Sorry to Zest! supporters - the post for March 8th should have gone on my personal blog
red botinki. blogspot.com
and somehow I got my wires crossed and it has appeared here.The penalty of doing several things at once!
What should have appeared here was thanks to all of you for supporting us last Monday and coming to hear Roy McFarlane who gave a stirring and lively performance, getting everyone to their feet to join in a call-and-response poem.
I mentioned on the 3rd March that we are putting our price for admission to Zest! nights up to a simple £3 per person; we cannot afford to continue the concessionary fee anymore, I'm sorry to say, as numbers of attendance have been dropping lately and unless we can afford to make enough to pay for the hire of Alexander's we will be left with one of two options: to find another venue, or else to close Zest! down.
We run Zest! totally for your benefit, not to make profit. And we do our best to bring an interesting variety of poets from elsewhere to Chester to give the Zest!evenings that extra zing.
SO, it's up to you, our supporters, to do what you can to keep supporting us!! Please continue to do so: we have more exciting poets as guests for the rest of 2014, Chrys Salt in June, Brian Johnstone in October, and 3 local poets - Maureen Weldon, Dave Costello and Edwin Stockdale -who have all achieved their first publication in December. Congratulations to all three.
The next Zest! will be on Monday 2nd June. Please do your very best to come!
Saturday, March 8, 2014
REVIEW OF "RISE" IN ROUNDYHOUSE, ISSUE 40
In her recent review of "Rise" in Roundyhouse magazine Ellie Rees talks of the 'earthbound pleasures' of my work, commenting that the poems have a 'simplicity and stripped-down nakedness, haiku-like in their power to capture an experience, however fleeting'.
This is not the first time I've had such a comment on my work and I very much appreciate it as I do work carefully to pare the poems down to precisely the nucleus of a moment and no more. Of course it doesn't always work! And also I don't treat all my poems in such a way; it depends what the subject matter is. But where it is a matter of writing about harrowing issues like undergoing treatment for cance/ rape/ illness/ grief I do focus really hard on trying to achieve this spareness of language
.In "Rise" I have branched out into other fields than the cancer experience and observation of wildlife which is my other major focus; I have written a good deal about the habits of people whom I've observed, whether it's the child Nuala , or the inhabitants of the fictional Almond St, and I was pleased to read Ellie's closing comments on the collection, saying saying that 'McEvoy's keen eye delights in the variety and eccentricity of everyday life'. I do indeed!
Her review makes a total now of three reviews of "Rise" so far: James Naiden reviewed it on ink sweat and tears, and Matt Merritt gave it a very enthusiastic review on his blog polyolbion. I am very grateful to all three, and glad too that my publisher Jan Fortune is very active in sending out copies for review. I have heard from some poets that there are some poetry presses that don't do this. I have no idea if reviews help to sell copies of a book or not but at least they bring a book to people's attention and when they are generous, well-informed reviews, as these have been, it makes the writer feel appreciated and understood. Which is worth an enormous amount!
This is not the first time I've had such a comment on my work and I very much appreciate it as I do work carefully to pare the poems down to precisely the nucleus of a moment and no more. Of course it doesn't always work! And also I don't treat all my poems in such a way; it depends what the subject matter is. But where it is a matter of writing about harrowing issues like undergoing treatment for cance/ rape/ illness/ grief I do focus really hard on trying to achieve this spareness of language
.In "Rise" I have branched out into other fields than the cancer experience and observation of wildlife which is my other major focus; I have written a good deal about the habits of people whom I've observed, whether it's the child Nuala , or the inhabitants of the fictional Almond St, and I was pleased to read Ellie's closing comments on the collection, saying saying that 'McEvoy's keen eye delights in the variety and eccentricity of everyday life'. I do indeed!
Her review makes a total now of three reviews of "Rise" so far: James Naiden reviewed it on ink sweat and tears, and Matt Merritt gave it a very enthusiastic review on his blog polyolbion. I am very grateful to all three, and glad too that my publisher Jan Fortune is very active in sending out copies for review. I have heard from some poets that there are some poetry presses that don't do this. I have no idea if reviews help to sell copies of a book or not but at least they bring a book to people's attention and when they are generous, well-informed reviews, as these have been, it makes the writer feel appreciated and understood. Which is worth an enormous amount!
