I know! Autumn already! I thought I’d better feature October while it’s still here ! I mean, what happened to September?! Gone in 5 minutes!
Clever poet Trisha Broomfield has written a beautiful lament to this current month and how it can go by without notice. With stunning descriptions, this is a vivid and poignant piece. Do read on
October
October and the clocks fall back
leaves part from trees, grey skies turn black
pumpkins swell, late apples blush
gardeners take to rake and brush
colours, ruby, ochre, rust
explode before they turn to dust
a red glow is the hunter’s moon
we have forgotten about June
conkers tumble crushed by boots
acorns carpet, push down roots
half-term and schools are out for play
families rush to get away
Christmas craft fairs start to flourish
there should be time to slow and nourish
but life speeds on, the seasons blurred
autumn’s call not always heard.
Trisha Broomfield
Wasn’t that a lovely piece?! Thank you so much, Trisha. Please keep them coming.
Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon…
Did I tell you about the Booming Lovelies’ gig at The Ageing Well Festival in Hove? Many times, I suspect.
Set in the beautiful venue community centre Hop 50 +, we were warmly greeted and had a lovely lunch. A kind of warming up exercise if you will. Chicken and Leek pie being good for the voice!
A very beautiful and intimate performing area. We knew it was going to be a good afternoon.
It was a terrific show with a fantastic audience. I finally got my Tiny Tears while Sharron lamented Sindy. And Trisha gave us the The Joy of Sex – so to speak.
The photographer Matthew Thomas next to me was very detailed. A very slick photographer.
Sharron and Sindy
And here’s me looking (vaguely) serious.
This is John’s aunt Von who made this all possible. Opening up to me the joys of the Ageing Well Festival.
And this is us at the end with our ‘sidekicks’. It was a great gig and thank you for having us, Ageing Well Festival.
Thank you, Matthew Thomas for taking many of these beautiful photographs. Matthew is a talented photographer and do click the link below for his website. He’s really worth knowing…
Well, it’s official. I’m going to marry Michael Rosen! It’s so secret even he doesn’t know about it yet! (How he’ll laugh!).
Mr Rosen captured my heart at Morecambe Poetry Festival recently, such a wonderful and intelligent man.
The following piece is quite old now but it is one of my favourites of his. It simply reflects the awfulness of people. How many people here have waited for that phone to ring?! And have known doomed romances?!
Come on, hands up! Yes, nearly all of you! Well, you will love this poignant piece. Read on
How He Didn’t Tell Her That He Was Seeing Someone Else
she rings and says: hi it’s me, you didn’t ring
no
so I’m ringing
right
Is there anywhere you wanted to go, tonight?
no not really
is that why you didn’t ring?
sort of
you mean you didn’t want to ring?
I wasn’t going to say that
you didn’t want to ring though, did you?
I dunno
so what am I supposed to do? hang around waiting for a call
I didn’t say that
what are you saying?
nothing much
is anything wrong?
no no no
I’ll ring you when you’re in a better mood.
right
shall I?
sure
don’t sound so pleased about it
right
bye ter-rah
M Rosen
Isn’t it a painfully relevant piece?! I hope she packed him in first!
I’d welcome any favourite Michael Rosen poems. Answers on a postcard please…..
Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon….
Yes, you should be excited, PL’s because I’m thrilled to introduce our very special guest talented musician Martin Fitzgibbon!
(Standing ovation. Dobby scowls)
Our esteemed guest glides on elegantly
Welcome to the show, Martin. So pleased you agreed to appear. (Applause)
Please sit down and join me in a Stiffado and fill us in on your background
Thank you, num, don’t mind if I do!
It’s my pleasure to be here. Home was a council estate on the outskirts of London where I enjoyed a throughly happy childhood.
I left school at fifteen to pursue my musical ambitions and took a job in an engineering factory, whilst waiting for fame and fortune to arrive. Still waiting !
But what a musical career you have had!
By the way, don’t mind Dobby
She sees you as a rival, albeit a worthy one, as drums are usually her prerogative!
When did music become a part of your life ?
Well, she er – looks ready to pounce!
I can’t remember a time when music wasn’t in my life. My Mum had a fine singing voice and when I was thirty something, I discovered that she could also play the piano.
I’d booked a hotel as a wedding anniversary present for my parents and in the lounge was a grand piano. Unprompted, Mum sat down and started to play ! Who knew ? Certainly not me, it was astonishing.
