Pub Poets Online

Last night was a lot of fun. The frustration of lockdown has been maddening for so many of us. Personally, I've missed the chance to interact with friends and, particularly I've missed the chance to be part of the poetry community I love so dearly. 

So the Pub Poets had a lockdown open mic.

I used the opportunity to shamelessly promote my book of poetry (Old People Sex – and other highly offensive poems). I also managed to win the Haiku Death Match (although the competition was incredibly fierce).  But the most important thing was seeing and hearing friends who share a passion for poetry.

A Zoom conference isn’t the same as an open mic event in a pub. It’s slightly unnatural to be staring face-to-face with people whilst you’re reading. It’s even more unnatural to think that this is the same behaviour I’m currently expected to do in a professional context as I work from home through the lockdown.

But it was a brilliant night. I’d entered the Zoom conference call under the sobriquet ‘The Disappointing Cam Girl’ and I managed to share some ribald verse. I heard work from dear friends who know how to manipulate words. And I felt as though I’d manged to touch the essence of something that’s been missing since lockdown began.

We’re doing it again in a fortnight. If you fancy participating, or simply listening to some seriously awesome poets, drop me an email and I’ll add you to the list.