Robert Harper from Shrewsbury Poetry Stanza

Last Saturday was a wonderful day!  Thank you the great staff at Southwater Library, and also West Midlands Readers’ Network. Southwater Readers’ Day involved sharp-witted teenagers writing a Doctor Who radio play with Birmingham-based writer William Gallagher; Shrewsbury Poetry Stanza came over for the occasion and performed at the foot of Southwater’s escalators, drawing audiences who came racing back for later pop-up poetry readings; Jake Evans the storyteller led a group of skilfully bewitched children and parents on a Story Walk – and William Gallagher rounded off the day with his fabled Get Writing workshop, in which he demonstrates to participants how very distractable they really are.

I sat and typed on my vintage 1932 Good Companions typewriter, which clatters.  I made a start on a Giant Poem for Southwater Library, and encouraged interruptions from library-goers.  Lots of people stopped by and added lines…