Category: Readings

A Quick Look Back at 2024

MY POETRY YEAR

My focus last year has been on selecting, editing and ordering poems for a new collection, with the result that I have enough material for a cohesive and coherent body of work, a working title and an excellent editor. News about a publication date will come in due course. Meanwhile, look forward to themes of testing and challenge, survival and overcoming. Identifying, refining and scheduling poems that align with the themes has left me little inclination to submit poems for competitions and magazines this year but I have continued writing fresh work (how could a poet stop themselves from doing that?) and I’ve remained very active in attending and leading/co-leading workshops, as the Stanza Representative for Gloucestershire. Here are the highlights of my poetry year:

COMPETITIONS AND ANTHOLOGIES

My poem ‘Away from it all’ that was long-listed in The Yaffle Prize 2023, was published in the anthology ‘Whirlagust IV’ from Yaffle Press early in 2024. Congratulations to all the included in the book, especially the competition winning and commended poets, and a huge thank you to Mark and Gill Connors, and Mike Farren, for all their hard work running the competition and publishing the anthology. https://www.yafflepress.co.uk/anthologies

In February, I was delighted that my poem ‘Green Turtle’ was accepted for the ‘Ourselves in Rivers and Oceans’ anthology from The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press … a collection of poems from over 100 international writers reflecting the theme of water, with illustrations by Scottish artist, Colin Thom and cover by Mike Curry.  A big thank you to Claire Thom and the team for bringing the anthology to birth – copies are available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/840957442X

In April, I learnt that my prose poem ‘Brookside’ was among the commended in the Yaffle’s Nest competition. Congratulations to Ian Harker, Holly Bars and Jennifer A McGowan for coming 1st, 2nd and 3rd and another big thank you to Mark and  Gill Connors of Yaffle Press. Looking forward to the publication of the ‘What We Inherit From Water’ anthology from Yaffle Press in spring 2025.

POEMS IN MAGAZINES AND E-ZINES

In February I was thrilled to  have a poem ‘Either Or, Both And’ in Issue 34 of Prole Magazine, available here: https://prolebooks.co.uk/  This was the tenth of my poems the editors (Brett Evans and Phil Robertson) have accepted for the magazine, my first successful submission to them being in 2015. My thanks to them both.

In March, my double dactyl on Rachmaninov appeared on ‘Double Dactyl of the Week’ with huge thanks to Andy Jackson https://doubledactyls.wordpress.com/2024/03/02/double-dactyl-of-the-week-65/

It was sad to learn of the closure of ‘Visual Verse’ in early 2024 but in March I was delighted to learn that 21 of my poems that had, in recent years, been published on ‘Visual Verse’ had been added to the archive at Newcastle Centre for the literary Arts. You can read them all, and see the images that inspired the poems, here: https://visualverse.org/writers/sharon-larkin/

In January, my metaphysical poem ‘Summoned’ was included in the inaugural edition of ‘Picture Frame Poem’ https://pictureframepoem.wordpress.com/january-2024/ which I hoped would grow and develop into a successor for ‘Visual Verse’. Sadly, this remains the only edition of ‘Picture Frame Poem’ to date.

REVIEWS AND ENDORSEMENTS OF FELLOW-POETS’ WORK

Early in 2024, I wrote a review of the manuscript of Aaron Wright’s collection, ‘Poetry of the Slug’. Quotes from my review appear in the book which is available from Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/9yLDCzG

In April I was honoured to be asked to write a profile of poet Roger Turner, for inclusion in Issue 69 of ‘South Magazine’, also selecting twelve of his poems to highlight in the article. Sadly, ‘South Magazine’ is another poetry outlet that ceased publication in 2024.

In May I was invited by Helena Tibocha to review the manuscript and write a cover endorsement for the anthology ´Beyond’ from Winchcombe Poets: Helena Tibocha, Briony Smith, Chris Haslam, Tony Davies, Zoe Brooks … and Peter Firth. This is a vivid and powerful anthology, whose publication was timed to celebrate the life of Peter Firth. I was subsequently invited to the moving launch event at the chapel at Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, organized by Helena Tibocha. It included a piano performance, by Susy Firth, of poems by her father, and readings of other poems from the ‘Beyond’ anthology. https://helenatibocha.com/the-winchcombe-poets-1

In November I was delighted to be among many Cheltenham/Gloucester poets contributing poems for a book to be presented to Jennie Farley at a special event at The Langton shortly before Christmas. The anthology was curated by Kathy Alderman and Penny Howarth, and was published by Howard Timms. I was pleased to have two poems, ‘Gratitude’ and ‘Revuelta’ in the book, and to write a short paragraph of appreciation of Jennie as a poet and friend. It was a genuine pleasure to read ‘Gratitude’ for Jennie at the event.

