100 Thousand Poets for Change - Cardiff, Wales, UK

Contact: mabananajones@gmail.com

A worldwide poetry reading, with over 450 cities in 95 countries involved, takes place this month on Saturday 24th September. Of the 600 events, only one of these will be in Wales, with selected poets and open mic readers performing at Shot in the Dark, on City Road in Cardiff, from 1pm.

The Welsh poets will join others around the planet in a celebration of poetry as a vehicle to promote serious social, enviromental and political change, with poetry demonstrations being organised in such political hotspots as Cairo, Kabul and Jalalabad. The Cardiff event places its focus on mental health, creativity and well-being, with an event theme – ‘the doors of perception’ – and donations going to Lapidus Cymru, although these are voluntary as the event itself is free to attend.

The many poets taking part include local authors Bob Rogers and Susie Wild, Somerset Maugham award winner Mark Blayney, acclaimed ‘black mountain poet’ Graham Hartill, storyteller Amanda Rackstraw, spoken word artist Liam Johnson, as well as a reading from Labi Siffre, the poet, musician and songwriter whose hits include “(Something Inside) So Strong” and “I Got The”, the sampled rhythm track of which provides the basis for Eminem’s hit single “My Name Is”.

This will be Siffre’s first public performance in roughly 12 years, with the star reading some of his poems, rather than the songs which have, variously, been covered or sampled by Madness, Olivia Newton John, Fatboy Slim and Jay-Z.

The event organisers, poets Gill Brightmore and Mab Jones, will be streaming the event live via the internet for those who are unable to attend - http://bambuser.com/channel/mabjones. Those who are able to attend are very welcome, and further information can be obtained from mabananajones@gmail.com

Entry: Free, donations to charity

Time: 1:00pm