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Monday 3rd March
Apologies to Zest! followers -we forgot to send out our usual reminder last month.But Zest! will be happening on Monday 3rd March 2014 , 8pm, at Alexander's as usual. We have a very special guest in Roy McFarlane, former Poet Laureate of Birmingham. Roy says of himself he "walks the earth, delivering his words as and when he sees fit". And he has excellent delivery style!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
UPDATE
Just to let all our Zest! followers know that the guest poet on Monday 7th October will be Julie Boden, one of Birmingham city's Poet Laureates.
And in March 2014 we have yet another of Birmingham's Poet Laureates, Roy McFarlane, a man with a marvellous voice. (And a really cute beard unless he's recently shaved it off).
Well, we've had most of Cheshire's poet laureates as our guests, and one from Cumbria (Maggie Norton) so it's time to venture further afield!
And in March 2014 we have yet another of Birmingham's Poet Laureates, Roy McFarlane, a man with a marvellous voice. (And a really cute beard unless he's recently shaved it off).
Well, we've had most of Cheshire's poet laureates as our guests, and one from Cumbria (Maggie Norton) so it's time to venture further afield!
Friday, November 23, 2012
Zest! Dates in 2013
Monday 25th February 2013 at 8:00 pm
Guest Poets - Jan Dean and Phil Williams Compère - Gill McEvoy
Jan Dean hardly needs any introduction to Zest! followers. Jan has published two collections of poetry (Macmillan and & Blackie) and had poems published in over 100 anthologies. Jan is well-known for her work with schools and has undertaken a whole lot of innovative and interesting writing projects. http://www.jandean.co.uk/
Phil Williams hosts poetry open-mic events in South Cheshire and has had poems published in Agenda, Iota, Poetry News and Planet. He grew up in South Wales, spent two years in Australia as a '£10 Pom' and studied and worked in Yorkshire. He now lives in Alsager, works freelance in marketing and edits the Leopard Poetry blog www.leopardpoetry.wordpress.com.
Monday 3rd June 2013 at 8:00 pm
Guest Poet - Katrina Naomi Compère: Leih Steggall
Katrina Naomi is a South-London based poet. Her first full collection The Girl with the Cactus Handshake (Templar Poetry, 2009)was described as “arresting and vivid” by the judges of the London New Poetry Award. http://katrinanaomi.co.uk/
Monday 7th October 2013 at 8:00 pm
Guest poets to be confirmed soon. Compère - Angela Topping
We will be taking entries for our special mini poetry competition to mark National Poetry Day 2013 - this will be the usual four-liner on the theme announced as the National Poetry Day Theme for 2013.
Monday 2nd December at 8:00 pm
Our usual end of year Open Floor Joint compères - Gill McEvoy and Leih Steggall
Results of our special mini poetry competition to mark National Poetry Day will be announced and prizes awarded as usual
Guest Poets - Jan Dean and Phil Williams Compère - Gill McEvoy
Jan Dean hardly needs any introduction to Zest! followers. Jan has published two collections of poetry (Macmillan and & Blackie) and had poems published in over 100 anthologies. Jan is well-known for her work with schools and has undertaken a whole lot of innovative and interesting writing projects. http://www.jandean.co.uk/
Phil Williams hosts poetry open-mic events in South Cheshire and has had poems published in Agenda, Iota, Poetry News and Planet. He grew up in South Wales, spent two years in Australia as a '£10 Pom' and studied and worked in Yorkshire. He now lives in Alsager, works freelance in marketing and edits the Leopard Poetry blog www.leopardpoetry.wordpress.com.
