Poetry Reading Group Meeting, Tuesday 19 November

Poetry Reading Group Meeting on Tuesday 19 November: the theme for the night is "Myth, legend; far away & long ago". Please bring 6 - 8 copies of three or four poems on this theme for reading and discussion in the group. 7pm - 10pm upstairs at Parmoor House. New members are always welcome to join us. £2 to include refreshments. Hope to see you there!

Workshop - Tuesday 5 November

Cheltenham Poetry Society's next workshop will be held on Tuesday 5 Nov, 7-10pm, in the Rosalind Room, upstairs at Parmoor House, 13 Lypiatt Terrace (parallel with Lypiatt Road), Cheltenham.

We are delighted that the writing exercise will be led by Stuart Nunn.

After a coffee/tea break, we will read round poems we have already written, giving and receiving comments to help us in the editing process.

Please bring writing materials and about 6 copies of one or two poems you have already written.

Suitable for experienced poets and beginners alike.

All welcome.  £4, including refreshments.

Beyond the Well-Mapped Provinces - well reviewed in SOUTH

The Society's anthology "Beyond the Well-Mapped Provinces" has been well reviewed by SOUTH Magazine, with quotes from poems by Roger Turner, Sheila Spence and Robin Taylor Gilbert, as well as namechecks for Michael Newman and David Ashbee - see below:

  

Beyond the Well-Mapped Provinces - Cheltenham Poetry Society, £4.99

"With a heritage connection to Tennyson and Browning and links to the Cheltenham festivals for poetry and literature, the Cheltenham Poetry Society is a distinguished group. Beyond the Well-Mapped Provinces contains work from ten of its members, two of whom, David Ashbee and Michael Newman, will be familiar to regular readers of SOUTH.

This ninety page anthology is beautifully produced. Remarkable value at £4.99, it is a benchmark in self-publishing for other poetry groups. But it is not just the production values that impress - most importantly, the poetry is pretty good too!

With each poet represented by five poems, there is enough material to exemplify each individual's interests and style ... and, there is such a variety of subject matter, poems are, by turn, moving or amusing, insightful or reflective.

These accomplished poets are masters of their craft; images are unexpected or striking.
There is much to recommend in this excellent anthology. Like the Penguin Modern Poets series of the early sixties, this book is a splendid introduction to a group of contemporary poets. It is a poetry collection I'd be happy to recommend to a general reader; a book for anyone to dip into and enjoy".

Thank you to Patrick Osada for this review.

Beyond the Well-Mapped Provinces - still available.

A few copies of our anthology, featuring the work of Michael Newman, Roger Turner, David Ashbee, Stuart Nunn, Gerald O'Shaughnessy, Robin Gilbert, Michael Skaife d'Ingerthorpe, Sharon Larkin, Judi Marsh and Sheila Spence, are still available following publication in March 2013.

Please email Cheltenhampoetrysociety@gmail.com if you would like to order one.
The cost is £4.99 plus £1.50 post and packing.

Poetry Reading Group Meeting, Tuesday 20 August

Looking forward to a meeting of the Reading Group on Tuesday night, 20 August, when we'll be focusing on contemporary poets. New members always welcome. Please bring half a dozen copies of about 4 poems by a contemporary poet or poets - and share what you appreciate or find interesting about them. £2, including refreshments. 7pm - 10pm, Rosalind Room, Parmoor House, Lypiatt Terrace, Cheltenham, GL50 2SX

Our workshops, reading groups and writing groups

Our meetings follow this monthly programme:

First Tuesday - workshop,  everyone welcome 
Includes a writing exercise led by a member of the Society (please bring writing materials), and a read-round of previously written work (please bring about 8 copies of one or two of your poems). Poets read their own poems and give/receive constructive comments in order to help us all in the editing of our own work. Comments are intended to be helpful and supportive.  £4 per session, including tea, coffee and biscuits.  This is reduced to £2 per session for subscribers (£8 per annum). For people joining before July in any year, subscribing and paying the lower fee is definitely the way to go.  Those joining in the second half of the year will find it better to pay the higher session fee, and consider subscribing from the following January.

Third Tuesday - reading group meeting, everyone welcome 
In June, August, October we will each bring about 8 copies of about four poems written by a published contemporary poet - for reading and discussion.  In July, September and November we will bring poems on specific topics/themes, for similar reading and discussion.  This is a chance for people to introduce each other to new poets and new poetry.  £2 per session including tea, coffee and biscuits. No annual subscription is payable by people who just come to reading group meetings.


Fourth Tuesday - writing group for experienced poets 
This group is limited in number to ensure there is time for thorough and rigorous critiques; currently we have no vacancies in this group so please consider coming to workshops on the First Tuesday instead where commenting is intended to be helpful and supportive.
Members of the Writing Group are all payers of the £8 annual subscription, paying an additional £2 per session. Refreshments are included.

Finding us

Several people have recently reported difficulty in finding 13 Parmoor House, Lypiatt Terrace, Cheltenham, GL50 2SX where we hold our regular meetings.
This map will help:
Map of Lypiatt Terrace

Here is a picture of what the building looks like from the outside:
Parmoor House, 13 Lypiatt Terrace

This Cheltenham Civic Society building is used by a number of groups.
Cheltenham Poetry Society meetings take place on the SECOND FLOOR, in the Rosalind Room.

All meetings are on Tuesdays, 7pm - 10pm, with a refreshment break mid-way through the evening.