A little look/review of our March event and how it went down (I am so street :)


Chris Co

That is to say myself.

I read an epic poem- epic in the sense that it weighs in very heavily around the 50 line mark. What a way to banish writers block lol. The subject and title ’written words’ seemed a somewhat appropriate way to open up a night of poetry and singer song writing japery. Note to self- don’t print out too often otherwise it will cost more in printer ink than the debt of some third world nations - Eeks!


Natalie Wharton

Hurt by ‘generic eyes’ and a heart broken by platitudes. Inspiration comes out of the sad and the broken- but it also stems from beauty in nature and in warm human relationships as well as history of all subjects. A subject poetically covered on the night by the marriage of sweethearts in an era where a man could be a misogynist and the woman, would be blamed….golden days that corrode and rust!

Sounds like modern Banbury to me j/k


Tony Fielding

Tony offers his audience a staple diet of nature poems and comic verse including hopeful childhood reminisces. On the night Tony gave us a poem about working in the fields from a time where pleasures were, a job well done and good honest food- including pies from a farmers wife. He also read a deeply moving personal tribute/poem.

Chris (her second name I know it not)

Chris was concerned with Tesco and a Tesco trolley that I thought was going to be placed somewhere worrying for the male of the species- but the meat and two veg was thankfully swerved at the last minute. We then had a perversely funny verse about a Scotsman and his Kilt. I cannot repeat its lines, but I have heard it once before and it is side splittingly funny. I expect Macdonald’s will be on the phone to offer Chris a job in PR, either that or a whopper.

Thelma and her mothers poems

Childhood is a source of inspiration for Thelma - on the night she lifted the lid on a surprising playground- very ‘earthy’ both literally and stylistically- Seamus Heaney eat your heart out. Interestingly Thelma also read some of her mothers poems; quite beautiful and akin to the great romantics in language. Thelma was reading from a dazzling green folder that seemed to be colour co-ordinated, all very much a nod to the Emerald Isle- such things are beyond me. I have Irish roots but I am lucky if I can find my shoes, my dad once said every road you go down is up! I have his brilliant directional sense.

Alan Earle
Alan afforded us a very truthful insight into how age and the loss of beauty can result in the demise of youthful arrogance- grace can be found. He then went on to remind us of the need to drink really carefully- by drinnnnkin lots! with a witty imbibing tale- Alan has more than one poem of this nature.
I can’t help but think that the wine tasting is research lol.

Jason Richardson

Jason is a wol member-a big time Cooper Clarke fan who has been on the same bill as his hero- top bloke who runs the great Wirral Ode Show.

We got to know a little about questionable woods and I think he said dog walkers Mmmm.
Worryingly dark images- lightened by the entirely reasonable act of obtaining a conglomerate girlfriend from the back of a skip- well the legs anyway, mannequins legs. Don’t worry the head was that of a toy fox and the legs are chipped. Jason was bang-on form adding his great comic verse to his lesser known- but equally good serious poems.


Isobel (Guest poet)

Isobel was our guest poet and she lived up to the billing- Iridescent!

She showed many colours and a spectrum of ideas, sentiments, music and flow that had the audience emotively moved; bitterly, sweetly with sadness and laughter….all on a rollercoaster singing!

The bitter-sweet wedding dress poem that is now famous from the Tudor, Coming Home- a poem of air airport conveyors and sterility that spills into dramatic and human warmth
(very apt with her mother present).

Cramping my Style- a kick-ass performance poem that can and will garrotte with cheese-wire those that mess with it. It shook the audience, danced with it, sang to it and had it happily scared. No need to send out an SOS the I of poetry can handle itself- we were glad. There was also the performance of a tongue twisting poem that was ‘quite rude’ as Monty Python might say as by way of understatement. The name of the poem- I can not mention it by name. It would cause me to blush in a demure way haha- it was hilarious. Isobel was worried about performing it; for fear of never escaping from the subsidiary of Mordor (Liverpool) that is the Wirral…. it was all ok Haha


Jennifer

Jennifer has a voice that affects many men in a ‘certain way’, shall we say. Maybe they would get by if she didn’t write very classy yet somewhat suggestive love poetry. Now she has ventured into the world of singing as well- so poems and songs that will cause a certain fluster then. Interestingly Jennifer also threw in a serious poem about words and the ills they can cause if misused - its language was thankfully very well chosen.

Dave Costello

Dave was recently recognised in the Grist poetry competition and is due to be published alongside such luminaries as Simon Armitage!