Monday 3rd June 2013 at 8:00 pm
Guest Poet - Katrina Naomi Compère: Leih Steggall
Katrina Naomi is a South-London based poet. Her first full collection The Girl with the Cactus Handshake (Templar Poetry, 2009)was described as “arresting and vivid” by the judges of the London New Poetry Award. http://katrinanaomi.co.uk/
Monday 7th October 2013 at 8:00 pm
Guest poets to be confirmed soon. Compère - Angela Topping
We will be taking entries for our special mini poetry competition to mark National Poetry Day 2013 - this will be the usual four-liner on the theme announced as the National Poetry Day Theme for 2013.
Monday 2nd December at 8:00 pm
Our usual end of year Open Floor Joint compères - Gill McEvoy and Leih Steggall
Results of our special mini poetry competition to mark National Poetry Day will be announced and prizes awarded as usual
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The next Zest! Open Floor Poetry Night is on Monday 1 October starting at 8:00 pm, at Alexanders,
Rufus Court, Off Northgate, Chester CH1 2JG (Entry £2/3)
Guest poet: Tom George
Compère: Angela Topping
Liverpool-based performer, Tom George “has been delighting audiences for over 10 years”. Tom has been featured on Channel 4 TV and staged several one-man shows at Liverpool’s Unity theatre.
Compère: Angela Topping
Liverpool-based performer, Tom George “has been delighting audiences for over 10 years”. Tom has been featured on Channel 4 TV and staged several one-man shows at Liverpool’s Unity theatre.
STOP PRESS! Zest! mini-poetry competition
to celebrate National Poetry Day 2012
To celebrate the forthcoming National Poetry Day, we are inviting all “Zesters” to submit a 4-line poem on the theme of STARS at Zest! On 1st October (we’ll have slips of paper and pens available in case you want to create on the night). Remember to write your name and email address on your submission. All 4-line poems will be judged and the results announced at our Christmas Zest! Open Floor Poetry Night on Monday 3rd December 2012. There will be prizes for the best 3 submissions!!
To celebrate the forthcoming National Poetry Day, we are inviting all “Zesters” to submit a 4-line poem on the theme of STARS at Zest! On 1st October (we’ll have slips of paper and pens available in case you want to create on the night). Remember to write your name and email address on your submission. All 4-line poems will be judged and the results announced at our Christmas Zest! Open Floor Poetry Night on Monday 3rd December 2012. There will be prizes for the best 3 submissions!!
At every Zest! we invite you to bring your
own or a favourite poem to read, or just come to listen!
SLOTS FOR EARLY BIRDS: There are five 3-poem reading slots for
those who register to read early.
POETRY BOOK TABLE: We also have have quality new and used
poetry books available to buy on our poetry book table. Please feel free to
bring any poetry books you would like to pass on /sell.
Other dates to put on your calendar
1. SPECIAL FESTIVAL ZEST! Monday 22 October 2012. This Special Zest! Is to be held in collaboration with the Essar Oil Literature Festival, Chester 15-28 October, 2012 (£1.50 /£2 / £3)
We look forward to welcoming poets from all over the world at this special Zest! night.
1. SPECIAL FESTIVAL ZEST! Monday 22 October 2012. This Special Zest! Is to be held in collaboration with the Essar Oil Literature Festival, Chester 15-28 October, 2012 (£1.50 /£2 / £3)
We look forward to welcoming poets from all over the world at this special Zest! night.
2. CHESTER POETS AT THE FESTIVAL! Chester Poets will launch their new
anthology along with readings and a little light music as well as another open
mic session at The Cross Keys, Lower Bridge Street on Thursday 25th
October at 7:30 pm (Free)
3. REBECCA GOSS: a special opportunity to celebrate
National Poetry Day with Poet Rebecca Goss at Bebington Central
Library (Civic Centre Way, Bebington, CH63 7PN) at 2.30 pm on 4th
October 2012.
Admission: Free (For other details: T: 01516437219 and E: Bebington@wirral-libraries.net).
Admission: Free (For other details: T: 01516437219 and E: Bebington@wirral-libraries.net).
