Containment & Expression

Inspirational poets at the head of the table during lunch in the sun drenched garden

During the summer I was lucky enough to attend an inspiring poetry workshop and reading by Small Lightnings aka established poets Jo Bell - a professional archaeologist - and Martin Malone, poet of the Wiltshire landscape, at the Water Tower in Brigstock

It was a beautiful day in a beautiful setting, the other participants were lovely, creative, questing souls and the most excellent poetic duo worked us hard, we were given poems and postcards to respond to and were set a number of intriguing writing exercises. By the end of the day we were left with a fist full of beginnings and the encouragement to keep writing. In the evening we had the pleasure of hearing Jo and Martin read their work, if you get the chance, go and see them, they are fantastic.

You can find out more about Small Lightnings on their facebook page

Jo has also been appointed as the first Canal Poet Laurete and will have some lines of her poetry carved into lock gates as part of Locklines. I thought it would be good for Andrew Rushton to get a taste of the Jo Bell experience so we went to the poetry workshop held during the Hillmorton Open Day.

Poet Roy Fisher has created lines of poetry and sculptor Peter Coates has designed, carved and inlaid the words onto new commemorative lock gates at Hillmorton, inspired by Roy’s words and the canal environment.

We also had the opportunity to explore the bottom of the canal 

whilst work on the lock gates was taking place.

I found a penny

and saw some great faces

So here's two days of words & celebration.