Update: Festival postponed until next year
Because of the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic, the 7th Festival of Suffolk Poetry cannot now be held in 2020. The festival will now be held on 8 May 2021.
Suffolk Poetry Society will be hosting their 7th Festival of Suffolk Poetry on 9th May 2020 at a new venue – Stowmarket Community Centre
The event will feature: George Szirtes, André Mangeot, Michael Bartholomew-Biggs, Nicola Warwick, Barbara Strangward.
There will be two workshops in the morning (10:00-12:30).
George Szirtes’ workshop The Adventures of Constraint:
“We may imagine poetry, like all art, to be a product of the free play of the spirit. But spirit is a creature of language and language has its own games and ideas that offer liberation through conflict. Or better still, a dance in which spirit and language move to patterns that demand something of both. “
André Mangeot will lead a workshop called Poetry, Politics and Contemporary Issues :
“If poetry is our response to the world around us, can we afford to ignore the urgent and troubling global issues now affecting us all? But if these are perceived as ‘political’ subjects, should poetry engage or steer clear? Can the two still combine in subtle and interesting ways to produce memorable poems? We’ll look at how a number of poets have walked this difficult tightrope, discuss their various approaches, and use these examples to kick-start new work.”
During the afternoon (12:55-17:30)
the Poetry Cafés will display their wares.
Following them there will be an Open Mic. Sign up on arrival.
In the evening (18:30-21:30)
featured poets George Szirtes and André Mangeot will read.
Michael Bartholomew-Biggs will present an extract from his book Poems in the Case as a play reading enacted by readers from SPS. Poems in the Case is a murder mystery located at a poetry workshop. The book will be available for purchase on the bookstall, which will be open all afternoon and evening. SPS members are invited to sell their books through the bookstall.
Lynne Nesbit and Colin Whyles will perform the final songs from the song cycle Islands of Love, the first six songs of which were performed in the 6th Festival of Suffolk Poetry.