MEMORABLE READINGS

A super launch of the Yaffle Press ‘Whirlagust IV’ anthology was held on Zoom in the third week of January. I was thrilled to be able to read my long-listed poem ‘Away from it all’ alongside prize-winning, commended and other listed poets. Thanks to Gill and Mark Connors for hosting such a pleasurable, professional yet relaxed, launch event.

In February I was pleased to attend the international Zoom launch of the anthology ‘Ourselves in Rivers and Oceans’ from The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. The event featured wonderful poems, wonderfully read, and well-hosted. It was great to ‘meet’ editors Claire Thom and Marc Brimble … and artist Colin Thom. Thanks again to them for selecting my poem ‘Green Turtle’

In November I was pleased to attend the Zoom launch of the joint-collection ‘The Where We Were’ by Mark and Gill Connors of Yaffle Press. The guest poets were Jenny Robb and Sandra Noel whose collections ‘Hear the World Explode’ and ‘Into the Under’ are published by Yaffle/Yaffle’s Nest. I was glad to be included in the open mic.

In December Yaffle Press hosted the Zoom launch of Kevin Reid’s collection ‘Held’ and Mandy Macdonald’s pamphlet ‘The Unreliability of Rainbows’. The event also featured Yaffle poets Bobbie Sparrow (collection ‘The Weight of Blood’) and CM John (pamphlet ‘Ungrateful Heirs’) and a wealth of open mic poets (glad to have been one of them). Thanks – again – to Gill and Mark Connors of Yaffle Press for bringing us such wonderful books and hosting such rich and enjoyable events as this one.

WORKSHOPS ORGANIZED AND LED

I continued  a member of Cheltenham Poetry Society, chaired by Roger Turner, attending monthly workshops in Cheltenham town centre with other poets ­– Michael Newman, David Ashbee, Stuart Nunn, Robin Gilbert, Sheila Spence, Nick Shephard, Dan Mountain and Nick Heap.

By February I had drafted the programme for Cheltenham Poetry Society’s 10th Annual Awayday writing retreat, booked for May. This was going to be another stimulating day of writing, with prompts to fire the imaginations of the 16 poets who had signed up. Last year, we had a new venue in mind – Bowden Hall, at Upton St Leonards. We loved our previous venue, Dumbleton Hall, but it was undergoing refurbishment and modernisation so that gave us an opportunity to try somewhere new. I subsequently visited the new location with Roger Turner, CPS Chairman, to check their offer, which was luxurious, with an ideal conference room, impressive dining room, lovely décor and a tempting menu for lunch and am/pm breaks. On 22 May, the Awayday was held at Bowden Hall. The four workshop sessions were shared between Roger and me – a full but enjoyable day, most of us coming away with three or more drafts to work on further.

From May onwards, I took over leadership of Bishops Cleeve Poetry Club, from the lovely and talented poet, Claire Thelwell.  I had already been going to these twice-monthly workshops, for over a year, at The Cleeve Bookshop which is owned and excellently run by Will Williams.  Many thanks to him for opening the shop after-hours for Poetry Club.  By September, Poetry Club began working through the Forward Poets Anthology for 2025. We’ll be reading poems and discussing them in terms of form and content. These are the kinds of workshops that really help poets maintain awareness of modern trends in themes and forms, inspiring and informing them when writing their own poems. By the end of the year, Poetry Club membership had grown to 15, with 8 – 10 attending on any given night. Each two-hour workshop is a bargain at only £3. Funds will be used to buy further anthologies to benefit the group.

By mid-year, Cheltenham Poetry Society and Bishops Cleeve Poetry Club were formally gathered under the umbrella of The Poetry Society’s Stanza network, with me as the Stanza Representative for Gloucestershire, while Roger Turner remains Chair of CPS.

WORKSHOPS ATTENDED

 For most of last year, I attended and thoroughly enjoyed, Yaffle’s ‘Wordship’ Zoom sessions with Gill and Mark Connors … a great way to spend a Saturday morning. Later in the year, I was very pleased to be able to begin more intensive/focused sessions via twice-monthly with Gill on Zoom, offering the opportunity to do some close editing of  poems.

