A world away and nearer to home

Paradoxically, the lock-down has opened up the world in some ways. Having to use platforms such as Zoom to meet up with writing groups, attend workshops and generally keep in touch in the writing community, things have become much more international, with all the advantages that can bring. Last week I was in one workshop with participants from Uganda, Spain and Canada, earlier this week in another with poets from the States, Belgium and Ghana. I sometimes feel that groups can get more than a bit "cosy" and it's a breath of fresh air to meet and greet writers from very diverse backgrounds, with often very different approaches and viewpoints. Especially when they challenge your own!

Last Friday's Cheltenham Poetry Festival workshop with Rowan McCabe was fascinating. I'd not heard him read before and loved his perceptive but gentle take on everyday life. He's currently the poet in residence at Wordsworth's house in the Lake District, but Covid has obviously meant that's a bit of a sticky wicket at the moment. Undaunted, he's offering "poetry by post" in Cockermouth! Having been a "door to door poet" in the past (yes, that's just what it says it is!), he's now sending stamped addressed envelopes to random addresses in the town offering a poetry service by return - and getting a fair number of takers. If you've not come across his work, do look him up.

Now that the five mile limit has been lifted in Wales, we're properly underway again with our Wye Valley Walk project. Last week we were covering some of the ground so familiar from Kilvert's Diary. Rural life may have changed a bit since he was writing in the 1870s but the bones of the deep Radnorshire countryside have changed very little. No wonder it has inspired such fantastic prose and poetry - it really is exceptionally beautiful.

Builth Wells next stop ...

A different Ledbury 2020

We're getting used to having to "go" to festivals on line now, of course, but I shall miss a proper visit to Ledbury this year. I love the town itself - the beautiful architecture, the narrow streets and lanes, the shops with their festival contributions on display, the lovely old tea and coffee shops - and the poetry is never less than inspirational. This would have been the opening weekend in normal times; instead, this is it for this year, two days with nine events. But they should certainly be worth registering for - or you should be able to catch up on the Festival YouTube Channel afterwards.

There's a preview at ten o'clock this evening on Radio 3's The Verb, where you're invited to "celebrate the spirit of the Ledbury Poetry Festival".  Poet Laureate Simon Armitage will be opening the weekend itself on Saturday lunchtime. His session will be followed by the competition winner's event, Kim Moore celebrating European poetry, poetry films made by the Young Writers Collective, poetry of the lockdown and so much more. Do check the website and see what's on offer - and of course it's all free.