NOVEMBER 7TH 2019 POETRY, OPEN MIC AND SUPPER BRANTWOOD CONISTON

photo of Coniston Water by Geraldine Green

on the Terrace before the reading (inside!) Brantwood Cafe Nov 2nd 2017, photo by Jane Moss-Luffram

Next one: November 7th 2019, come and join me,  Geraldine Green  when I'll be hosting another lovely poetry evening and open mic supper at Brantwood, with guest poets:

Graham Mort
Helen Mort
Kerry Darbishire

Reflections on three Poetry Evenings, Open Mic & Supper - join us in 2019!

November 1st 2018: Another lively event, with a good turn-out of over 35 people, including guest poets. Poems read ranged from Hurricane Sandy, an Italian landslide, graves of babies, WWI, dogs, climbing, the Black Country, Dunbarton, poems written in response to Brantwood, to the North country, Morecambe Bay, Germany, poems read from three anthologies: Waymaking (Vertebrate Press), Watch the Birdie (Beautiful Dragons Press) and This Place I Know (Handstand Press) and many many more... 

On the Poetry Evening Brantwood 2017:

So, November 2nd 2017 saw the second Poetry Evening, Open Mic and Supper at Brantwood Poetry Evening. Last year poets came from all around Cumbria, and I think the word must’ve got about because this year was as well attended, if not better, than 2016.

Poets from Cumbria, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Scotland, Spain via Wigton and France via Grange over Sands all gathered in the warm and friendly ambience in Brantwood’s newly refurbished Terrace Café.

Guest poets who read alongside me were Graham Mort, Kerry Darbishire and Kim Moore. I’ve known Graham for ages! Not only was he my MA supervisor but also my PhD. And some of the poems I read had been carefully crafted and discussed before reaching the publishing stage. He's a brilliant poet and great to co-tutor with - we co-tutor residential writing courses at Brantwood - I owe him a lot.

Kerry’s one of the Write on the Farm group who meet once a month near Kirkby Lonsdale at a poet-farmer friend’s farm (now that's a tongue-twister!)  Like Graham she's a fine poet and friend. Kim’s a familiar face on the poetry scene and was instrumental in setting up the first Kendal LitFest. It was great fun co-hosting an open mic night with her for the first Dalton Litfest two days after Brantwood – I’m poeted out!

me, enjoying the company of poets and friends, photo by Jane Moss-Luffram

guest poet Graham Mort

guest poet Kerry Darbishire

guest poet Kim Moore

A Gathering ...

Poets from Carlisle were well represented, with a great crowd from Nick Pemberton’s Speakeasy open mic that I used to go to when we lived in the north of the county. Wigton and Cockermouth Writers, Ripon Writers, Poetry Scotland and Kendal Brewery Poets were also well represented along with my own writing group who meet on the farm.

Nick Pemberton strutting his wonderful poetry! Always a pleasure to hear Nick read, photo by Jane Moss-Luffram

Andy Hopkins, great reader of his own vibrant poetry, photo by Jane Moss-Luffram

James Riddick

Karen Lloyd

Kelly Davis

Mark Carson

and here's Jane herself, fine poet and photographer, thank you Jane!

We were blessed with a full red-glowing moon, a calm night with Coniston water gleaming silver-black under a clear night sky. For some November 2^nd is also All Souls’ Night, or the Night of the Dead… a time to remember those who have journeyed before us, those who have passed over and passed down to us memories and stories that enrich our lives.

a Pumpkin lights our way! photo by Jane Moss-Luffram

Some words about the recent full moon, Beaver Moon or Hunter’s Moon:

“It is named the Hunter’s Moon, as it would illuminate prey for hunters and this is the first full moon since the Harvest Moon on October 5.

While the Harvest Moon was when families would bring in their crops, the Hunters Moon helped them find food as it lit up the night.

It is sometimes named the Beaver Moon, as these animals were hunted at this time of the year.

The waters would soon freeze over, so beavers were hunted and their fur was used to keep people warm. (extract from Somerset Echo, 4.11.2017)

Poetry, food for the soul, a making, creating and lighting the way ...

To have the light of that full moon shining down on us while inside we were cosy beside a wood-burning stove, well fed with stew and dumplings, telling poetry stories just as our ancestors did before us, before winter sets in, was quite simply, magical. 

Made me think how important it is to keep the flame of poetry, the Bridie fire, the essence of Brigid alive inside nurturing our spirits, in the telling of tales and poetry, in the coming together as a community.

across the lake to the silhouetted fells, photo by Jane Moss-Luffram

Big thanks to all who came and read, came and listened, and to Brantwood who hosted us.

November 1^st 2018 we’ll do it all again! See you next year at our poetry gathering round the fire as Coniston Old Man looks across the Lake to us…

Bookings for next year's Poetry Evening and Open Mic Supper through Brantwood

Geraldine Green 5.11.2017

enjoying the evening with friends Kerry and Steve Darbishire, 2.11.2017, photo by Jane Moss-Luffram

all photos taken by Jane Moss Luffram