 At Buzzwords in March, Angela France welcomed Martyn Crucefix as guest poet. As well as reading from his collection ‘Between a Drowning Man’ we were treated to readings from his translation/versioning of ancient Chinese texts. Martyn also led us in an inspiring workshop exploring the theme of ‘translation’, cleverly designed so that a knowledge of other languages wasn’t needed. It was great to catch up with lots of local poet friends reading at the open mic and to hear some new (to me) poets read. Thank you to Angela France for Buzzwords – Cheltenham’s longest-running and endlessly stimulating monthly poetry event – and thank you Martyn Crucefix for an evening of exceptional poetry and inspiration.

OTHER EVENTS ATTENDED

Another great benefit of having developed a great relationship with The Cleeve Bookshop has been the opportunity to attend talks and book-signings by novelists – such as Caroline Montague (who has connections with Burnt Norton House in the Cotswolds… made famous by T S Eliot in the first of the Four Quartets). Cleeve Bookshop’s Summer Party featured special guest Chris Haslam (a Winchcombe Poet).  In September, The Cleeve Bookshop held ‘In Conversation with Author Elizabeth Fremantle’ talking about her novel ‘Firebrand’ and the film adaptation starring Jude Law & Alicia Vikander. In late November, Cleeve Bookshop’s Christmas Party featured prolific author, Mandy Robotham. Thanks again to Will Williams for hosting such events in his splendid bookshop; it is a real asset to the community in Bishops Cleeve.

Towards the end of the year, I enjoyed Cryptic Crossword sessions led by Melanie Branton on Zoom, where I met some real crossword whizzes. I’m very much a novice at doing Cryptic Crosswords and am better at intuiting the answers than working out the clues pointing to the solution. But Melanie’s excellent hints and tips on Facebook over previous weeks/months, and the practice crosswords Melanie provides, ahead of the ‘real thing’, help a great deal. Melanie is very patient, encouraging and enthusiastic. I think I have a new hobby! Thank you, Melanie.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF 2024

Three short breaks in Wales last year included an unforgettable Tom Jones concert at Llangollen International Eisteddfod in July, thanks to our son David; a spring break in Powys, including a lovely visit to my cousins’ farm, with the treat of bottle-feeding orphaned lambs – thanks to Ruth and Ian; and an early autumn break to Ceredigion, renewing our relationship with Aberystwyth, Ynyslas and Dafydd ap Gwilym … and enjoying the wonderful mountain road back through mid-Wales, via Cwm Ystwyth and Cwm Elan.

The last time I did any painting (as opposed to decorating!) was at school, around the age of 13, so I’m not very good at it. However, I’ve enjoyed joining in the art club at church (Elim, Cheltenham) and was excited to have a painting in the group’s exhibition. Thanks to Rose Neal who leads the group; she is immensely talented, inspiring and encouraging. Thanks to all who worked hard behind the scenes to prepare the exhibition, and thanks to Pastor Roger Wyatt … for everything. Proceeds from paintings sold went to the very worthy cause of Cheltenham Food Bank, collocated with the Elim. Thanks also to the Repair Shop there which restored my Kenwood Chef mixer to full working condition (and is now assessing an antique clock I recently acquired!) Churches with ‘community spaces’ like this are invaluable; we, the ‘older demographic’ also enjoy coffee mornings and fish and chip suppers there!  A final thanks to Bean Baker for encouraging me with a ‘test run’ of a Biblically-based poetry workshop; this might be an area for further development in 2025.

Other hobbies and obsessions continue:

  • daily walks with cameras with my dear husband, majoring on landscapes and wildlife on the Glos/Worcs border;
  • keeping my Welsh language knowledge fresh via weekly Zoom class run by Learn Welsh Gwent, with excellent tutor Jonathan Parry;
  • joining a flourishing group of Welsh learners and speakers in a pub twice a month in Cheltenham, for a couple of hours of conversation and cwnmi da. Diolch i Steve, Julia, Ian, Jan, Anthony, Jo a mwy! These sessions make me hapus iawn!
  • working on other languages via Duolingo, exploring Swedish, Norwegian and Danish
    maintaining my ‘legendary’ status in French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Welsh, Ukrainian and Russian; brushing up on German; extending my experience of Portuguese; and making (very) brief forays into other languages Thanks Duolingo!

In May, I took up a GP referral for sessions at the Nuffield Gym in Gloucester, especially designed for people with joint pain.  It has been an excellent programme which ran until November. I have now joined the gym and intend to improve my fitness further, once I have recovered from Christmas over-indulgence! Thanks to Jez who led the Joint Pain management sessions.