4. REBECCA GOSS AND MARY ROBISNON AT THE
FESTIVAL! Rebecca reads again with Mary Robinson during the
Essar Oil Literarture Festival, at Chester Town Hall, Northgate, Chester CH1
2HJ, on Thursday 25th October at 1pm (£3). You may already know
that Rebecca lives in Liverpool and that her first full-length
collection, The Anatomy of Structures came out in June 2010. Mary
Robinson lives in Cumbria where she works in adult and continuing education and
her collection The Art of Gardening was published in 2011.
Zest! Open Floor Poetry
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
SOME MONDAYS NOT TO MISS
Mondays are often good nights for poets and here are a few Mondays not to miss!!
24 September: STARS ! A POETRY WRITING WORKSHOP TO MARK NATIONAL POETRY DAY
Stanley Palace, Watergate, Chester, CH1 2LF on 24th September 2012 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. £15.
Poem Catchers presents a special poetry writing workshop to celebrate National Poetry Day 2012- a creative evening in the inspiring setting of one of Chester's most historic buildings.
To book: email info@poemcatchers.com.
Sometimes the stars seem so close you could almost touch them; sometimes they’re hidden by light pollution. But they’re always them we give them names, we look up to them we navigate by them, we say we’re born under the influence of certain stars, we call our famous personalities “stars”. Rising stars. Falling Stars. Shooting stars. This workshop sets out via several writing exercises to explore our fascination with the stars, including our “earthling stars”, the celebrities.
Monday 1 October: NEXT ZEST! OPEN FLOOR POETRY NIGHT
Guest poet: Tom George
Liverpool-based performer, Tom George “has been delighting audiences for over 10 years”. Tom has been featured on Channel 4 TV and staged several one-man shows at Liverpool’s Unity theatre.
Monday 22 October 2012. FESTIVAL ZEST!
Special Zest! to be held in collaboration with the Essar Oil Literature Festival, Chester 15-28 October, 2012
We look forward to welcoming poets from all over the world at this special Zest! night.
Monday 3 December 2012: END OF YEAR ZEST!
Our usual end of year Open Floor
At every Zest! we invite you to bring your own or a favourite poem to read, or just come to listen! There are five 3-poem reading slots for those who register to read early. We also have have quality new and used poetry books available to buy on our poetry book table.
Zest! nights begin at 8:00 pm and take place at Alexanders Theatre Bar, Rufus Court, off Northgate, Chester CH1 2JG (Entry £2/3)
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Zest! 19th March 2012
A night of excellent poems: Bob made me feel I was really wading through the muck and yuk at a Stone Roses gig: Katy celebrated her thirtieth birthday with an elegy for her twenties; Ray read a very moving poem on the loss of a child; Janet considered the possibilty of a UFO landing in her backyard; Jean, a newcomer to Zest! gave a splendidly confident reading of her poem; Edwin eulogised the Brontes in yet another Bronte poem (how many has the man written??!!); Maureen gave her all to a reading of Yeats' "Down by the Salley Gardens"; Zest! team member Judy actually read twice and team member Leih read a fine poem about a hidden well under the floor; Graham entertained us with a list of all the chores he left undone; Harry fantasised about Eastern promise; Emma celebrated Chester's canal. In short it was a very full, rich night of hugely varied poems, and the icing on the cake was a very good reading from newest Zest! team member Angela Topping. If I have missed anyone out, and I know I will have, I still want you all to know that your poems are so much apreciated. Zest! is an extraordinary night; none of us ever know what's coming and the sheer spread of subject matter in your poems is astonishing. Warm thanks to all of you who contributed. And not only your own poems but poems from Mary Oliver, Seamus Heaney, Whitman, Larkin and Esther Morgan. A really marvellous night. Can't wait for the next one to hear more of these wonderful offerings!
Friday, February 24, 2012
OUR NEXT ZEST! OPEN FLOOR POETRY NIGHT
Monday 19 March 2012 Guest poet: Angela Topping
Zest! nights begin at 8:00 pm and take place at Alexanders’ Theatre Bar, Rufus Court, off Northgate, Chester CH1 2JG (Entry £2/3)
Bring your own or a favourite poem to read, or just come to listen! There are five 3-poem reading slots for those who register to read early. Those who come later may just get the chance to read 1 poem, depending on time. We will have some quality new and used poetry books available to buy.
