Much to do at Much Wenlock

Victoria Field

Poetry events continue to come thick and fast. I was only able to make it for one day this year but, as always, the Much Wenlock Poetry Festival did not disappoint. This morning I was at a workshop run by the poetry therapist Victoria Field; having been on a course at Ty Newydd she had run a few years ago I knew it would be good. A quotation she used really struck a chord - that the therapeutic use of poetry should help with "healing the past, living the present, creating the future". That I shall keep very much in mind in my continuing work with older people in day and residential care.

This afternoon's workshop, entitled "Responses", was run by Gladys Mary Coles. Using poems by Mary Webb and Wilfred Owen as exemplars, we looked at the themes of remembrance, displacement, change and the human impact on the environment. Two hours is little time to get to grips with much concerted writing but I feel I certainly made a start on some work I'd like to pursue. Now - as always - it's a question of finding the time to do so!