In June, I was figuratively transported (for a second time) to Andalucia thanks to the Daniel Martinez and Company performance at Cheltenham Ladies College.  I can’t put into words how thrilling it is to have the odd taste of Iberian fire and passion on a rainy summer evening in Britain!

FINALLY, REMEMBERING

In December, it was a great sadness to mark the sudden passing of Michael Newman, who was not only a dear friend-in-poetry, but foundational to the relaunch of Cheltenham Poetry Society last century, a former Chairman, and an indispensable and loyal member over many decades. He was also a regular performer every month at Poetry Café Refreshed. His many friends and fellow poets in the Cheltenham–Gloucester will agree that he was an inspiration and example to many of us in his quiet, faith-filled, nature-loving, music-loving, poetry-filled life. We will miss him terribly in this area, particularly, but his influence and love ripples out beyond this town and county, reaching South, as a regular in the magazine of that name, and a frequent name in Indigo Dreams’ ‘Reach’ and many more magazines, his fame spreading West to the shores of Ceredigion and his beloved Borth … then ‘wider, still, and wider’. I will miss him terribly in monthly workshops and local readings. They won’t be the same without Michael’s kindly presence there.

Thanks to Yaffle

During the past year, with Covid concern easing and more poetry events starting up again, I still had to remain cautious of face-to-face meetings, for reasons I won’t go into here. Zoom therefore continued to offer lifelines in the form of poetry launches, readings and workshops … and opportunities to spend time polishing my Welsh, with classes offered by Learn Welsh Gwent. I was, and remain grateful to everyone who has provided an outlet for creativity and learning via Zoom over the past two and a half years.

Not least among these ‘generous providers’ of time and expertise have been Mark Connors and Gill Lambert whose Wednesday Wordship sessions I enjoyed, on a long run of Wednesdays in 2021/22. The formula Gill and Mark have developed for these, based on single-word prompts, is particularly fruitful. Encouraging everyone attending to ‘pitch in’ with examples of ‘the word’ in phrases and sayings, fires up the creative energy in all the ‘classmates’ … and, importantly, breaks the ice and keeps it bubbling throughout the session. There is a break for about 45 minutes where we all ‘go away’ to write drafts of poems inspired by the words, phrases and ideas generated in the first part of the workshop, then we rejoin Zoom to share our drafts. A very productive method of writing, from which I personally ended up with some 25 poems from the sessions I attended.

One of these was the poem ‘You Knit’ which has subsequently proved popular in various on-line poetry readings. It was inspired by the word ‘cast’ and its drafting coincided with the final stages of the Yaffle Competition 2022. Why I didn’t enter the competition I don’t really know … except that I enter very few! I was therefore surprised, and delighted, to be contacted by Mark and Gill to play a part in the final round of judging the competition, basically considering the shortlist and putting the anonymised poems in order of merit, as I saw it. Obviously, Mark and Gill had already gone through this process themselves, but it’s always handy to have a ‘third opinion’!

I enjoyed the process immensely, marvelling at the range of subjects and voices presented by the shortlisted poems. There were many memorable poems … but three, very different, poems leapt out at me and I had no hesitation of awarding them marks which placed them in first, second and third position on ‘my list’. I believe these decisions lined up with those Mark and Gill had already arrived at which gave us all assurance that we had ‘got it right’.

The Yaffle website carries the results of the competition, and Mark and Gill generously gave space for the notes I made when I was considering the shortlisted poems, You can read them here:

https://www.yafflepress.co.uk/competition-1

Hearty congratulations to Sue Burge, Ian Harker and Holly Bars whose poems were placed in the First, Second and Third positions respectively.

Assisting in the judging of the competition was reward enough for me! But Mark and Gill kindly invited me to offer a poem for the editors’ section in the Whirlagust III anthology of Yaffle competition poems which has just been published – containing the prizewinning, highly commended and commended poems on the shortlist … as well as the longlisted poems, and poems by Mark and Gill. It promises to be a rich and varied volume! I look forward to reacquainting myself with the shortlisted works … and to discovering more poems and poets in the longlist.

The icing on the cake was attending the launch of Whirlagust III, and the celebration of the winners and shortlisted poems, at the event on Zoom on 22 September. It was a really lovely event, made all the more so by the hosts, Gill and Mark, who make all their events and workshops so enjoyable with their welcoming, relaxed and affable style. Thank you, both, for a thoroughly positive experience all round.

