That's how Manchester Library’s lunchtime poetry sessions, curated by that wonderful literary impresario, Libby Tempest, have been described.
Mad days indeed, with their colleagues in other authorities closing libraries (is that not more violent than smashing a window?) what a thrill, how reassuring, to see Manchester running lunchtime poetry gigs. (That’s 'dinner time' to us northerners.)
Libby's latest oasis is on 8th april, 13.00 – 14.00, when you can witne...

Siegfried Sassoon was one of the great first world war poets. He won the Military Cross, then became a conscientious objector, and met Wilfred Owen when he was sent to Craiglockhart hospital in Scotland by the powers-that-be to get him out of the news. He was also an excellent cricketer and played for his county, Kent. This month’s talk on Friday April 8 at Lancashire and Cheshire Branch of the Western Front Association is by Denis Silk, a past-president of the MCC who met Sassoon and bec...

There’s a fine and eclectic lineup of writers and music at the Fourth Forge at Gort Literature Festival this Friday and Saturday, 25 and 26 March, at Gort, Co Galway, organised by the Western Writers' Centre, Ionad Scribhneoiri Chaitlín Maude,Galway.
Among the festival participants are The Poetry Chicks, journalist Olaf Tyaransen, poets Noel Monahan, Matt Mooney, Patrick Stack, The Clare Three-legged Stool Writers' Group, poet and musician Clare Sawtell, poet and political...

Innverse, a poetry readaround - no sign-up, no mic, no pressure – has returned to Sanbar in Grosvenor Street, Manchester. Started three years ago by Simon Rennie who wanted a space for everyone to share and discuss poetry, Innverse has been taking a sabbatical. Simon has passed the torch on to Anna Percy and Dermot Glennon.
Innverse returns as a monthly event on the last Monday of the month. Come along and read your own work or another poet's - or just to listen.
Date: Tonight, Mond...

The 2011 Tenby Arts Festival Writing Competition is now open. Closing date for entries is 15 July, 2011. There are two categories - short story and poetry - and prizes are the same for each category: first prize 150, second prize £70, third prize £50. There are also prizes of £25 for the best story and the best poem entered by writers resident in West Wales.
Short stories should not exceed 1,500 words. Poems should be a maximum length of 40 lines. Entry fees are &poun...

Calling all writers, poets, musicians, performance artists, actors and comedians - ‘42’ is Worcester’s gothic, horror, sci-fi and fantasy open mic night on Friday 25 March for all those who love the genres and everything in between. Why 42? It takes its title from Douglas Adams’ great answer to Life, the Universe and Everything.
Anyone interested in performing should email the organisers at 42@gapresents.co.uk
Each performer will be allotted 15 minutes for their set....

Slam poets have an embarrassment of events to choose from over the next month with 12 listed on the gig guide (see list, below)
Not everyone’s cup of tea, slams can be divisive or great fun, depending on your point of view. Having made a bob or two from them I support slams for seasoned, thick-skinned tired old poets like me, but not for tyros. They are good for giving folks something to aim for as well as introducing poetry as entertainment to new people, those who might not otherwise go...

Tonight, 31 March, Cardiff’s Pierhead hosts its first arts event when Spoken Word All Stars, make their first foray into Wales.
With five poets and one musician, the free show includes international award winners and acclaimed performers Kat Francois, OneNess, El Crisis and Chris Redmond, as well as local poet and head of Academi, Peter Finch - whose poetic words can be seen set in concrete outside the new Central Library.
Accompanied by the globally renowned sax player Jason Yarde, th...

Wakefield's finest (poetry organisation) is keen to receive your poem and to pay you £100 for it - providing it wins, of course. the REd Shed poetry competition, 2011, is now open.
Prizes: 1st - £100 2nd - £50; Wakefield Postcode prize—£25
Sole adjudicator: Robert Powell
Closing date: Friday 29th April, 2011
Go to it!
Full details: http://www.currockpress.com/poetry_competition_2011_entry_form...

What a honky-tonking, stonking
Poetry performing, barnstorming
Guitar-strum, maelstrom,
Meek and haughty
cello and piano-their-forte
All-singing, all-words-dancing,
Dynamic, eclectic, electric
Night it was at Kilburn’s Catweazle
When I visited.
No causal link, nor said in drink
I just think
It was.

North London Tavern,
comes alive, this dive
along the old A5, where you can drive
all the way to Holyhead
though best to stay, instead
and rest your beery head
on a leather C...

February's Write Angle had people rushing to get in – till there was standing room only. Many new people, along with those who 'won't miss it' . The word is spreading – or should we say the fame of 'the Spoken Word'and Open Mic, is spreading! Poetry is hitting radio, TV and even being made into films, BIG TIME! The evening held the anticipication as ever, of the unexpected!

Mike Knee started out with guitar, singing, 'Changing Lives in Bordon' &nd...

Breaking Cycles is a master class provided by Benji Reid to allow you to expand your range as a performer and gain a better understanding of the relationship between action and the spoken word.
Benji was body-popping champion and co-choreographer for Soul II Soul. He studied physical performance with Philippe Gaulier, and has had sold-out performances at the National Theatre, Sydney Opera House and PS 122 in New York.
And he will be at Lancaster running this intriguing workshop on 3/3/2011, 14...

