Present: Nathan, Simona, Sarah, Alan, Tricia, Keith, Olivia, Liz, Peter, Hayden 

Apologies: Harry, Heather 

Introductions for Hayden, a welcome visitor.  

NEWS 

  1. Simona asked for the members that intent to be part of the group for the next 12 months to either pay their membership (£35) via bank transfer or in cash at the next meeting. Simona or Heather will circulate the details.  
  1. The reading group lats book was ‘Island of Missing trees’ by Elif Shafak. Everyone was invited to join them in reading their next book by Percival Everett – James. 
  1. Liz informed the group that the Lionsheart Bookshop is now under new management and that we should seize to opportunity to help them put together another event.  

READINGS 

Hayden shared the first chapter of his book, written in March 2019 in Oxford. Keith inquired about the intended audience, while Peter noted that although there were some strong elements, certain parts might need to be removed for conciseness. The writing was praised for its expressiveness, but it was suggested that it could be sharpened and distilled to better convey the core messages. Simona pointed out continuity issues with timing, suggesting that more descriptive content could enhance the narrative. Tricia commended Hayden for his beautiful reading style and writing quality. 

Keith then presented three poems. The first poem was written for a competition whose topic focused on justifying abortion, titled “To Be or Not to Be?“. The second poem, while unnamed leaned on audience mind manipulation and stage presence to deliver its message. His third poem, “Gunpowder Plot” received positive feedback. Simona wished him good luck with the first poem, expressing that it had a strong impact. Tricia appreciated the tone of “Gunpowder Plot” noting that it effectively conveys that not everyone celebrates in the same way, particularly highlighting the verse about the head on a spike. Liz also enjoyed the poem and suggested a revision in the last verse, praising Keith’s excellent performance. 

Nathan’s piece, ‘On The Edge’, was originally intended as a poem, but Nathan felt that prose was more appropriate to convey the message. Tricia expressed her admiration for the evocative language, particularly phrases like “breath of hopelessness,” and noted that the repetition enhanced its poetic quality. Keith asked about the subjects in Nathan’s prose, and Sarah appreciated his experimentation with different formats, suggesting tweaks to align it more closely with poetry. Liz praised the physicality of Nathan’s writing and its strong verbs, while Sara felt that it was definitely a poem to be selected for his future book. 

Tricia shared her homework piece, which was written in a tanka format and then converted into a haiku, titled “Absent Friends“. Olivia interpreted it in the context of British rule, while Tricia emphasized the importance of the reader being the one to give understanding to the message behind the poem. 

Olivia’ untitled piece drew inspiration from a sentence she had heard, transforming it into her take on how she wished a breakup should have gone. Simona noted on the tone of one of the paragraphs and how the sentiment in it is somewhat contradictory to the rest of the piece but though that the switch between present tense and future tense was done seamlessly. Liz enjoyed Olivia’s performance and suggested some edits that would enhance the finality of one of her paragraphs. Hayden praised the vivid imagery, while Alan appreciated the themes of regret and inevitability presented in her work. Sarah noted that Olivia has a very unique, feeling voice, and made Sarah experience the feelings herself. 

Peter’s poem remarked on the comparison between life and poetry. Simona said that the poem as an apt metaphor for life, with Alan noting the effective contradiction between the first and last lines. Liz expressed interest in the originality of the language used throughout the poem. 

Liz introduced a Korean form of haiku known as “sijo” to the group, which she composed in three minutes as part of a workshop she had recently attended, earning appreciation from the group. Liz also wrote a villanelle which featured the phrase “So much remains unsaid, undone.” Simona commented on the power of repetition in her villanelle, and Tricia acknowledged how strongly it conveyed the futility of war. Liz noted that she used the metaphor of war to depict the futility of communication and solution within a long term relationship when one of two partners has dementia.

Alan’s piece was written with the homework in mind, ‘Absent friends’, to the delight of the group. The piece had Alan’s fast pacing characteristic and contained a significant amount of information in a very short form.  

Sarah presented her audio project, inspired by Poetry Day, which she plans to upload to YouTube. This project features a calming four-minute guided breathing exercise, a poem and a song. Peter noted that the pieces not produced by Sarah, including works by Emily Dickinson and Shakespeare, could potentially distract the audience. Olivia agreed that while all three pieces are strong individually, they might not work well together. Finally, Alan expressed enjoyment in singing the sonnet, finding it appealing to his understanding. 

Next meeting 21st of November 

Homework: Fame 

Chair: Tricia 

Minutes, Milk and biscuits: Simona 

Wine: Keith