Watch out for the arrival of Whirlagust III on the Yaffle website. It will be available for purchase here shortly: https://www.yafflepress.co.uk/anthologies

More Responses to Dualities

I always think it’s a shame when comments written by members of the audience during a poetry reading on Zoom subsequently ‘disappear’.  Here are some of the positive comments I quickly captured from my Zoom reading for Poetry Teignmouth at the Mill on 23 February 2021. I’ve anonymised the feedback here; thank you, if you recognise a comment as yours! 

There was a lovely audience on-line, with a wonderful co-headlining poet, Frances Corkey Thompson, and an excellent open mic. A big thank you to Veronica Aaronson for making it all happen – expertly organizing and sensitively hosting these welcome opportunities for poets to present their work to audiences during the continuing lockdown.

Perhaps predictably, it was the first and last of my poems in the reading – and in my Dualities collection – Two Old Sticks and Firewords, that seemed to go down best at the event. A couple of people confirmed their admiration of the phrase ‘retractable as love’ (from Two Sticks), one person adding the comment “brilliant”. Another member of the audience wrote that they had “Loved (the poem) when (they) read it in the book” and that it was “Lovely to hear (it) read”. A poet I very much admire wrote that it was a “Great poem, about sticks, and inheritance” and concluded that it was a “Really lovely reading” which she subsequently described as “characterful”. Two other poets, responding to Firewords,  spoke of “Strong and effective fire imagery” and observed that ‘A child’s innocence’ (was a) “lovely phrase to end on.” 

My more whimsical poem Variable Geometry also seemed to go down well, with one poet responding that it was “Good to hear engineering terms in poems. Well worked in, here.”  Another wrote “Love Variable Geometry!” 

In the context of another poem, a member of the audience considered it a “Great poem on relationship.” A fellow Hedgehog Press poet wrote “Love these poems Sharon, good to discover you” … and suggested a book-swap (now underway!) A poet I enormously respect wrote “Such flawless writing … and I love the theme of Dualities”.  Another poet I admire immensely wrote “Lovely to see you, Sharon, and hear your poems. You create such great pictures for the reader … of characters and places”.  Another wrote “Really enjoyed these poems Sharon and looking forward to reading the book” … and later wrote ”Great poems, Sharon”.  A poet-friend wrote “So wonderful, Sharon” … and a final comment was “Lovely poems Sharon, thanks”.

I was very encouraged by the comments received and thank the writers for their kind attention and welcome feedback. Just a few days later, I was thrilled to receive a message from a former colleague who, having recently read Dualities, wrote: ‘Thoroughly enjoyed it. Some gorgeous imagery, delightful turns of phrase and the occasional construct I simply didn’t understand – which adds to the enjoyment. Great stuff. Thanks for sharing your talent!’ I was delighted that the imagery, turns of phrase … and the puzzles too … pleased the reader!

The Poetry Teignmouth evening was an altogether happy occasion, with an excellent reading by Frances Corkey Thompson and a first rate group of open mic poets. 

Copies of Dualities, which is published by Hedgehog Poetry Press, can be purchased here: https://www.hedgehogpress.co.uk/product-category/for-sale/hoglets/sharon-larkin/
or from my own bookshop on this website https://sharonlarkinjones.com/shop
or can be ordered from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dualities-Sharon-Larkin/dp/1913499278
or from Barnes and Nobel for readers in the USA: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dualities-sharon-larkin/1137592500

Here also seems a good place to confirm that I am available for further readings on Zoom … and, let’s hope, from 21 June … in person. Please do drop me a message or email sharonlarkinjones@gmail.com to arrange something!

Collaboration and Networking – Keys to Happy Poeting

I’ve been active on the poetry scene in Cheltenham since about 2004 and shortly after began to go to Angela France’s Buzzwords (when it was upstairs at The Beehive) and Cheltenham Poetry Society (CPS) meetings at Parmoor House, Lypiatt Terrace. A highlight for me during that time was winning a place in a Gloucestershire Writers Network (GWN) competition to read at Cheltenham Literature Festival and, soon afterwards, I began an MA in Creative and Critical Writing (Poetry) under Nigel McLoughlin and Kate North at The University of Gloucestershire, graduating in 2010. Shortly after that, I became Chair of CPS and was also on the Committee of GWN for a few years, when Rona Laycock was in the chair … and I co-judged the GWN competition one year. In recent years I’ve also judged the Chipping Sodbury poetry competition and co-selected poems for South Magazine. These are the kinds of poetry activities I enjoy most, along with selecting and publishing poems for my Good Dadhood project which I ran on-line a few years ago, attracting wonderfully affirming and positive poems in praise of fatherhood from poets all over the UK. I also enjoy doing occasional reviews of poetry collections, but as my method of reviewing is very ‘in-depth’ I don’t undertake many of these a year!