We look forward to seeing you!
Monday 19 March 2012 Guest poet: Angela Topping
Zest! nights begin at 8:00 pm and take place at Alexanders’ Theatre Bar, Rufus Court, off Northgate, Chester CH1 2JG (Entry £2/3)
Bring your own or a favourite poem to read, or just come to listen! There are five 3-poem reading slots for those who register to read early. Those who come later may just get the chance to read 1 poem, depending on time. We will have some quality new and used poetry books available to buy.
We look forward to seeing you!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
CHRISTMAS ZEST!
A very good night on Dec 12th - fine poems from every reader, many choosing to read favourite Christmas poems: Robert Graves, Carol Ann Duffy, U A Fanthorpe, Anne Stewart, Diana Hendry, Jane Draycott, and others.
We were delighted to welcome several new people to Zest! and warmly congratulate them for reading on their first visit to us (some people are frightened by the microphone that Alexander's provide but that little bit of terror doesn't last long - it's a superb sound system there, so good you don't know you're using it, and we are very lucky!)
The winners of our mini-competition - a four-line poem on "games" - were
Jane Dards, Mike Penny, Elizabeth Lambrakis, and Rod Cox.
Each winner chose from a selection of those elegant Candlestick Press pamphlets, and off to new homes went "10 poems about Bicycles", "10 poems about Dogs", "10 poems about Tea", and "10 poems about Gardens"
Nobody wanted "10 poems about Love" - interesting!! But one of the Zest! team members was very happy to adopt it.
Our thanks again to Colin Watts for kindly judging it for us.
I want to welcome to the Zest! team Angela Topping, a well-known poet who is full of good ideas and who will be a great addition to Zest! so we are very pleased indeed to have her on board.
Our next Zest! is on March 19th 2012 when Angela Topping will be our guest.
Please remember that the first lucky 5 poets to arrive will get to read 3 poems instead of the usual one, so if you're early please let the compere know asap. On March 19th the compere will be yours truly, Gill McEvoy, and I look forward to welcoming you all once more!
A very, very Happy Christmas to all our Zest! readers and listeners. And a joyful 2012!
We were delighted to welcome several new people to Zest! and warmly congratulate them for reading on their first visit to us (some people are frightened by the microphone that Alexander's provide but that little bit of terror doesn't last long - it's a superb sound system there, so good you don't know you're using it, and we are very lucky!)
The winners of our mini-competition - a four-line poem on "games" - were
Jane Dards, Mike Penny, Elizabeth Lambrakis, and Rod Cox.
Each winner chose from a selection of those elegant Candlestick Press pamphlets, and off to new homes went "10 poems about Bicycles", "10 poems about Dogs", "10 poems about Tea", and "10 poems about Gardens"
Nobody wanted "10 poems about Love" - interesting!! But one of the Zest! team members was very happy to adopt it.
Our thanks again to Colin Watts for kindly judging it for us.
I want to welcome to the Zest! team Angela Topping, a well-known poet who is full of good ideas and who will be a great addition to Zest! so we are very pleased indeed to have her on board.
Our next Zest! is on March 19th 2012 when Angela Topping will be our guest.
Please remember that the first lucky 5 poets to arrive will get to read 3 poems instead of the usual one, so if you're early please let the compere know asap. On March 19th the compere will be yours truly, Gill McEvoy, and I look forward to welcoming you all once more!
A very, very Happy Christmas to all our Zest! readers and listeners. And a joyful 2012!
Monday, December 5, 2011
REMINDER: Next Zest! Open Floor Poetry Night
Monday 12 December 2011 at 8:00 pm at Alexanders Theatre Bar, Rufus Court, Off Northgate, Chester CH1 2JG. Entry £2/£3.
This year’s December Zest! will be an open floor night without a guest poet.
* We will announce the results the Zest! mini poetry competition ably adjudicated by Colin Watts.
