Words on Tap

Open Mic Event

Contact: wordsontap@email.com

Literary social, Words on Tap, gets another round in, with an eclectic showcase of West Yorkshire-based poets. Featuring Laura Potts, Bill Fitzsimons, Josie Walsh, Ralph Dartford and Chris Stephenson. Plus, limited open-mic slots.

Bill Fitzsimons, Dublin-born local poet, is a relative new-comer in poetry terms, writing his first poems in his late 50's. He is a founder member of a Leeds-based Irish writers group, Lucht Focail (Word People) and has read at various venues in Leeds and elsewhere. He has also had work published in Poetry Monthly and Aireings; read on local radio and been published in three group Anthologies - The Fifth Province, Triple Spiral and Views from the Lighthouse. He is currently working toward a first collection.

Laura Potts is a Wakefield poet aged 17 and is currently studying for her A-Levels. She has been writing poetry since the age of seven, and last year was named as a Commended Foyle Young Poet of the Year, alongside performing with Ian McMillan and being recognised as a Young Writer. Her poetry is very much influenced by relationships and friendship, and particularly her childhood. In her spare time, Laura writes for the University of York's Lemon Press, enjoys playing the ukulele and eating cake.AÂ

Josie Walsh has published two poetry collections and a third is in preparation. She has read at Ilkley, York and Adelaide Festivals and had poems commended in national competitions and published in magazines and anthologies. At retirement from F.E. she was invited to be a Pennine poet and currently hosts their meetings. In Wakefield, a Black Horse poet, she edits Under Glass a poetry magazine at Pugneys' Country Park and has featured at the Red Shed. Her work has been exhibited at Wakefield Cathedral and recently on a ceramic plaque in the city. She ponders with Randall Jarrett that a poet is someone who manages, in a life of standing out in thunderstorms, to be struck by lightning five or six times.

Ralph Dartford writes narrative poems from the heart. Sometimes funny, sometimes bittersweet, sometimes as sad as a lost dog. Ralph has been published in The Guardian, Stirring Magazine, Pulp Faction and London Territories. AÂ His first Collection, Cigarettes, Beer and Love has been designed, printed and hand-bound by exceptional artists who should know better than to get involved in this kind of thing. The collection is published by Ossett Observer.

Chris Stephenson was one of the organisers of controversial Leeds Open Mic poetry night LETTERBOMB. He is also the editor of Spine (www.spinewriters.com). Collections include Holes (Arthur Shilling Press 2010), Revenge Of The Mirror People (Stranger Press 2013, www.strangerpress.com) and Napoli Metro Bad Dream Sequence (Blart Books 2013).

Entry: FREE

Time: 7:30pm