Fire and Dust is organised and hosted by Adam Steiner, who was a charming and dapper MC.
Marie Lightman’s poem about the Mona Lisa was particularly enthralling. Vivid images and voices.
James Grady just blew the room away with his fracking poem, if you get a chance to hear him perform, do it!
I was really glad to hear Leanne Bridgewater: ‘Her work stems from experimentation of word order and unconventional rhyme‘ and her poems were excellent.
Ira Lightman’s Latin umbrella was a memorable end to a set of poems that utilised music and shouting, yes SHOUTING. Unexpected and shook the room up nicely.
Josie Allen’s poems were brilliant, just the kind of poems I love to hear. The last one, Dirty Talk, was really, really good.
Antony Owen is someone I respect a great deal and his new pamphlet, Margaret Thatcher’s Museum is a continuation of his unflinching focus on political and humanitarian issues highlighted through his writing. I especially enjoyed his poem about Hiroshima as it is a subject that should not be forgotten. Enjoyed may not be the right word, I think rather, I was very moved emotionally hearing it.
Finally, Reuben Woolley is someone I have known on facebook for a while and so it was good to meet him in real life. He runs a blog called I am not a silent poet. He read a very powerful set of poems from his new pamphlet, Dying Notes; they were not easy to listen to, but that was the point. Giving voice to the silenced. Challenging themes in sparse, precise images.
I had to miss MCUltra, shame. But it was late and I had to be home before my car turned into a pumpkin.
Thank you to Katy Wareham Morris for the photos and being my poetry buddy.
Ruth Stacey 