A north-east poet who was first published as a teenager by Bloodaxe Books is celebrating 40 years of writing poetry by launching a new pamphlet next month. Elaine Cusack’s launch event also marks a reunion with friend and novelist Geoff Smith, who will also be reading new published and unpublished work.

Elaine’s latest collection Don't hassle me with your sighs, Blyth, came out of an assignment she completed about her workplace, Blyth library, as part of her current poetry MA at Newcastle University. The title is a play on one of Charles Schulz's Peanuts books, Don't hassle me with your sighs, Chuck.

Within six months of Elaine starting writing poetry 40 years ago she was a prize-winner in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle's annual poetry competition, organised in conjunction with Bloodaxe Books. One of the other winners was Geoff Smith. Geoff published Elaine’s first poetry pamphlet the following summer as she was completing her O levels.

Elaine added: “We lost touch but reconnected when I was writing my memoir The Princess of Felling in 2019. Our friendship was re-established after Covid and I organised a gig at the rePUBlic Gallery in 2022. April 5's gig is a celebration of my 40 years of writing poetry, Geoff's 80th birthday later in the month, our friendship and canny Blyth.”

Her pamphlet has been hand made in limited edition numbers by poet and performer and workshop facilitator Steve Urwin, whose own latest handmade book is Letting the Minimalism Slip.

The reading will be at the RePUBlic Gallery at the King’s Head, Bridge Street, Blyth, on Saturday 5 April at 2pm. Joining them will be poet Martyn Halsall reading from his collection Lent.  More details