The Fitzrovia
Poetry Workshop
was founded at Fitzroy Court on April 1st, 2009, and supported by, amongst
others, The Ftzrovian Neighbourhood Association, Westminster Arts, Westminster
City Council and Fitzroy Court.
Its
first workshop leader was West Euston Time Bank Writer-in-Residence, Kim
Morrissey, on temporary loan to the Fitzrovian Neighbourhood Association
(April 1, 2009 to May 2010). During that time, from July 2009, Kim was
co-workshop leader of the FWP with Barry Cole.
From June 2010, Barry is the on-going workshop leader of
the FPW.
PREFACE to A Fitzrovian Miscellany
published by the Fitzrovian Neighbourhood Association,
39 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RX
http://www.fitzrovia.org.uk
fitzroviacentre@yahoo.co.uk
Book launch March 22, 2010
Fitzrovia Court, 24 Carburton Street, London W1W 5AS at 2 p.m
(Compiled by the Fitzrovian Poetry Workshop, preface by Kim Morrissey, poems
by Barry Cole, Wendy Forrester, Ronald Hithersay, Karen Holden, Mala Mason,
Alan Nodding and Sandra Wheen; illustrations by Karen Holden, design by
Fitzrovian Neighbourhood Association facilitator Barb
Jacobson.)
P R E F A C
E
In the words of Peter Porter, "No poem is a flat race:
each one is an obstacle course of some sort." Poetry takes time, both to
read and to write. Some of these poems have just been written, some were
written more than half a century ago; all have been read to the group and
the shared readings have helped these poets shape the selection of their
work.
The poems of my fellow workshop leader Barry Cole inspired Wendy Forrester
to write Landfall, a beautifully controlled metaphor for dying, with
its bleakly optimistic: We may be met./ I hope we shall be met. Sandra
Wheen's opening: Wedding ring/Pretty thing works as a song, but readers
can also catch the echo of T.S. Eliot's poem East Coker in her use
of the word betokeneth. This accessible sophistication can also be
seen in Barry Cole's spare and witty Erithacu Rubecula or The Cockney
Robin; his sacred robin image is undercut by the casual: I was just/
gardening, she said. Mala Mason explores the same sense of knowing and
not knowing as she re-imagines innocence: To enter I slipped the latch
of my memory. Alan Nodding's elegant sonnet Winter, written in
1953, and Ronald Hithersay's graceful rhymes in Winterscape both recreate
the still, timeless wonder of snow. Karen Holden creates her own sense of
wonder with the evocative: So, when you cut your finger,/ and I lick,/
I get the taste of salt.
Salty, sweet, sour, bitter, soft, hard, hot, or cold as winter, these are
poems to be savoured and reread. Poetry takes time; thanks to the energy
and enthusiasm of facilitator Barb Jacobson, these talented Fitzrovian poets
have met and continue meeting. I hope there will be many meetings, and I
hope this is the first of many collections.
Kim Morrissey
Bloomsbury 03.03.2010
Kim Morrissey was the
West Euston Time Bank Writer-in-Residence (May 2005
to August 2010. The Purple Poets are now hosted (20.10.2010 onwards)
by the Bloomsbury Time Bank.
(on loan to the Fitzrovia Poetry Workshop from April 2009 - May 2010).
Barry Cole is a much-published poet, novelist and
journalist. Barry's found poem was read at the Purple
Poets and Friends and Peace celebration at the Quaker Centre, April
22nd 2010, 2:30 p.m.
The Fitzrovian Poetry Workshop , affiliated with Fitzroy Court,
meets monthly (generally the first Monday of the month) at Fitzrovia
Court. For further details, contact the
Fitzrovian Neighbourhood Association,
39 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RX
fitzroviacentre@yahoo.co.uk
Fitzrovia News 23.03.2010
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fitzrovia-News/337019537863?ref=nf
Fitzrovia News attended this very successful event which was enjoyed by
all. It was particularly enjoyable to hear people reading their own poems
and learning about the inspiration for creating them.
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