Swindon's friendliest festival on the horizon

by Maurice Spillane

Swindon Poetry Festival is on from Thursday 5 to Sunday 9 October. It’ll be big and embracing, and yet again the “friendliest” festival in Britain. This is hidden Swindon making its mark so please join us.

It’s a big programme so here are events I recommend if you’re new to poetry or haven’t heard a poem since school. I know that first step can be a bit daunting so when you arrive, ask for me and I will make sure you’re looked after:

THURSDAY 10am “Poems Aloud” at Artsite, Number Nine Gallery, Theatre Square: We always get a good audience for this opening event. Bring along a few poems if you fancy joining in. Admission is free.

The following events are at Richard Jefferies Museum where we have a really big tent, all beautifully decked out.

THURSDAY 17:30: We’ve three new stars to UK poetry including our own Stephen Daniels with his first collection.

THURSDAY 20:00: We have three resident poets: Daljit Nagra, Tania Herschman and Jacqui Saphra. These are top quality poets and not to be missed.

FRIDAY 20:00: Nine Arches Press discovered three voices that have a great future in UK poetry. Be inspired.

SATURDAY 21:30 until late: Keith James will be introducing the Songs of Leonard Cohen. If you are a fan you have to be there.

SUNDAY 20:00 until late: We’ll be celebrating the power of Poets in Performance with several very good poets.

On Saturday and Sunday we have events during the day for children and several Open Mic sessions. You can see the full programme at richardjefferies.org/poetry-swindon

Two lines from “Look We have Coming to Dinner” by Daljit Nagra sum it up:

we raise our charged glasses over unparasol’d tables

East, babbling our lingoes, flecked by the chalk of Britannia!

Maurice Spillane www.poetryswindon.org