He read his recently short listed soon to be published with Armitage (I’m name dropping again for him lol) poem ‘Centurion’ which was and is brilliant. He also read us a poem that related to Hansel and Gretel. The poem was darker than the fairly tale- if that is possible. It was also great- I need to get hold of it on the page to run amok over its deep/rich imagery.

Steve Regan

Another brilliant stalwart of the poetry scene- wol member and organiser of the brilliant Bards and Liverbards. Steve read a poem about the railways, no not the lovely railways of Betjeman, oh no! Steve gave us a crushingly sad, isolated, bloated, buffet car of misery. Full of packets of crappy crisps. Knowingly sad and abound with knowing looks of derision and not a virgin in sight. Steve also provided a movingly personal poem- best heard and experienced rather than commented upon here by me. Steve is a great poet.

Alan Ainsworth

Alan read an understated (skilled in its simplicity) emotive poem about how the influence of so called friends can affect a child and devastate a family. A political-esque piece about education or lack of it replete with chilling refrain had spines uncomfortable. Another poet to watch, especially as on one photo he appeared to have three fingers, which he looked to be counting!


Matt Reekie (Guest Musician)

Matt was our guest musician. The combination of his soulful voice, rhythmically folk guitar playing and brilliant song writing ability had the poetry audience mesmerised.

As poets we spot a bad chorus or a poo rhyme in the offing from a mile off. No blind cobblers thumbs here! Matt sang about a relationship where the one having to leave took away books and other objects so as to fill the place of the human relationship left behind. But objects don’t do that as well observed song writing told us. Matt evoked a sad tale- looking out to sea from Liverpool- the seagulls offered us a bridge- a musical uplifting bridge and hope. And why not birds being a most appropriate image of hope when considering Liverpool. Matt had virtually an hour being interviewed on Radio Merseyside in the week prior. It's not hard to know why when you hear him; he’s clearly a real talent.

I might just get him to pen a letter to a certain Holywood starlet that I like lol.


The night…..

Glenys was our hostess with the Mostess- she runs the night with warmth, fun, a raffle and an iron fist in a velvet glove WHOA!- WARNING! The idea of entering our event from the bar, drunkenly with a view to talking over the poets…don’t bother. One look and the water is way too deep Haha. I was her henchman Errr co-compare with loads of help from Natalie.


Photos of the event will be put up in the wol gallery in the next few days- courtesy of Adrian Wharton.

The standard of poetry and music throughout was outstanding and something everyone seemed to mention- a lot of talent. We had a great atmosphere and it was a great night all round. We greatly look forward to next month’s event- last Monday of the month- April the 25th- Morton Arms pub Wirral. Pasture Rd CH46 7TQ.

All wol members are welcome we even have free sandwiches :)

It was a very enjoyable night Chris - it deserves to be reviewed. It is hard to pick individuals out but the Dave Costello Hansel and Gretel poem did stand out to me as being incredibly original in its treatment of the theme - (the misery we hand to our children). Move over Philip Larkin...

I also have a soft spot for comedy so much enjoyed the dogging and mannequin poems... Also the catalogue of horrors on Steve Regan's virgin trip - it could only happen to him!

Was relieved that my scouse mickey taking was taken the right way - no-one hurled any missiles at any rate!

This is the only venue I've been to where you are offered free sandwiches and a free raffle with lovely prizes. Don't know where the money all come from but it makes for an enjoyable evening.

Thanks for inviting me. xx

Yes, Chris a VERY good show, and it's clever of you, as joint MC, to rEmember so much content from the various sets.

Can't you be content to pick just two words from each poet's performance and then make glib remarks and sexual single entendres (not sure I can spell entendres) about it?!

"Cramping my Style" by Isobel was my favourite poem of the night, but the evening offered much to entertain,

Jason made a big impression, certainly, but then I have to say that as he gave me a lift there and back. Ha ha.

I'm afraid I was in something of drunken Cheeky Monkey mode on the night. Hope I didn't put anyone off their stride.

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Can't you be content to pick just two words from each poet's performance and then make glib remarks and sexual single entendres (not sure I can spell entendres) about it?!
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Steve you are the best MC I have ever seen- making the Bards brilliant.

Some of us have to make up for deficiencies in other ways- hence the review Haha.

I noticed your poem.

The drink?

As Arsene Wenger might say;

I did not see it.

"I did not see it" ... I love that phrase. It's up there with "they shall not pass" and "these are not the droids you are looking for" for me.

Chris, you are too kind about my MC-ing style. Most people just say I am a potty-mouthed, rancid owd git!