Celebrating the Dylan Thomas Centenary in Witney

I am really excited about and looking forward to celebrating the life ,work and influence of Dylan Thomas here in Witney, where he once briefly lived and read his works. His friends let him live in a flat in South Leigh where it was hoped he would dry out from his alcoholism.

We have a great line up of poets reading their favourites and sharing poems they have written that were inspired by Thomas,

We have Peter Malin reading some of:

The Force that through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower
This Bread I Break
A Refusal to Mourn the Death by Fire of a Child in London
The Hunchback in the Park
In my Craft or Sullen Art

Nick Owen reading:
Fern Hill and The Conversation of Prayers and his own work, "Her body lying on the bed."

Tony Vincent Isaacs:
Prelude and Fugue
The Barrel-Shaped Leaf
Dr. Cowan's Cabin.

Emma Restell Orr will read her own poem

Diana Moore will read her own poem 'And I went gently into that good night...'

Pat Winslow:
The Hand that Signed the Paper
Ceremony After a Fire Raid
Memories of Christmas

Alan Wynne Davies:

extract from Extraordinary little cough, from Portrait of the Artist as a young Dog
Among those Killed in the Dawn Raid was a Man Aged a Hundred, from Deaths and Entrances
and my own poem, The bloody words won't come.

I hope we will have an audience who will join us for a meal and or a drink, and offer a contribution to support local Oxfordshire hospices.

The event is organized by Wychwood Poets.

Paxman challenges poets to reach beyond the poetry ghetto

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/jeremy-paxman-attacks-contemporary-poetry-saying-it-should-raise-its-game-and-stop-talking-to-other-poets-9468656.html

TO LIVE FOREVER Poetry Summer School at the Ashmolean: August 19th and 20th.

100 years ago the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb thrilled and astonished the world.

We hope the exhibition at the Ashmolean this summer which is based on those discoveries will continue to enthral large audiences.

But will it inspire people to write great modern poems?

This two day poetry summer school/workshop with Nick Owen intends to support people to do just that.

Whether you only visit the Ashmolean for the two days of the workshop or spend a month exploring the exhibition before the workshop starts the aim will be the same, to help you write a poem which might inspire readers in another thousand years.

The course will pay particular attention to the way in which words and images entwine. Nick Owen will help you create photographs of images in the exhibition which you may want to set alongside your poem.

The Egyptians were inspired by the idea that they could continue their earthly journey towards becoming Gods in existences beyond the grave. They sensed unearthly powers and energies in the animals in the world around them.

Poetry workshops often focus on connecting more deeply with the senses, but seldom is there a connection with the inner eye or with the eye of Horus. Nick Owen draws upon the science of mythology and the concepts of C. G Jung to help open up new possibilities for your writing.

Your poems may be included in a book of poetry at the Ashmolean which is in its early stages of development. You will also have the opportunity to read your poem or have it read for you to an audience at the exhibition.

About Nick Owen

Nick has been a director of the Oxford School of Psychotherapy. He is an independent tutor in English Literature. He has two published books of poetry and has written for a wide spectrum of journals, covering poetry, art, psychology, psychotherapy and photography. His work has been widely anthologised. He has run workshops in creativity for twenty years and leads the “Poetry at the museum programme,” at the Ashmolean. 

Dr Giles Watson writes of him “…. humane, compassionate, observant, and possessed of the requisite courage to face the fears as well as the joys of life; and that is truly a poet."

On his most recent exhibition: “This is an exhibition of the highest quality. Poems and pictures are quite superb.” Christine Whild.

Dates: August 19^th and 20^th.

Venue: The exhibition and the Ashmolean Lecture Theatre

Bookings via the Ashmolean Education Service