I began organizing Poetry Café Refreshed in August 2015 – a popular monthly guest poet and open mic event at Smokey Joe’s, Bennington Street, Cheltenham. I’ve booked nearly 70 guest poets (and one or two musicians) from all over the UK since ‘Refreshed’ began, hosted on the night by Roger Turner. One of the things I enjoy offering at ‘Refreshed’ is a good photographic record of guests and open mic poets, thanks to my husband who is a keen photographer. Usually, I share a video slideshow to Facebook within a few hours of the event, and this seems very popular. We welcome everyone to ‘Refreshed’, from beginners to experienced poets, whether they favour page or performance poetry or spoken word. Everybody is welcome.

As for Cheltenham Poetry Society, I’ve been Chair for most of the past 10 years, with a couple of ‘respite’ breaks, while I’ve nevertheless continued in a ‘communications’ role. At present, Roger Turner has taken the chair back for a period while I try to focus on my own work, but I still attend all CPS meetings, and organize events with the corresponding promotion and publicity. CPS runs workshops for developing poets, a monthly series of writing group meetings for experienced poets, and a poetry reading group, as well as the popular Annual Awayday Writing Retreat at Dumbleton Hall in May … and occasional readings and recitals. We’re always keen to link up with other groups for joint events, as we’ve done previously with Winchcombe Poets and Evesham-based poets. We’re especially looking forward to a joint event with other Gloucestershire poets during Gloucester Poetry Festival in October 2020, thanks to Gloucestershire Poet Laureate, Ziggy Dicks. CPS takes its community engagement programme seriously too. In recent years we’ve run various readings and recitals in local churches, and one of the most rewarding activities for some of us is reading poems and running collaborative workshops in local care homes. This led to me giving talks to groups of community workers in Cheltenham and Gloucester last summer, about the kinds of activities CPS are able to offer. Demand seriously outstrips the number of volunteers to participate in these activities, alas.

As well as writing, reviewing and event management, I also edit and publish anthologies through my publishing label, Eithon Bridge Publications. The most recent book to appear from the press (January 2020) is an anthology on behalf of CPS – Poetry from Gloucestershire. The book features 33 poems by 12 members of Cheltenham Poetry Society, and over 30 photographs illustrating the poems. It was thrilling to have endorsements from Alison Brackenbury and Angela France for the back cover, and I am very much looking forward to the launch of the book at Suffolk Anthology Bookshop on 24 March, with readings from the contributing poets. We are also presenting an illustrated performance of poems and photos from the book at Wotton under Edge Arts Festival on 21 April.  I am hoping for many more opportunities to promote the anthology over the coming year or so. The book is on sale for £9.99 from Suffolk Anthology Bookshop in Cheltenham and Alison’s Bookshop in Tewkesbury, or is available direct from the contributing poets, or for £9.99 plus £1.80 p&p by email to eithonbridge@gmail.com  More information about the book, and about Cheltenham Poetry Society is available by emailing cheltenhampoetrysociety@gmail.com or watch out for an article in March’s edition of The Local Answer! 

Publishing this book came hard on the heels of another anthology – Invisible Zoos – which I co-edited with poet/editor/publisher Simon Williams and published through Eithon Bridge in November 2019. This book featured 36 poems by 12 poets who had been on the weeklong residential Invisible Zoos masterclass with me at Ty Newydd in North Wales in September 2018, tutored by two wonderful poets, David Morley and Pascale Petit. The poets attending the course and subsequently contributing to the book came from all over the UK … and also from Canada/USA and France/Switzerland. Previous to that, I co-edited and published the illustrated All a Cat Can Be anthology in support of New Start Cat Rescue in 2018, featuring poems from poets all over the UK. Before founding Eithon Bridge, I also did the bulk of the work to edit and publish the illustrated Cheltenham 300 anthology for CPS in 2016 … for Cheltenham’s tercentenary as a Spa Town. All four of these anthologies, and an earlier CPS one, Chance Encounters, were printed by Stroudprint, based unsurprisingly in Stroud, who provide an excellent and very helpful service.

