathering, was publishedearlier in 2012.

Gillian Clarke wrote: “Liz Lefroy’s first slim pamphlet is a triumph. Thesedelicately told human moments sound with the perfect pitch of a true poet...”

The Dark Farms and Dark MountainJean Atkin and Paul Kingsnorth

The Edge Cinema, 3pm, £5 (£4.50)The Dark FarmsJean Atkin’s 2012 pamphlet fromRoncadora Press focuses on theGalloway Forest Park in south westScotland. Here are poems about thedarkness of its nights, its fadingagriculture and even the ghosts of its sheep. Jean Atkin is aprevious winner of the Ravenglass Poetry Prize, the TorbayPrize and others. She worked on The Dark Farms for eightmonths during 2011, walking the forest, talking toresidents, climbing into ruins and poring over old booksand maps. The poems will be presented with a slide show.

Dark MountainPaul Kingsnorth's first collection, Kidlandand other poems, was published by Salmonin 2011. His poetry tackles big and darkthemes: mankind's alienation from nature,our disconnection from the wild, the loss ofinnocence and the redemption to be found

in strange moments and ordinary places. Paul was thewinner of the Wenlock Prize in 2012 and reached theshortlist for the Wells Festival prize the same year.

The English Years of Robert Frost: 1912-1915Wenlock Abbey, 4pm - 5.10pm, £20 (£18)

Performed by Linda Hart and Gabriel WoolfThe renowned Americanpoet Robert Frost (1874-1963) first achievedpoetic recognition inEngland before gaining itin America. He arrived in

London in September 1912, and his first volume of poetry,A Boy's Will, was published at the beginning of April 1913 -exactly one hundred years ago. During this 70 minuteperformance which includes readings of many Frostpoems and letters, Linda Hart and Gabriel Woolf explainhow Robert Frost’s reputation as a poet was established inEngland, before his return to America in February 1915.Stay for a glass of wine after the performance.

Owen Sheers & Menna ElfynThe Edge 1, 4.30pm, £10 (£9)

We are very pleased to host this joint reading with twowonderful Welsh poets Owen Sheers and Menna Elfyn.

Owen Sheers is a Welsh poet,author and scriptwriter. He haspublished two poetry collections,The Blue Book and Skirrid Hillwhich won a SomersetMaugham Award. His debut

prose work The Dust Diaries, a non-fiction narrative set inZimbabwe won the Welsh Book of the Year 2005. Hisverse drama Pink Mist was commissioned by BBC Radio 4and will be published by Faber in 2013.

Owen also presents arts and literature programmes for TVand Radio. In 2009 he wrote and presented A Poet’s Guide toBritain, a six part series for BBC 4 about poetry and landscape.The accompanying anthology is published by Penguin.

Menna Elfyn is one of the foremostWelsh language writers. As well as beingan award-winning poet, she haspublished plays, libretti and children’snovels, and co-edited The Bloodaxe Bookof Modern Welsh Poetry (2003) withJohn Rowlands. (cont’d on next page)



Menna Elfyn will be launching her new bilingual Welsh-English collection Murmur. Murmur includes a sequenceof poems about the last princess of Wales, CatrinGlyndwr, daughter of Owain Glyndwr, whowas incarcerated with her children in the Tower of Londonfor over two years until their mysterious death. Fittinglyenough, ‘mur-mur’ in Welsh also means wall-wall, so thebook’s leitmotif is one that stresses the distance betweenwords and worlds. Murmur is a Poetry Book SocietyRecommended Translation.

Jacob Sam-La Rose & Liz BerryThe Edge Studio 2/3, 6.15pm, £8 (£7)

Jacob Sam-La Rose is a London-basedpoet. His poetry has been described as"fresh, vivid and masterly in its evocationof contemporary Britain". He also worksas a freelance artistic director, educatorand poetry editor, and is well known fordeveloping projects and initiativesdirected towards young and emerging

poets. He will be reading a selection of work from twopublications including his debut pamphlet Communion,which received a PBS award, and his collection BreakingSilence, published by Bloodaxe in 2011 and shortlisted fora Forward Poetry Prize (the Felix Dennis Award).

Jacob will be delivering a ‘Performing Poetry’ workshopon Sunday afternoon at 3pm. Please see the workshopsection for more information.

