Overdosing on poetry

Can you overdose on poetry?! Not if it means a lot to you. But the next fortnight certainly sees a hefty slice in Cheltenham, with a Festival packed day after day with poetry and poets of every flavour you could wish for. The last couple of days have given a preview of what's to come and I've felt really privileged to take part.

On Wednesday evening I was reading at Francis Close Hall at the University of Gloucestershire in "The Ides Of March"; for me, something completely different! My first time performing against a background of improvised music and film. At one stage I was reading from a lectern at the head of the aisle in the university chapel when a stream of multi-coloured ping-pong balls bounced down the chancel steps and appeared around my feet! A whole new experience ....

Then yesterday saw our Picaresque debut at the Festival, a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. We had a  wonderfully receptive audience in the intimate setting of Tailors Pub in Cambray Place and were delighted to be so well received.

When the Festival proper gets underway on Friday I shall be helping out as event manager for some of the gigs. Whilst I'm really looking forward to those, I'm especially pleased to be running poetry appreciation sessions in elderly care facilities - Cleeve Hill Nursing Home, Springbank Day Centre, Bay Tree Court independent living apartments and Nazareth House; I did an early one last week at Charlton Kings Luncheon Club. The Poetry Festival is for the whole community and it's great to think that we can take poetry to people who simply couldn't get to the formal events and to make them feel part of it.