Ray Miller chose this month's poem. He says of it, "What I admire about the poem is its restraint and dignity, even the rhymes are spare and unobtrusive.It is a heart rending poem which manages to steer clear of self-pity."
Find out more about Alison and her poetry at http://www.writeoutloud.net/poets/alisonjohnson

Wife and Mother

I have not eagerly sought a blue line,
gulped down a budding desire for a plus.
I have seen the results of a CAT scan,
and been told t...

York-based Stairwell Books is to publish Dream Catcher magazine. Dream Catcher, founded in 1996, has had a reputation for the excellence and eclectic nature of its writing. The periodical has had a significant international appeal and recent special editions have focussed on Canadian, and Bosnian and Croatian writing.
Paul Sutherland, the founder of Dream Catcher, said: “This arrangement allows me to concentrate on finding new distinctive writing and art work.” Rose Drew, founder of...

Write Out Loud went quiet yesterday,
your wordless screens all blank.
We don’t yet know what happened,
who to blame (or who to thank?).

Sure it’s not political,
Pentagon, say, or Kremlin,
we don’t think it’s connected
to recent niggling gremlins.

Though the tireless tech team
is at work behind the scenes,
creating innovations
of which, we’re sure, you dream,
they haven’t touched the software
at all during the day,
so they have been ruled out...

Write Out Loud Middleton will be at the earlier time of 5-7pm this Sunday, 27th March because of a music act taking place afterwards at the Ring O' Bells.

This month's guest, Rod Whitworth, a well-loved regular of the Middleton night only took up poetry in 2007. He describes himself as "passionate about the obvious things" including his wife (aw) and writing. Norman Warwick from Just Poets is this month's guest compere.

The Middelton night is well known to be...

Here's a great name for a writers' group, COZI Writers. It sounds all pipe and slippers by the fireside, all friendly-like. So it ought to be, being run by ex-Write Out Loud coordinator for Sale, Steve O'Connor who, we have it on very good authority, is an inspiring tutor. It's so friendly you can drop in and dip out if you can't attend weekly, and although there's a kitty for people who can contribute a few bob, you don't have to if you're skint.
Steve tells us...

Anne Stevenson and Penelope Shuttle are performing at the latest Camden monthly poetry evening, presented by Ruth O’Callaghan, to raise money for the homeless.
Poets from the floor are very welcome, with some longer spots available. Please bring a copy of your poem if you wish to be considered for the new anthology, which will be edited by Ruth O'Callaghan.
Date: Friday 1 April. Venue: Trinity United Reformed Church, 1 Buck St, Camden Town (1-2 mins, Camden Town tube). Time: 7p...

On a Monday for one month only!
Write Out Loud presents...
...A great event at the Waterside with an open mic and three superb guests.
First time readers are especially welcome. Open mic spaces available on a first come, first served basis. If you want a space, get there early as spaces go quickly!
Our fabulous guests this month are:
Joshua Mackle
A popular turn at open mic nights around Manchester, Josh is an emerging talent and this will be his first ever guest slot. History in the...

March’s Word of Mouth sees two of Britain’s most exciting poets take over the Bristol Old Vic’s Basement for a night of razor-sharp spoken word, and it's all hosted by Byron Vincent
Cynical Ballads by Luke Wright - “Seven caustic tales from Broken Britain”, plus Elvis McGonagall (see his Write Out Loud profile).
Word of Mouth, Bristol Old Vic Basement, Thursday 17 March, 8 pm £8 & £6
Box Office : 0117 987 7877
More info including map of th...

Under the direction of Carol Ann Duffy, MMU’s Writing School launches its second Manchester Fiction Prize of £10,000 for the best short story, open internationally to new and established writers 16+.
Submit a story up to 3,000 words on any subject, any style, but must be fiction and new work, not published elsewhere during this competition. Prizes are awarded as part of the 2011 Manchester Literature Festival and the competition is judged by Heather Beck, John Burnside, Alison MacL...

Not strictly poetry perhaps, but Liverpool’s Unity Theatre hosts a unique celebration of women’s courage, perseverance and outrageousness with real-life stories from around the world; from the disabled woman organising a ‘pee protest’ to secure her right to a accessible toilet, to the ‘smutmonger’ who breaks boundaries to write about sex, and those women who risked their lives to highlight child prostitution and honour killings.
After the show the au...

I remember going to a poetry reading at the Bluecoat, in Liverpool, a few years back. Gordon D Henry was reading and there was a Q&A session after. The first question asked from the audience left me gobsmacked at the arrogance of the questioner, who wanted to know how she could best use her poetry to put across her anti-racism.

It was not simply her self-delusion of grandeur that rankled me but also that question implied that poetry was no better than journalism or propaganda. She seem...

Dudley’s list of screen roles is legendary, but now he is playing with words, in his ”struggle against respectability” as he calls it.Cult actor Dudley Sutton will be appearing at London’s BEAT poetry and acoustic night this Monday. And it’s free! He is supported by Siofra McSherry - Irish Oxbridge poet/lecturer with a voice with ancient depth spiced with the fresh breath of youth; Tomas Adejumo with his soulful love poetry and a voice that could put Barry White out...

Described by Lemn Sissay as “a pure undiluted talent, concentrated”, Ben Mellor was a winner of the Write Out Loud organized North West heat, and went to become national champion, of the 2009 BBC Radio 4 Poetry slam. Now he has produced a CD to go with his book, Light Made Solid. And there’s a special deal available!

If you were there that night at the Green Room – who wasn’t? – you will know that Ben is a superb poet and performer, so here’s a chan...