Liz Berry was born in the BlackCountry. She received an Eric GregoryAward in 2009 and her debutpamphlet The Patron Saint ofSchoolgirls was published as thewinner of the Tall-Lighthouse Prize in2010. Her poems have appeared in

many of the major UK magazines and been broadcast onBBC Radio 3. In 2012, she won the Poetry Londoncompetition. Liz has written about dialect poetry for ThePoetry School and The Young Poets Network. She is theassistant poetry editor at Ambit magazine.

www.lizberrypoetry.co.uk

Photo Credit Sam Burnett



Benjamin ZephaniahThe Edge 1, 8pm, £12 (£10)

Dr Benjamin Zephaniah wasborn and raised inBirmingham, England. Hecannot remember a timewhen he was not creatingpoetry but this had nothingto do with school wherepoetry meant very little tohim, in fact he had finishedfull time education at the ageof 13. His poetry is stronglyinfluenced by the music andpoetry of Jamaica and whathe calls ‘street politics’.

Young writers have said that the accessibility of his workhas inspired them to take up writing, many record sleevesbare witness to the fact that he has inspired many of thenew generation of rappers, and of all the performancepoets that emerged in thelate seventies and earlyeighties he is one of the fewthat is still going strong. Hehas sixteen honorarydoctorates and the EalingHospital in west London hasnamed a wing after him inrecognition of his work.Zephaniah believes thatworking with human rightsgroups, animal rights groupsand other politicalorganisations means that hewill never lack subject matter.

He now spends much of his time in China, but hecontinues working throughout Asia, South America andAfrica, and is as passionate about politics and poetry nowas he has ever been.

We are delighted that Benjamin will be closing the 2013Wenlock Poetry Festival and hope you will join us for whatwill be a very special finale event.

WorkshopsDevelop your own skills and learn some new ones withour diverse programme of workshops, taking place onboth Saturday and Sunday.

SaturdayPascale Petit: Writing Poetry from Art

10am - 12.30pm, Methodist Church, £15 (£13)How can the visual arts help us to writepoems? In this workshop we will explorehow the visual arts can help us write whatis real for us, using images from art tocelebrate our lives and perhaps approachdifficult subjects. A range of modern

paintings, sculptures and installations will be used asstimuli for poems, and we will discuss ways of making fullysensed poems from them and read inspiring examples bycontemporary poets.

‘Poetry of the Woods' with Paul EvansMeeting point TBC, 10.30am - 12.30pm, £10 (£9)

(please check website)Guardian nature writer Paul Evans willlead one of his famous walkingworkshops from Much Wenlock intothe Gleddins. This workshop includes

site-based writing, finding things which speak poeticallyand discovering the wood's own poetry. There will also bea few short readings, interventions and conversationsalong the way. Paul's walks have been a sell out inprevious years, so be sure to book asap.

Write On! Writing SquadPoetry Hang Out Tent, Sat, 10.30am, £5Questions, questions, questions

- a writing workshop for children and young people (8-16)led by writer and performance poet Emma Purshouse.Ever wondered about the big questions in life?What do dinosaurs dine on? How many eggs should beput in one basket? Do dogs dream in colour?This workshop could be for you. This hour long session willuse questions as a starting point for writing poetry. Comealong and discover what it is you’d like to write about andthen make a new poem!This workshop will last approximately 1 hour.

Sunday Workshops

‘Drawing Breath’ with Paul Evansand Luby Cunningham

Wilderhope Manor, 10am-1pm, £25 (£20)A written and visualinterpretation of place.Writer Paul Evans and artistLuby Cunningham will take

participants for a walk to create poemsand drawings in an ‘open sketchbook'workshop. Refreshments will be provided.

‘Hiraeth: A Sense of Place’ with Menna ElfynMethodist Church, 1.30pm - 3.30pm, £15 (£13)

This workshop will try and trace the auraof place, looking anew at what it meansto remember and forget the past and thepresent, belonging and displacement.The pulse of place's connection to thebeating heart. ‘Hiraeth’ is the Welshword for longing and nostalgia whichoriginally meant a ‘long field’.

Performing Poetry withJacob Sam-La Rose

The Edge, 3pm - 5pm, £15 (£13)It's easy to forget that there's as muchcraft in performing a poem as there is inshaping it for the page. In thisworkshop, poet and performer JacobSam-La Rose offers a series ofchallenges and tools to ground yourselfin the basic considerations of

performing your work with an authentic voice and style,and find confidence in sharing your work with an audiencewhile offering up dynamic and engaging presentations.

Bring a few poems of your own that you're happyto work with.

Poetry on FilmThe Edge Cinema, Sat and Sun, Various Times

This year we will be using thesilver screen to explore poetryas we introduce the festivals’first ever poetry filmprogramme.We have selected a range of

films that will entertain, interest and pose questions; eachfilm poetic in its own way. From documentary and featurefilm to more experimental poetry-film, our programmepromises to give a great new cinematic dynamic to thefestival. The full film programme will be announced shortly.

