Next Buzzwords Sunday March 1st

Next Buzzwords Sunday March 1st

7pm - workshop led by Michael Bartholomew-Biggs and Nancy Mattson

8pm - open mic and guest readings

Guest Poets: Michael Bartholomew-Biggs and Nancy Mattson

Upstairs at The Exmouth Arms, Bath Road, Cheltenham

Waged £5, unwaged £3

 

 

Michael Bartholomew-Biggs is a semi-retired mathematician who is also poetry editor of the on-line magazine London Grip. His chapbook, Uneasy Relations (Hearing Eye, 2007) attempted to unite the two halves of his brain. Michael has published four poetry collections and five chapbooks of poems, the latest of which are, respectively, Poems in  the Case (Shoestring Press, 2018) which combines poetry with a  murder mystery ― and The Man Who Wasn't Ever Here (Wayleave Press,  2017) ― which speculates about the life of his Irish grandfather.  With Nancy Mattson he organizes the Poetry in the Crypt reading series in North London.

Nancy Mattson’s fourth poetry collection, Vision on Platform 2 (2018), reflects on her Canadian prairie childhood, life and love in England, encounters with art, nature, faith and history. Her previous collections are Finns and Amazons (2012), which begins with poems about early 20^th century Russian women artists but moves to a search for her Finnish great-aunt who disappeared in Stalinist Russia; Writing with Mercury (2006); and Maria Breaks Her Silence (1989), shortlisted for Canada’s Gerald Lampert Award. Nancy has appeared at festivals and universities in the UK, Canada, the US, Finland and Russia. In 1990 she moved to London, where she co-organises Poetry in the Crypt in Islington.

Next Buzzwords Sunday February 2nd

Next Buzzwords Sunday February 2nd

7pm - workshop led by Jonathan Edwards

8pm - open mic and guest readings

Guest Poet: Jonathan Edwards

Upstairs at The Exmouth Arms, Bath Road, Cheltenham

Waged £5, unwaged £3

Jonathan Edwards's first collection, My Family and Other Superheroes (Seren, 2014), received the Costa Poetry Award and the Wales Book of the Year People's Choice Award, and was shortlisted for the Fenton Aldeburgh First Collection Prize. His second collection, Gen (Seren, 2018), also received the Wales Book of the Year People's Choice Award, and in 2019 his poem about Newport Bridge was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem. He has read his poems on BBC radio and television and at festivals around the world, recorded them for the Poetry Archive and led workshops in schools, universities and prisons. Jonathan is the editor of Poetry Wales, a Literature Wales Mentor of emerging poets, and a Gladstone's Library Writer-in-Residence for 2020. He lives in Crosskeys, South Wales. 

Next Buzzwords Sunday January 5th

Next Buzzwords Sunday January 5th

7pm - workshop led by Julia Deakin

8pm - open mic and guest readings

 

Guest Poet: Julia Deakin

Upstairs at The Exmouth Arms, Bath Road, Cheltenham

Waged £5, unwaged £3

JULIA DEAKIN was born in Nuneaton and worked her way north to Yorkshire via Shropshire, the Potteries and Manchester. Each of her collections is praised by leading UK poets. ‘Crafted, tender poems, written with passion and purpose,’ said Simon Armitage of her first; her fourth, Sleepless (Valley Press 2018) is commended by Gillian Clarke. When not writing, or editing Pennine Platform magazine, Julia enjoys walking and ice skating. A compelling reader, she has featured twice on Poetry Please. www.juliadeakin.co.uk

Next Buzzwords Sunday December 1st

Next Buzzwords Sunday, December 1st

7pm - workshop led by Jean Atkin

8pm - open mic and guest readings

Guest Poet: Jean Atkin

Upstairs at The Exmouth Arms, Bath Road, Cheltenham

Waged £5, unwaged £3

 

Jean Atkin's new collection 'How Time is in Fields' (May 2019) is available from Indigo Dreams Publishing.   Her previous publications include ‘Not Lost Since Last Time’ (Oversteps Books), and six poetry pamphlets.  Her poetry has been commissioned for Radio 4, featured on ‘Ramblings’ with Claire Balding, and added to ‘Best Scottish Poems’ by the Scottish Poetry Library.  She works as a poet in education, wellbeing and community. She is currently Troubadour of the Hills for Ledbury Poetry Festival, and BBC National Poetry Day Poet for Shropshire.  www.jeanatkin.com 

 

Next Buzzwords Sunday November 3rd

Next Buzzwords Sunday, November 3rd

7pm - workshop led by Alasdair Paterson

8pm - open mic and guest readings

Guest Poets: Alasdair Paterson

Upstairs at The Exmouth Arms, Bath Road, Cheltenham

Waged £5, unwaged £3

 

Alasdair Paterson’s most recent collections are Elsewhere Or Thereabouts (Shearsman Books 2014), My Life As A Mad King (Oystercatcher 2016) and Silent Years (Flarestack Poets 2017). Born in Edinburgh, he is now retired after a career directing academic libraries in Britain and Ireland. He lives in Exeter, where he organizes and presents the monthly Uncut Poets event.