* The three Zest followers who each won a 3-poem reading slot (at the December 2010 Zest! Raffle) will be invited to come forward and take up their reading slots.
* We will announce the Zest! programme for 2012
Most importantly, please bring your poems or a favourite poem by someone else, to read / perform. Or if you prefer, just come and listen!
This year’s December Zest! will be an open floor night without a guest poet.
* We will announce the results the Zest! mini poetry competition ably adjudicated by Colin Watts.
* The three Zest followers who each won a 3-poem reading slot (at the December 2010 Zest! Raffle) will be invited to come forward and take up their reading slots.
* We will announce the Zest! programme for 2012
Most importantly, please bring your poems or a favourite poem by someone else, to read / perform. Or if you prefer, just come and listen!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Zest! Dates for your diary.
Monday 12 December 2011 (End of Year Open Floor)
Monday 19 March 2012 (Guest poet: Angela Topping)
Monday 21 May 2012 (Guest poets: Jake Campbell and Sarah Maclennan)
Monday 1 October 2012(Guest poet: Tom George)
Monday 3 December 2012 (End of Year Open Floor)
Hope to see all of you there!
Monday 19 March 2012 (Guest poet: Angela Topping)
Monday 21 May 2012 (Guest poets: Jake Campbell and Sarah Maclennan)
Monday 1 October 2012(Guest poet: Tom George)
Monday 3 December 2012 (End of Year Open Floor)
Hope to see all of you there!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Change is in the air!!
There are some changes about to happen with respect to Zest! But Good Ones, really good ones. All will be revealed at the next Zest! night on Monday Dec 12th. Also to be revealed are the 4 prizewinners in our Zest! competition - thank you to all those of you who had a go - we had some amazing poems and Colin Watts had a hard time making a decision. But he has, bless him, and there will be prizes for all 4 people. Plus the usual cheerful night of poems from the floor and, as we have no guest that night, there will be more time for readers. So be sure to come along and make the most of that!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
October Zest!
A great night on the 10th October, with good poems and varied subjects.
I'll post more about it soon but for now I want to thank all of you who entered our mini-competition;we had a bumper entry! Our guest poet, Colin Watts, who is kindly going to adjudicate, went home with a large envelope full of poems.
And Colin also gave a really excellent reading of his own work. Just the right tone too - laughter, sadness, wry commentary, and beautiful, tender images, the lot! I wonder if anyone was trying to peel their breakfast orange the Zen way this morning?!!
I'll post more about it soon but for now I want to thank all of you who entered our mini-competition;we had a bumper entry! Our guest poet, Colin Watts, who is kindly going to adjudicate, went home with a large envelope full of poems.
And Colin also gave a really excellent reading of his own work. Just the right tone too - laughter, sadness, wry commentary, and beautiful, tender images, the lot! I wonder if anyone was trying to peel their breakfast orange the Zen way this morning?!!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Another Zester Book Launch!
Hello all Zest! followers.
Just to let you know that Chris Kinsey, a regular performer at Zest! and also a previous guest poet at Zest! will be launching her third book "Swarf" at Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown, Powys on Sept 15th 2011. 7.30 pm, and admission is £5. I have read the book and can heartily recommend it!
Also reading at this launch will be Andy Croft, publisher of Smokestack Books, Rosie Bailey, partner of the late U A Fanthorpe, Kaite O'Reilly who recently won the Ted Hughes Poetry prize, and our very own Jane Dards who, like Chris, is a regular performer at Zest!
It promises to be a very good event, and the gallery is a really beautiful venue; plus there is easy parking around it. A perfect evening out..
All these Zesters publishing books - it must be that Zest! is a Very Good Thing! And so it is, of course.
Just to let you know that Chris Kinsey, a regular performer at Zest! and also a previous guest poet at Zest! will be launching her third book "Swarf" at Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown, Powys on Sept 15th 2011. 7.30 pm, and admission is £5. I have read the book and can heartily recommend it!
Also reading at this launch will be Andy Croft, publisher of Smokestack Books, Rosie Bailey, partner of the late U A Fanthorpe, Kaite O'Reilly who recently won the Ted Hughes Poetry prize, and our very own Jane Dards who, like Chris, is a regular performer at Zest!
