Carshalton-on-Sea Prep

In the build up to this weekend's poetry reading I was our with Cheryl and Josie visiting Osterley Gardens trying to learn my Suffolk poems by heart. They're not very long and have an easy structure to memorise so it wasn't too bad. We spent quite some time in the scented garden where our next door neighbour works as a volunteer. It was delicious!

Later, as I was finishing off Lowestoft Fish Market for the third time, we neared the Garden House where John Grant, Poet in Residence was seated. He passed us a poetry book and we each opened a page and selected a line for him. Mine came from Matthew Arnold, all three lines were appropriate. He was compiling a line from each visitor and then creating a poem for the day. He had done the same the previous day too.

He was also supposed to be giving a ten minute reading at noon, 2pm and 4pm. Unfortunately, no-one had been around at noon so he had read to himself. He had kept himself busy since being allocated Osterley House as part of the Open House weekend. He had never been before so had throughly enjoyed taking it all in, visiting ahead of the weekend and writing four new poems based on his findings. One of these was all about some of the 250 volunteers who keep the house and gardens in immaculate condition.

Spending a little time online I found that John is part of the Poetry Society's 'Campus' where poets share their work and thoughts. It looks a good site to be part of with a number of different 'groups' you can join to help spread your poetry. In the latest restructuring of my time I have decided to dedicate Wednesday's creative time to poetry and perhaps I will join Campus and see where that may lead.

Now, where was I? Oh yes.. Lowstoff Fesh Marke'.