Spring Program 2016

 SHORTLANDS POETRY CIRCLE

        (Affiliated to Bromley Arts Council)

President  Tel. no: 020 8650.8946           Membership Secretary  Tel No: 020 8464 9810

Spring Program 2016

12 Jan Open Choice topic & Desert Island Poems (your list of 10 poems to be stranded with!)

26 Jan Topic: North & South (Global)

9 Feb Poems by A E Housman

23 Feb Topic: Hospitals & Maladies

8 Mar AGM + 1 short poem (Open Choice Topic)

22 Mar Poems by members of The Rhymers Club:

Founded 1890: Yeats, Ernest Rhys, Ernest Dowson, Francis Thompson & Oscar Wilde; Le Gallienne (1866-1947), L Johnson (Lionel Pigot 1867-1902), Arthur Symmons (1865-1945), J Davidson (1857-1909)

8 Dec Topic: Relatives

and diary dates for Summer 2016:

Apr 26 May 10 & 24 Jun 7 & 21 Jul 12

Membership

Membership is by annual subscription, with a reduction for those joining after the Spring term. The current annual rates are:

Full Membership £18 (members who expect to attend most meetings)

Associate Membership £ 9 (members who expect to attend intermittently and wish to be kept on the mailing list)

Visitors £ 2 donation per visit

Refreshments 50p

Contact details: President: Diane Chorley +44(0) 208 650 8946 e-mail

Membership Secretary: Christine Pope +44(0) 208 464 9810

Roy Chapman

We were all very sorry to hear that Roy Chapman died in November, five days after being taken into hospital. Roy and Janet joined the Shortlands Poetry Circle in 2012, having seen our stall at the Ripley Garden Party.

Roy participated fully in our meetings and was a genial presence, appreciated for his careful choice of poems and the attention he gave to others. His death came as a great shock and we will miss him very much.

Readings by members of the SPC at Sunrise Senior Living, Frognal House

Readings by members of the SPC at Sunrise Senior Living, Frognal House

This is the first venture of this kind for some time and one we were especially pleased to undertake. Ayten Dervish, who attends our meetings with her daughter Sezgin, now lives at Frognal House in Sidcup. Because of our link with Ayten we thought might make a visit there and read some poems to the residents. Sezgin herself was one of the four readers.

Frognal House is described as having the feel of a country residence and it certainly has. We arrived as some of the tables were being set for high tea. The present house, although it dates from earlier times, was the residence and birthplace oif Thomas Townend. 1st. Viscount Sydney, after whom Sydney, Australia was named.

Our first audience in Chestnut House was somewhat dispersed as they were sitting at tables where they had recently enjoyed a meal. It was not an intimate space but the residents gave us their full attention which must have been quite difficult as we were not close to them.

Our second audience, in the more enclosed environment of Well House, was sitting nearer to us on chairs and settees. They too were attentive although one lady announced her intention of leaving during the interval. The staff were very helpful when it came to settling and calming the residents. Many, if not all, were suffering from dementia although it really seemed that poetry could ‘reach’ them and we were glad we had come. Below is the list of who read what.

List Of Poems And Readers

Read by Isabel Turvey:-

Hope is the Thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson

To Autumn by John Keats

Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Read by Sezgin Kemal :-

Ithaka by C. P.Cavafy

Walking Away by C. Day-Lewis

First Love by John Clare

Read by Muriel Letman

To Daffodils by Robert Herrick

Matilda Who told Lies, and was Burned to Death by Hilaire Belloc

From A Railway Carriage by Robert Louis Stevenson

Read by Keith Massey:-

Farewell by Walter de la Mare

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

At The Railway Station, Upway by Thomas Hardy

December 2015 Poetry Events

Wednesday 2nd December

Is Poetry Patriarchal?

Elaine Feinstein, Mimi Khalvati, Gillian Allnut, Maureen Duffy, Rosie Bailey

Introduced by Ruth O’Callaghan Chaired by Professor Clare Brant

Join us for an evening of debate, poetry and conversation – all welcome!

Waterstones Piccadilly
7pm This event is free but please reserve your place by email: piccadilly@waterstones.com

 

Thursday 3 December

‘Desert Island Poems’

Poet Blake Morrison selects 7 favourite poems and discusses his choices with Helen Eastman of Live Canon. Poems will be performed by Live Canon ensemble.

Seven poems chosen by public will also be performed.

Venue 324 Creek Road, Greenwich, SE10 9SW

7pm for 7.30pm. Entry: £12 to include welcome and interval drinks and seasonal nibbles. Pre-booking essential. Book from 1 November at: http://www.madeingreenwich.co.uk/

 

Friday 4th DecemberCamden Poetry Series

Gillian Henchley Winner of the 2015 International Camden/Lumen Poetry Competition with the Commended Poets

Poets from the floor welcome.

Camden, United Reform Church, 1 Buck St. 1-2 minutes from Camden Town tube.
6.30 reading at 7. Entrance £5/4. Wine.

 

Sunday 6th December

Launch of ‘Opening Time’ by Mick DeLap

Copies of the book are available direct from the author (email: mick@delap.plus.com) at £9.00.

Trafalgar Rowing Centre,11 – 14 Crane Street,Greenwich, SE10 9NP.

12:30 p.m. Free entry

 

Sunday 6th December

Torriano

Stephen Payne and Jillian Fenn introduced by Lisa Kelly Poets from the floor welcome

Torriano Meeting House, 99 Torriano Ave. London. NW5. Info: 020 8881 1418
7.30 pm, Admission £5/£4(according to pocket).