Venturing Out as a Poet

I rarely do readings these days. I shy away from the, as reading does make me a little nervous, but recently had two lovely invitations to read and decided to say yes. So very soon, I will be reading at two events in Chorlton.

The first is this Friday at Chorlton Library. Manky Poets has been running for many years, and I was really pleased to be asked by copland smith to be one of two featured poets. The other is a new poet called Katherine Horrex. I'm going to read a strange mix of very old poems and very new ones. It's a long time since I've read so I want to revisit some poems I haven't read for a long time. And also test out some new prose poems I've been writing with artist Gemma Lacey as part of our new project called keepsafes. Manky Poets is a meagre £2 or £1 and it starts at 730pm I think, side door of Chorlton Library. I hope we might get a warm, friendly crowd of people, and there are chances to read your own poems too, as there are openings for poems from the floor. Please come and say hello.

The second reading is in a few weeks, Tuesday 10th April. Lead Poets + Prose is upstairs at the Lead Station on Beech Road in Chorlton. I've read here a couple of times before, and it's always a lovely intimate reading. There is always an interesting mix of poets, and I think they added prose for my benefit, as I asked whether I can read a very short story. It's a very poetic story, so I felt it might fit in with the night and I'm dying to have the chance to read it so I can gauge how it works. I'm a little nervous as only one other person has read this story, so it's my chance to get a little feedback as well. So, if you are there, please come and let me know what you think. I give permission for people to be honest... There are a wonderful selection of poets, and I think (but am not entirely sure) that the event is free... It starts at 7.30pm and poets for the nights are


Annie Clarkson

Sarah L Dixon

Edmund Prestwich

Gary Parkinson

Melanie Rees

Rachel Sills

Stevie Turner

I usually wander along to these events all on my lonesome, so any friendly faces will be most welcome...