It promises to be a very good event, and the gallery is a really beautiful venue; plus there is easy parking around it. A perfect evening out..
All these Zesters publishing books - it must be that Zest! is a Very Good Thing! And so it is, of course.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Book Launch!!
Colin Watts, our October guest, is launching his new collection (The Tree House Headland Press) at the Basement, Everyman Theatre, Hope St, L'pool on Monday, June 20th: 7- 10pm. All welcome. Anyone who's been to Dead Good Poets' nights will know this is their regular home. There will be music, poetry, and laughter. Mandy Coe is compering. It would be really great if a few Zesters would like to come and support this event.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Competition Judge
Dear Zesters!
Colin Watts, our guest poet for October's Zest! has kindly agreed to judge our mini-competition.
So do start bringing your 4-lines-only poems on 'Games' to Zest! Next one is Monday June 13th, when our guest is Gail Ashton.
Here's a brief quote from one of Gail's poems:
"an angel..
comes skidding down,
skirts flying up and mug in hand,
lights up a cigar.."
(From "Ghost Songs", published by Cinnamon Press)
See you all on the 13th June when Gill McEvoy will be hosting the night, and she looks forward to seeing each one of you again, and to hearing your poems!
Colin Watts, our guest poet for October's Zest! has kindly agreed to judge our mini-competition.
So do start bringing your 4-lines-only poems on 'Games' to Zest! Next one is Monday June 13th, when our guest is Gail Ashton.
Here's a brief quote from one of Gail's poems:
"an angel..
comes skidding down,
skirts flying up and mug in hand,
lights up a cigar.."
(From "Ghost Songs", published by Cinnamon Press)
See you all on the 13th June when Gill McEvoy will be hosting the night, and she looks forward to seeing each one of you again, and to hearing your poems!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Long-horned Moths and Dungeons
You don't expect a planning meeting to turn into a wildlife adventure but back in April we three of the Zest! team met up on a warm, fine day at Thurstaston Visitor's Centre on the Wirral Way to sit on the cliffs above the Dee estuary and plan the future meetings of Zest!( oh yes, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes; we spend a lot of time on cliffs, in cafes, and in our various homes busy discussing "What next?")
After we had talked and thought and talked and thought some more - and Zest! will have happy things in the pipeline soon - we felt it was time to ease off and walked to the Dungeon, a deep cleft of valley and wood in the side of a hill just off the Wirral Way. We saw orange-tip butterflies, speckled woods, whites, and peacocks, and up in the woods, where we paused after a steep bit of path, I glanced up and saw a cloud of what at first seemed like small flies dancing above an oak. Then I noticed the tell-tale flash of gold and realised these were the long-horned, or fairy, moths which come out in early spring to do a kind of magic courtship dance high above trees, oak or goat willow usually. They have antennae almost three times as long as their tiny bodies and the males have a gold band across their wings which flashes in the sunlight as they lift and fall in their delicate dance. I had my binocs with me and we were all able to get a superbly close look at them. They are extremely beautiful. A great bonus to our hard work that morning!
Now then, what is in that pipeline? Well, first and foremost the
ZEST! MINI-COMPETITION
If you're coming to the October Zest! night on Monday October 10th, we challenge you to bring a 4-line poem on the subject of Games. Games are the chosen theme for National Poetry Day this year.
The rules are simple: only one poem per person; it must be only 4 lines; and it must be brought along and handed in to a member of the Zest! team on Monday October 10th.
There will be a small prize and we are hoping to secure an independent judge for this. So do your best, Zesters! Put on your thinking caps and pick up your pens. Go for it!!
And lastly may I remind everyone that Gail Ashton will be our guest poet on Monday June 13th, and Colin Watts on Monday October 10th. Both of them are excellent poets - don't miss the chance to hear them! Listening to established poets helps you to build up your own skills as a poet. Grab every opportunity!
