Getting poetry published is often an aspiration for many poets. What are the realities and difficulties? Our panel, all with experience in this field, will be the publisher, poet and local author James Crowden, Bookshop owner Lorne Thomson and poet Rachael Clyne who will talk about the difficulties and delights of publishing poetry in the quickly changing world of the printed word.
About the group
East Coker is a picturesque South Somerset village of around 1800 inhabitants, a few miles south west of Yeovil. It is famous for being the birthplace of the navigator, pirate and botanist, William Dampier, who explored the west coast of Australia, and as the burial place of the great 20th century poet, Thomas Stearns Eliot. The village was immortalised in TS Eliot's Four Quartets, published in 1943.
In my beginning is my end. Now the light falls
Across the open field, leaving the deep lane
Shuttered with branches, dark in the afternoon
Where you lean against a bank while a van passes,
And the deep lane insists on the direction
Into the village, in the electric heat
Hypnotised. In a warm haze the sultry light
Is absorbed, not refracted, by grey stone.
The dahlias sleep in the empty silence.
Wait for the early owl.
Although the poet was born in St Louis, Missouri, in 1888, he moved to England as a young man and remained here until his death in 1965. His ashes are buried in the churchyard of St Michael's Church, and there is a commemorative plaque in the church. With this heritage, there is an understandable enthusiasm for poetry in the village and we decided to form the East Coker Poetry Group.
Meetings are entertaining, informal and sociable. They are held either in the Skittle Alley, or the Apple Loft Restaurant, of the Helyar Arms, a 15th century village inn, a short stroll across the paddock from St Michael's Church. Membership is free and everyone is welcome, including visitors to the village and guests staying at the Helyar Arms. Our meetings regularly attract 20 - 30 poetry lovers.
For more information, contact David Cloke or Joyce Best.
News
The Village of East Coker is threatened by a huge urban development of 3,700 houses and industrial units. South Somerset District Council is pushing ahead with plans to expand the town of Yeovil right up to the edge of the village. Keep track of developments at saveeastcoker.com
The Richard Jefferies Society Poetry Competition 2011-2012 - Details of this competition have been sent to us by member Rebecca Welshman - see our 'News' page
Music and Poetry at St Michael's Church, East Coker - see our news page
Upcoming Events
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Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 7:30pm
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Tuesday, 27 March 2012 - 7:30pm
It is thirty years since the Falklands War took place. David Morgan was a harrier pilot from this area who not only published a vivid account of the conflict from his own personal experience but also wrote some very moving poetry at the time. These poems were not for ‘general reading’ but were written to record his own feelings at a time of great stress. David has very kindly allowed the East Coker Poetry Group to put together an evening based on these very personal poems.
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Monday, 23 April 2012 - 7:30pm
The Brympton Festival is a new venture for Brympton House. An extensive week of literary events has been planned by the organisers. Several members of the East Coker Poetry Group will be performing their own poetry at Brympton House on Monday 23rd April at 7.30 in the evening. Note - this reading is at Brympton House, about two miles west of Yeovil.