As for my own poetry, I’ve had over 150 poems accepted/published in anthologies (from Cinnamon Press, Eyewear, Indigo Dreams, Smokestack, Fair Acre, Zoomorphic, Beautiful Dragons, Yaffle and others), in magazines (eg Magma, Obsessed by Pipework, Prole, Here Comes Everyone, Reach, Picaroon, and more), and on-line in many ezines such as Ink Sweat and Tears, Atrium, Rat’s Ass Review, Riggwelter, Amaryllis, Algebra of Owls, Snakeskin and many more. I’m also a fan of Visual Verse website, and enjoy writing to the time constraint stipulated. My pamphlet Interned at the Food Factory was published by Indigo Dreams in 2019. I’ve enjoyed ‘touring the book’ with readings locally as well as in Bristol with Silver Street Poets, Wells with The Fountain Poets, Welshpool with Verbatim and the highlight, The Poetry Café at Betterton St in London last September, with fellow Indigo Dreams poets Brett Evans, Holly Magill and Marie Lightman. Other places I’ve read in recent years include Colwyn Bay (with Prole magazine) and Llandudno Pier (with Prole and Picaroon). I’ve also very much enjoyed going to Welshpool Poetry Festival in 2018 and 2019, curated by the indefatigable Pat Edwards, which has fabulous visiting poets and workshops … as well as a bumper open mic on the last day.  A visit to the excellent Poetry Pharmacy in Bishops Castle, pioneered by the wonderful Emergency Poet, Deborah Alma, was also a highlight last year.

So, what began as a hobby fifteen years ago has mushroomed into a varied portfolio of activities and a widespread network of contacts … many now firm friends … throughout the UK. This networking was facilitated further by participating in Jo Bell’s ground-breaking 52 Group on Facebook a few years ago, and attending festivals in various other towns not too distant, eg Swindon and Evesham … but, most of all by the collaborative and supportive poets throughout Gloucestershire, and bodies such as Cheltenham Arts Council and Gloucestershire Writer’s Network, Rona Laycock’s wonderful Writer’s Room sessions on Corinium Radio, and Anna Saunders’ Cheltenham Poetry Festival which runs an incredibly rich programme of events each spring. I especially valued being one of the reader’s at the Indigo Dreams launch for For the Silent anthology in support of the The League Against Cruel Sports last year, and CPS gave an illustrated reading for their Cheltenham 300 anthology at Cheltenham Poetry Festival in 2016 – rerunning a similar event at Cheltenham Literature Festival’s Locally Sourced programme that October.

Now a fresh wave of ‘poetic energy’ is sweeping over the county thanks to Gloucestershire Poet Laureate, Ziggy Dicks; Cheltenham Library’s Poet In Residence, Josephine Lay; and other poets from Gloucestershire Poetry Society, with whom I’ve read a few times … and will do again, with the CPS anthology poets, during Gloucester Poetry Festival on 18 October 2020. I also read with Gloucester poets for International Women’s Day in March 2019, with Angela France and many other great women poets … and I’m looking forward to another IWD event in Gloucester this March, thanks to Josephine Lay.

It’s wonderful having poets like Alison Brackenbury and Angela France in the county. I’m indebted to Alison for supporting the anthology and launch for All a Cat Can Be, and for inviting me to be one of the readers for the launch of Candlestick Press’s Ten Poems About Horses, which Alison edited, and which was launched at Alison’s Bookshop in Tewkesbury last year. It’s also good to have poets locally like Jennie Farley, running New Bohemians in Charlton Kings. Readings I have coming up this year are at Piranha Poetry, Stroud, with Jonathan Muirhead from Swindon … thanks to Gary Death; and Writers at the Goods Shed in April, with Belinda Rimmer … thanks to Phil Kirby. This will be the second time I’ll have read with Jonathan Muirhead already this year. We enjoyed sharing a poetry event for Burns Night at The Rising Sun on Cleeve Hill on 25 January. It’s good to read with Belinda again too.  We shared a launch event for our Indigo Dreams pamphlets at Suffolk Anthology Bookshop last summer, and will be reading together again at Buzzwords in July, thanks ­– again – to Angela France. I’d also like to give a big shout out to Philip Rush, a fabulous poet, who also runs great workshops at Museum in the Park, and the wonderful Yew Tree Press which showcases the work of poets in Gloucestershire and beyond.  Philip’s Wool and Water pamphlets, timed to appear alongside the exhibition of that name at Museum in the Park, were super … and I was thrilled to be invited to contribute to the Wool one, sheep being close to my heart!