After we had talked and thought and talked and thought some more - and Zest! will have happy things in the pipeline soon - we felt it was time to ease off and walked to the Dungeon, a deep cleft of valley and wood in the side of a hill just off the Wirral Way. We saw orange-tip butterflies, speckled woods, whites, and peacocks, and up in the woods, where we paused after a steep bit of path, I glanced up and saw a cloud of what at first seemed like small flies dancing above an oak. Then I noticed the tell-tale flash of gold and realised these were the long-horned, or fairy, moths which come out in early spring to do a kind of magic courtship dance high above trees, oak or goat willow usually. They have antennae almost three times as long as their tiny bodies and the males have a gold band across their wings which flashes in the sunlight as they lift and fall in their delicate dance. I had my binocs with me and we were all able to get a superbly close look at them. They are extremely beautiful. A great bonus to our hard work that morning!
Now then, what is in that pipeline? Well, first and foremost the
ZEST! MINI-COMPETITION
If you're coming to the October Zest! night on Monday October 10th, we challenge you to bring a 4-line poem on the subject of Games. Games are the chosen theme for National Poetry Day this year.
The rules are simple: only one poem per person; it must be only 4 lines; and it must be brought along and handed in to a member of the Zest! team on Monday October 10th.
There will be a small prize and we are hoping to secure an independent judge for this. So do your best, Zesters! Put on your thinking caps and pick up your pens. Go for it!!
And lastly may I remind everyone that Gail Ashton will be our guest poet on Monday June 13th, and Colin Watts on Monday October 10th. Both of them are excellent poets - don't miss the chance to hear them! Listening to established poets helps you to build up your own skills as a poet. Grab every opportunity!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Launch of The Plucking Shed
All Zesters are cordially invited to the launch of The Plucking Shed, Gill Mc Evoy’s latest book
Monday 19th July 2010 at 8:00 pm
at Alexander's Jazztheatre bar, Rufus Court, Chester, CH1 2JW
www.alexanderslive.com
The Plucking Shed is published by Cinnamon press. W. N. Herbert has said of Gill's poetry “she has an intriguing, eerie focus on natural phenomena”. Helena Nelson says of the collection “these poems are like jewels, luminous and compelling (but by no means reassuring).”
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Zest! 28 June 2010
A good night yesterday June 28th at Alexanders, compered joyfully by Leih Steggall. There were some really wonderful - funny and touching - readings from Mandy Coe, the guest poet for the evening. Mandy's new collection of poetry for children: "If you could see laughter" is due to be published in September 2010 (Salt. Check out Mandy's wed site for moreinformation about her work: http://www.mandycoe.com/
There were also some great poems in the open mike sessions from Leih Steggall, Jake Campbell, Alyson O'Hare (welcome back to Zest!), John Jones, Ron Entwhistle, Maureen Weldon, Tom Corry, Colin Watts, Angela Toppinng, Rita Lamb, David K. Lamb, Janine Pinnion, Gill McEvoy, Linda Guest, John Gorman, Sue Boardman, Laurence Tierney, Mike Penney, Edwin Stockdale, Helen Hill, Bill Sheppard, Rina Tillinger, Elisabeth Hart, Sarah McLellan, Heather Freckleton, Katy Konrad, Stephen Foot, Jamie Bernthal, Ruby (Eileen) McCann, and Judy Ugonna. Thanks everyone!
There were also some great poems in the open mike sessions from Leih Steggall, Jake Campbell, Alyson O'Hare (welcome back to Zest!), John Jones, Ron Entwhistle, Maureen Weldon, Tom Corry, Colin Watts, Angela Toppinng, Rita Lamb, David K. Lamb, Janine Pinnion, Gill McEvoy, Linda Guest, John Gorman, Sue Boardman, Laurence Tierney, Mike Penney, Edwin Stockdale, Helen Hill, Bill Sheppard, Rina Tillinger, Elisabeth Hart, Sarah McLellan, Heather Freckleton, Katy Konrad, Stephen Foot, Jamie Bernthal, Ruby (Eileen) McCann, and Judy Ugonna. Thanks everyone!
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