Our second outside event, opportunity for a group photo. Photographic theme centred on the work of Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron.

“A bunch of the boys were whooping it up in the Malamute saloon …”  There is more to American poetry than Dangerous Dan McGrew.  On the eve of American Independence Day, John Darling hosts this evening of American poetry.

Jean Caunter presented her selection of poetry spanning the floral world. This was a varied and lively collection ranging from John Clare to Sylvia Plath.

People brought their own poems to read, or read their favourite poems, or just came and listened. There was no theme, so this was a poetry ‘Happening’.

The Fire River Poets from Taunton came to East Coker for this meeting. John Stuart and Anthony Watts from this group were already well known to the East Coker Poetry Group having read poetry at our Poetry Summer Evening. Anthony Watts’ poem ‘Blackberries’ won second prize in our poetry competition this year.

Although not organised by the East Coker Poetry Group, this public lecture by The Rev. Dr. Peter Mullen was of great interest and was attended by many members of our group. Peter Mullen is Rector of St Michael’s Cornhill, London and is a regular columnist for the Times, The Sunday Telegraph and Spectator Magazine as well a contributor to radio 4. He has also published several books on theology, philosophy and politics and also a number of novels. He is a lifelong Eliot devotee and enthusiast.

Virginia Astley and her daughter Florence presented a poem set with a harp accompaniment, based on a twenty-four hour walk around the village of Maiden Newton near Dorchester.

An evening of poetry, supper and conviviality in the Apple Loft Restaurant.

The Christmas Meeting for which Clive and Anne Bingley prepared a festive quiz.

Sir Richard Vickers explored poems with a military theme.