The other day I organised a small event with LitSoc in one of the UEA common rooms. It went even better than the last time we did it as we had a pretty crowded room of maybe about 30 or more people. No microphones or anything, just the room filled with fairy-lights, lamps, cushions etc.
The first act was a guy called Joe, I’m not sure of his surname, but he was pretty good. Catherine Woodward read some of her published poems, some written when she was between 16 and 18! It was so good, even if she doesn’t like it anymore and no longer believes in free verse.
After a break, Joshua Fisher came on and he was amazing! I don’t know if it was if the room was cold (we later found the heaters on in the room next door, not ours) but it gave me shivers! His voice has so much range and the words were beautiful. I was next and I did a few new ones, that are now old because I’ve edited them for my creative writing class. I also read an extract from Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis. I’m reading all her plays now, she’s so fucking great, I love her writing. I wanted to read more but would need to scream and get properly into it and not be reading it from a book. Robyn Comfort ended the section with some of her lovely poetry and we took another break and saw a couple of other sign-ups.
The remaining people then enjoyed a really great performance of a poem from Pavel Goncarov, someone in my creative writing class. Billy Hallett ended the night with some comedy and we began clearing up the empty wine bottles and washing plastic plates and bowls.
I got the bus just on time and so it was a pretty perfect night. Although, at one point, when Catherine was reading, I suddenly felt really lonely. I thought that was strange, but it passed. I just have this need for comfort and company at the moment, with Valentine’s approaching, I can only hope for someone to occasionally fall into my bed to hold for a bit and then rant my anti-love poems until anything resembling reality appears. I also just saw I Love Philip Morris which was a heart-wrenching tragi-comedy, that I didn’t realise was based on a true story until the end. I’m now off to see a preview of Never Let Me Go.
xxx
Poet on page and stage. Creator of She Grrrowls. Facilitator. Writer. 