Welcome to Stuff. The Poetry Trust's latest news, events, podcasts and publications.

Join the party - The 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, 6- 8 November

Festival fever has well and truly gripped The Poetry Trust office with just four weeks to go until an exceptional line-up of world-class poets descends on Aldeburgh. Tickets for Geoffrey Hill, perhaps England’s greatest living poet, have sold out as have all craft talks, and sales are up by 33% on last year. However there are still seats for the main ‘three-handed’ readings featuring outstanding writers from America, Pakistan, Italy, Russia and all over the UK. Festival goers will also be the first poetry-lovers in the country to get their hands on Issue 6 of The Poetry Paper, a beautifully illustrated and completely free publication featuring an exclusive interview with Sharon Olds, new poems from Tom Paulin, Philip Levine and Annie Freud, and lots more. So take a look at the programme and join us for a celebratory 21st birthday Festival in the irresistible small seaside town of Aldeburgh.

Full Festival programme: www.poetrytrust.org
Box office: 01728 687110 www.aldeburgh.co.uk

 

Your invitation to the Festival launch party

Thursday 5 November, 2009, 6.00 - 7.30pm Peter Pears Gallery, Aldeburgh

Come and raise the curtain on the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival with wine, canapés, friends and poetry. All are welcome on Thursday 5 November to the Festival reception for an exhibition preview of ‘Poetic Polydipsia & other pictures’ by Peter Blegvad and the book launch of A Casual Knack of Living: Collected Poems by Aldeburgh’s foremost international translator, critic and poet Herbert Lomas. If you would like to join us, RSVP by Friday 30 October to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 01986 835950

 

Luton’s finest export – the ‘scandalously talented’ John Hegley

From his ‘Luton Bungalow’ to poetry superstar, comic genius John Hegley will reflect on his journey on Saturday 7 November during the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. Audiences can expect an hour of inspired poetry, comedy and music from the Comedy Store and Edinburgh Festival veteran. He will be prompted by the dynamic Peggy Hughes, and audiences may well be called upon to provide harmonic backing vocals to his droll reflections on the misery of existence - as well as the more serious subjects of potatoes, croutons and dogs.

John Hegley’s Journey, Saturday 7 November
James Cable Room, 11.00am - Noon, £8
Family Reading: John Hegley, Friday 6 November
Jubilee Hall, 6.00 - 7.00pm, £6
Full Festival programme: www.poetrytrust.org
Box office: 01728 687110 or www.aldeburgh.co.uk

 

Peter Blegvad - a rare solo set by the engaging singer-songwriter

New York born renaissance man Peter Blegvad is best known for his inspired Independent on Sunday comic strip ‘Leviathan’. He is also a fine guitarist and an exceptionally talented singer-songwriter. A member of cult bands Slapp Happy and Henry Cow, his songs have been covered by, among others, Fairport Convention and Leo Sayer. Join him in Aldeburgh, for a timely musical interlude in the weekend of words, and a rare chance to hear him solo and acoustic - with his trademark poetic wordplay, surrealism and cool tunes.

Saturday 7 November, Jubilee Hall, 5.45-6.30pm, £6
Click to enjoy Peter’s great song ‘In The Meantime’
Full Festival programme: www.poetrytrust.org
Box office: 01728 687110 www.aldeburgh.co.uk

 

Shortlist announced for Aldeburgh First Collection Prize 2009

The shortlist for the 2009 Aldeburgh First Collection Prize - one of the most influential and established poetry prizes in the UK - signals the arrival of five authentic and distinctive new poets.

Judge David Constantine says “contemporary poetry in the UK is thriving” with 2009 attracting a record 92 entries. The Poetry Trust announced the shortlist to coincide with today’s National Poetry Day:

Sian Hughes for The Missing (Salt Publishing)
J O Morgan for Natural Mechanical (C B Editions)
Andrew Philip for The Ambulance Box (Salt Publishing)
Philip Rush for Big Purple Garden Paintings (Yew Tree Press)
Dawn Wood for Quarry (Templar Poetry)

The result will be announced on Saturday 7 November during the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, 6-8 November 2009. The winner receives a cash prize of £3,000, a weeks ‘protected’ writing time on the Suffolk coast and a fee-paying invitation to read at the 2010 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. Click for more information

 

Follow The Poetry Trust on Twitter

Poetry sounds like… a curing song from the well which contains oceans and ashes
Pascale Petit

Follow The Poetry Trust on Twitter and enjoy a taster of the Festival poets on the ‘sound of poetry’ in the run up to the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival.

 

Michael Laskey poem unveiled at Hospital

Michael Laskey’s poem Treatment, inspired by the life, knowledge and experience of patients and staff, has been unveiled at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH). The poem was commissioned to mark the end of the first year of the hugely successful ‘Poetry Treatment’ - a partnership project between The Poetry Trust and the NNUH. Anna Dugdale, Chief Executive of the hospital unveiled the poem and spoke personally of how the project poems had provided enormous pleasure and moments of calm reflection during busy hospital days.

Read Press Coverage
More information and read Michael’s poem ‘Treatment’

 

Close Reading, Good Writing - a pre-Festival poetry course from the Poetry School

Enjoy the unique Aldeburgh spirit for longer with a Poetry School course led by David Constantine in the run up to the Festival. Three mornings of close reading, discussing, thinking about and translating poetry - all activities to refill your writerly reservoirs. There are still, amazingly, a few places left on this course which includes a one-to-one feedback session with David to talk about your poetry in progress.

P.S David Constantine was a tutor on one of The Poetry Trust’s own residential courses a few years back and we unequivocally recommend his superlative skills, wisdom and care.

Church Hall of St Peter & St Paul Church, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
Wednesday 4 - Friday 6 November, 10.30am - 1pm
£130 (£90 concs).

Book online  or call: 0207 582 1679

 

Friends of The Poetry Trust

If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit. To join, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll do the rest.

 

The Poetry Prom

Thank - you to all of you who completed the online audience survey following this summers’ Poetry Prom. All those who left their email address were entered into a prize draw and Emma Pitt-Steel has won signed copies of the latest collections from the three Prom poets.

 

You may also enjoy…

Serpentine Gallery Poetry Marathon, Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London 17 - 18 October www.serpentinegallery.org

Inside Out Festival, venues across London, 19-25 October www.lcace.org.uk