As with many poets before and since, Scannell’s prize-winning poetry – which covered topics ranging from love, war, ageing, fear, remorse, and even verse for children – seems to have sprung from the fertile soil of a disturbed and damaged life. Yet his verse, greatly admired by the likes of Seamus Heaney, is written in an accessible style, often laced with an engaging dry humour. 

Jem Langworthy, who copy-edited his biography for Oxford University Press, presented an evening about this British poet and author who at one time lived locally at Nether Compton. 

A meeting open to anyone to read a poem or two.  Bring some poems to read or just come and listen and enjoy the ambiance.

These meetings are always popular

Hourglass was a poetry reading, to entertain, to stimulate, to give witness and testimony to the hard lives of sailors in war and peace.
A speaking of sea verse, written by Edward Hawkinge

This year we are having a joint competition with the West Coker Camera Club who will also be judging our poetry – and we will be judging their photographs.

The subject is  Internal Spaces – Interiors – The Inside

View our ‘Competitions’ page if you want to enter.

Bridport has a lively arts scene out of all proportion to the size of the town.  Poets taking part will be Gill Capper,  Andrew Dickson  and Ellie Sturrock.  A ‘poetry happening’ is a good way to describe their varied styles and a splendid showcase for modern poetry.  

This will be an ‘audio visual’ meeting.  As the sea and sailing lends itself to poetry and strong dramatic images this should be a lively meeting with plenty to interest everyone.

Bring a poem to read on this subject and send a picture to match that can be displayed at the meeting to accompany the poem.   We need the photos (in jpeg format) at least 2 weeks before the meeting.  Email via the contact page for details if you are unsure what is required.

‘Tyger Tyger, burning bright’   wrote William Blake – and many other poets have also been inspired by animals.  This is an open evening but with a theme. If you can find, or write, any poetry connected with animals, then this is the time to bring out your wild side………

So bring some poems or just come and listen.

This is a three part meeting and you can come to all or whichever part of the evening suits.

At 7.00pm Heather Murphy will be taking us on a short (half an hour) and informative amble around some parts of the village of East Coker starting at ‘The Paddock’.  ‘The Paddock’ is the triangle of grass and specimen trees on the left of the road up towards the Church before the Alms houses.

The walk will finish in ‘The Paddock’ by the Church where, having worked up an appetite, we can eat any sandwiches and refreshments we have brought.

At about 8.00pm we will head for the Helyar Arms and continue the evening with an ‘open evening’ of poetry on any subject you wish, although poems on a ‘summers evening’ would be very apt.  Poems with the words ‘hail’ and ‘floods’ in their title are specifically banned………….

Obviously if rain and storms threaten to turn The Paddock into a lake we will head for the Helyar Arms at 7.00pm so keep an eye on the forecast.

Douglas Walker from the Self Publishing Partnership in Bath talked about publishing a poetry collection. 

Seeing your work in print is quite a thrill……

This was a ‘sit down’ meal in the Apple Loft restaurant at the Helyar Arms with poetry by Catherine Simmonds who gave an excellent selection of atmospheric poems based on the theme of birds.  The whole evening was a delight and the Helyar Arms rose to the occasion with speedy service and a tasty meal.   By donations for her poetry booklets, Catherine raised £70 for the charity Mary’s Meals that provides school dinners to children in need in many countries.