Secretary’s
Report
It sometimes takes a
shock, like the sudden death of poet Michael Donaghy a few weeks ago, to jar us
awake. To make us see what we have, what we are creating, and what we have
lost. I know I am sounding all philosophical here, which isn’t the usual tempo
of our secretary’s report, but this year feels different to me. For it was the
news of Michael Donaghy’s death that has helped me to see more clearly the
tendrils of our poetry community and how far they reach.
I met Michael 18 years
ago, when I was the “People” columnist for a British newspaper called of all
things, The American. It was my job
to interview two American ex-pats every issue and find interesting things to
say about them and why they were choosing Britain as their home. We met in a
pub in London and I remember being drawn in by Michael’s charm, talent and
boyish good looks. An instinct told me his poetry was brilliant, but either me,
the poetry, or both, seemed too dense.
I just couldn’t get my head around it. I saw him at the occasional poetry
reading or workshop through the years, but we never became friends. Yet I feel
absolutely compelled to write this down and share it with you. Because, as
secretary, I recently had to erase his name from the programme on our website, as he was booked to give a
reading here in Tunbridge Wells next month. Because Matthew Sweeney had trouble
staying composed when he read Michael’s poem at our open reading last month. Because
I keep coming across Michael’s name in every poetry festival leaflet I come
across and poetry newsletter. Because because because his timing was awkward.
He died after the printers pressed.
Now in this part of
the Secretary’s report, I typically go over and size up the year’s readings and
events. A look-back at the highlights, a bit like they do on New Year’s Eve on
the telly. You can see all the dates and names on our lovely new website with
the very long name. www.kentandsussexpoetrysociety.org.
It’s just one year old tonight, and it contains, in attractive green font, what
has gone before and what is coming up next.
But what it doesn’t
hold are the little things - the images and hind sights that flesh out the
memory. Henry Shukman – his expressive eyebrows, colourful ancestors, and
startling descriptions. Maurice Riordan explaining so diplomatically and
eloquently why he didn’t choose
certain poems before announcing the winners of our annual competition. Helen
Ivory – not only the writer of crafty and unusual poems, but far fitter than
your average poet thanks to her day job – as a brickie. Yes, seriously. Clare
Pollard –too young to be so insightful, but such a gift when she shared her
vulnerabilities and talent with the likes of us. Matthew Sweeney –the way he
held he held the floor as we were visibly moved by the skill and insight in his
latest poetry. Jeremy Page - how he
planted those Frogmore seeds and saw his baby grow over the years into a highly
respected publication. So inspiring!
Our annual Christmas
party got us eating lots, talking lots and laughing lots. Kindly hosted, once
again, by Mary Barry, it provided the welcome chance to hold those longer
conversations there’s little time for at the Camden Centre meetings.
Then there were the
two triple-bills. In January, members Caroline Fox, Mary Barry and Chris
Renshaw gave a terrifically impressive and warmly-received reading and then in
June, Graham Fawcett introduced Lucy Hamilton, Tony McKeown and Diana Brodie,
who read from Entering the Tapestry,
the newly launched anthology of Poetry School writers. These are names we will hear more of. And the last three
underline the amount of talent going through the Poetry School, which includes
a number of members of our Society. In between, Nicki Jackowska presented a
thought-provoking selection for our annual Folio, complemented by a reading
from her own deeply considered and observant poems.
The Writing Week near
Bampton provided the now familiar mix of sun, rain, hard work and relaxation,
with the added bonus on the last day of a fair (rather damp) in the nearby
village.
Many of us also got
lots of writing done at the Beacon Pub when we attended two master poetry
workshops, held on two Saturdays this year. In the first, Matthew Sweeney put
us through our paces, and on the second, only last week, Roddy Lumsden cracked
the whip – and the word cards – to get us thinking, and writing, out of the
box. These days are intensive, but worth every bead of sweat for the inspiration
they provide us.
Finally, a big thank
you to all of you who keep working tirelessly to keep the wheels of this
well-oiled machine turning smoothly. The envelope stuffers, car-drivers,
web-creatives, leaflet-pinners, phone-callers, paper-folders, wine-carriers,
money-collectors and poetry lovers – it is thanks to you that we have this year
to recount and another one to look very forward to.
I, for one, will
savour the poetry of every precious day, for as long as it keeps coming my way.
Joyce Mandel Walter
Secretary, Kent &
Sussex Poetry Society
19th
October, 2004