Emergency PoetOutside Priory Hall, Sat and Sun, 11am - 5pm

Emergency Poet is back andthis time she is bringing her‘Cold Comfort Pharmacy’ toWenlock! For those of youthat have yet to experienceEmergency Poet, ‘patients’take part in a private poetic health consultation in hervintage 1950’s ambulance. Within 10 minutes you will beprescribed an appropriate poem, verse or lyric!

Poetry CaféPriory Hall, Sat and Sun, 9am - 4pm

Come and sample the delights of our poetry café, choosefrom a delicious poetry inspired menu, including a Housman’sploughmans or a bowl of hearty Shropshire soup.

Dada Poetry OrienteeringAround Much Wenlock, Sat and SunNonsense - stuff and nonsense - nonsense and stuff - or is it?Welcome to Dada Poetry Orienteering. A trail of poetrydisorientation, where we put our faith in chance toproduce unique verse. Pick up a map, move from markerto marker taking whatever route you wish, spin the arrowas many times as you like, write down the obscurephrases from everyday sources and produce your veryown Dada poem. Nothing is in order. Everything is poetry.Everything is Dada.

Festival Extras

Poetry Postie with Sally CrabtreeAround the town, Sat and Sun, 11am - 4pm, Free

Look out for our Poetry Postie overthe weekend as she makes herway round Wenlock delivering apoetic letter or singing telegramjust for you. Pick out a parcel orjump on the postie bike, ring the

bell and be entertained by the postie herself.

Poetry BingoPoetry Cafe (Priory Hall) Sat - 1.15pm, Sun - 11.45amSally will also be delighting festival goers with a game ofPoetry Bingo. The show works just like bingo in that theaudience members are given individual cards on whichare written the titles of poems and songs (instead ofnumbers) and they tick these off as Sally performs eachtitle. Bingo sessions last approximately 45 minutes.

Marches Book Arts GroupPriory Hall, Sat and Sun, 11am - 4pm

"A work of art in a book and a book in a work of art"The Marches Book Arts Group aimed to share knowledgeand skills and to promote Book Arts and Artists Books.We are very pleased to be able to host this groupsbeautiful exhibition again this year which showcases thewonderful skill that goes into creating beautiful book art.

Marches Book Arts Group’s will also be offering some freedrop in workshops throughout the weekend, for all ages.Make a simple, handmade concertina book or take part ina special workshop aimed at children called ‘Playing withPaper’. Make sure you stop by!

The Poetry Hang Out Tent, Sat & SunChurch Green, Much Wenlock Parish Church

Read - Write - Make -Listen - Question and

Discuss all things poetry in our brand new poetry hangout tent, suitable for all ages

(in association with West Midlands Readers Network,as part of the WPF Children & Young People’s Programme).

Wenlock Books High StreetAs well as providing theFestival Bookshop, WenlockBooks is open in the HighStreet and offers a particularwarm welcome to festival-goers. With poetry sectionsboth upstairs (second hand)and downstairs (new), plus a

wide and eclectic stock of books and CD’s this is abrowser’s paradise.

The Poet-Tree 2013Church Green, MuchWenlock Parish ChurchCome and contribute to ourever blossoming Poet-Tree.

The Adrian Henri Poetry in Art PrizeA major addition to the festival thisyear is The Adrian Henri Poetry inArt Prize; an innovative prize inpartnership with Twenty Twentygallery, honouring the life and workof Adrian Henri. The prize presents aunique award for the creation and

development of new visual art work inspired by poetry.

The prize was conceived by WPF founders Anna Dredaand Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy. The prize is inspired bya gift Carol Ann Duffy received at the first Wenlock PoetryFestival in 2010. The gift was a stunning silver amulet, de-signed and made by renowned silversmith Catherine Hills,inspired by Duffy’s poem ‘Bees’.

For the Poet Laureate the connection between poetry andart was a significant reminder of her late friend, the poetand artist Adrian Henri (1932–2000), whose paintingswere often inspired by the Shropshire landscape. Thedecision was taken to establish an award honouringAdrian Henri’s life and work.

The Adrian Henri Prize for Poetry in Art will be a biennial,international visual arts competition. Selected works fromthe short-listed pieces will be exhibited at Twenty TwentyGallery from the 6th - 20th April 2013 and the winner willbe announced on Saturday 6th April 2013.

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Box Office: 07561 208841Email: [email protected]

Website: www.wenlockpoetryfestival.org

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Wenlock Poetry Festival Ltd 12 High Street Much Wenlock TF13 6AARegistered in England and Wales. Company Registration No. 7110214

Programme designed and printed by Bridgnorth Print Serviceswww.bridgnorthprint.co.uk

‘Bees’ stone created by John Nielsen (2010)

MUCH WENLOCKTOWN COUNCIL

Milichope Foundation

Wenlock Poetry Festival

Documents

Transcript of Wenlock Poetry Festival