What’s next on my ‘Poetry agenda’? I ran a couple of workshops last year for a group of poets near Cirencester, under the ‘Stanza’ banner, having taken over the Gloucestershire Stanza Representative baton from Angela France earlier in the year. This year I want to develop more activities as the county’s Stanza Rep. The next such event will be a workshop at Parmoor House on 7 April, in conjunction with CPS, where I’ve invited Chaucer Cameron and Helen Dewbery to come and give us a workshop on the genre of poetry film. I would love this to spark a flourishing of poetry films from Cheltenham/Gloucester poets over the coming months and years!

I hope readers of the foregoing can detect my enthusiasm for poetry in the county … and beyond! There are so many opportunities for collaboration, reciprocation and mutual support throughout the poetry community in the county. If you’re not yet into poetry, why not join CPS at a workshop soon? Or perhaps the special Poetry Film workshop coming up on 7 April, when we will be gaining lots of valuable information on how to get started with this incredibly powerful genre … or why not come to Smokey Joe’s to hear wonderful poets like David Briggs (19 February) and Raine Geoghegan and musician partner Simon Callow (15 March) … and grab your spot at the open mic. New poets are always welcome!

You can contact me via Facebook http://facebook.com/sharon.larkin or Twitter SharLark, or Instagram Sharolarki, or you can email cheltenhampoetrysociety@gmail for details of the Society’s activities.

Edited 20 March to record the fact that many of the events mentioned as scheduled after 9 March have been cancelled or postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A time, instead, for more writing … and learning new skills … including videoconferencing via Zoom, thanks to encouragement from Charlie Markwick.

Interned at the Food Factory

My pamphlet, Interned at the Food Factory, was published by Indigo Dreams on 7 January 2019. The poems are dedicated to anyone who might describe their relationship with food as ‘complicated’.

Reception of the poems, prior to and following publication, has been pleasing. Observations received have so far included the following:

From Brett Evans, poet and editor of Prole magazine:

“… gets better with each read, and the initial read knocked me for six. …”
“By turns vulnerable and sassy, heartbreaking and funny, consistently insightful and readable, the food in these poems is no spread for some twee picnic.  In an age of increasingly innocuous poetry, Sharon Larkin is to be applauded for the rawness included here and for an exceptional instinct for the emotional weight and balance of her poems”.
 
 
From poet Kate Noakes:
 
“In these poems Sharon Larkin weaponises the language of food; sometimes witty, always moving. Watch out. This is a place where you must check whether ‘the knife drawer [is] closed.’“

From Dawn Bauling, Indigo Dreams Publishing:

“Full of wit and cheeky humour but a nonetheless serious intent. This collection has a real glisten to it – that makes you want to read on and on…”

From Poet Deborah Harvey:

“So much that resonates … What I really like about it, though, is the exuberance that offsets the sadness; that was unexpected. I found it very funny and very earthy.”

From poet Belinda Rimmer:

“A sense of menace runs throughout the book. Food comes to fill in gaps of many shapes and sizes, to compensate for lack? There are lighter tones too – food is treated playfully and lovingly, as well as with disgust. This is a place where self-denial and overindulgence collide. Everyday language is used in surprising ways….Wonderful and painful poetry.”

From poet Dee Russell-Thomas:

“ I very much enjoyed reading this…food for plenty of thought and a most apt dedication. Well done on a perceptive collection of painful poetry.

From Anna Saunders, poet and founder-director of Cheltenham Poetry Festival:

“… an excellent collection … Vivid and sparky and original. Beautifully written”.

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Thank you to all the above poets for taking time to read the poems with perception and understanding. Your kind comments are much appreciated.

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Food Factory on Tour

The following readings from Interned at The Food Factory are coming up this year. (Open to further invitations; please contact me to arrange).

Evesham Library – 10 May 
(thanks to Sue Johnson and Susan Ablett) 

Cirencester – 20 June 
Corinium Radio Writers’ Room programme 
(thanks to Rona Laycock) 

Wells, The Fountain – 1 July
(Thanks to Ama Bolton)

Welshpool, Verbatim – 29 July
(thanks to Pat Edwards) 

Poetry Café London – 25 September, with Brett Evans, Holly Magill and Marie Lightman. (With thanks to The Poetry Society)

Gloucester Poetry Festival with Sarah Leavesley, David Ashbee, Roger Turner and David Dohren at The Folk Museum, Gloucester – 26 October, 
(thanks to Ziggy Dicks)