Singing was something we did around the house and at family gatherings. I sang solo in church and school choirs, then later in bands, I still do.
Singing is joyous and I’d encourage anyone at any level of ability, to join a choir. My Dad (who couldn’t sing a note bless him) loved music and had been a semi professional dance band drummer just after the war. I never saw him play, but we had some old drums in the cupboard under the stairs. I would dig them out and most likely annoy the neighbours by making a horrendous noise.
I started having drum lessons from the age of eight, practised hard and gradually got better, although the improved quality of my playing was probably lost on my long suffering neighbours.
What a discovery! Yes, I grew up with music too. There was a piano in our house, and music was a given.
What a great upbringing. Who were your biggest influences?
I was at school in the sixties and like most kids of my age it was The Beatles in particular, who changed the landscape, not just of music but fashion and lifestyle too.
I was lucky to already be playing drums and consequently in a good place to take advantage of the musical explosion that followed.
Over the years I’ve been influenced by many people of excellence in different musical genres, but if I had to single out one band or artist it would have to be The Beatles.
To understand their impact you had to experience what had gone before and to know how monochrome that post war world was, not only in music, but in every aspect of teenage life.
Incredible, weren’t they. I loved Sergeant Pepper, so innovative. A great influence.
Now tell us about Behind The Curtain. My Life and Rocky Horror. A fantastic book.
I played drums in the original Rocky Horror Show at The Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square in 1973 with Tim Curry, Richard O’Brien and some other amazing people.
I stayed with the show for eighteen months or so while it journeyed from an experimental production seating sixty three people, to the beginning of a worldwide phenomenon.
2023 was the fiftieth anniversary of the show which I thought worthy of noting in some form. Everybody in mainstream media told me it was a great idea, but typically nothing from them materialised, so before the deadline passed I decided it was down to me.
For years, close friends had tried to persuade me to write a memoir and finally I did, with Rocky Horror taking as it were, centre stage. It was a tight deadline and I wrote at every opportunity but managed to deliver a manuscript on time.
How wonderfully you captured that incredible era, Martin. A marvellous and detailed account of the early days of Rocky Horror. And that you were part of it! And those names you have mentioned there – swoon!
Plus Raynor Bourton, lovely man, and of course, Philip Sayer – my first Frank-N-Furter.
Now, I believe you’re working on a novel
I had no intention of writing a novel, but when I was publicising the memoir, people in the industry were very persuasive and I was encouraged to do it.
They all said I should get writing and thanks to events outside of my control I now have time to do that.
I’m not sure if I will ever play live again, but I’m still recording music and have a charity single released on September 21st to coincide with world Alzheimer’s day.
I’m trying to raise awareness and funds and have released “Everybody’s Hero” for World Alzheimer’s Day on September 21st. This is a very personal song about friendship. All money raised from downloads will go to The Alzheimer’s Society UK.
Dementia touches everyone’s lives in some form or other. We all know someone who’s been lost to this disease or is perhaps suffering at the moment.
Yes, we do. I’ve heard it and it’s a very moving song. A wonderful thing to do, Martin. I’ve put the link below
Hoping so hard that you do play live again.
Now let’s have some baklava for dessert!
But before that! Tell us your best gig and your Worst !!
Best is certainly not a question of size. Some of my all time favourite gigs have been in small venues. I guess it’s a two way thing, where the closeness to the stage has the band feeding off the audience and vice versa.
The flip side to that is I’ve been more nervous playing to a small indifferent crowd….you can see the whites of their eyes….than a large festival gig of fifty to eighty thousand people.
Luckily there have been so many fun times and places it’s impossible to narrow it down to just one.
The worst is also a tough question to answer, but it would have been early in my career when I took anything to earn money and try to get a foot in the door.
When I started out, testosterone fuelled fights were frequent and sometimes spilled over onto the stage which wasn’t fun.
I played a series of scary night clubs in London, where the clientele were mainly large besuited men with scars and very broken noses. I made sure not to knock over anyone’s drink, or stare at their young “daughters” for fear of my health.
There were others, but the winner has to be a brief residency I played at a strip club in Soho. It was just me and a guy on a keyboard.
As a young male it was interesting, but even so I was relieved when we were replaced by the cheaper option of a tape recording. The girls were generally great and looked after this baby faced kid, but musically it was beyond dire.
And you’ll be surprised to learn that nobody was there to listen to the music.
Fascinating, Martin. What a learning curve! I can visualise this young boy in a Soho club!
Talking of that, shall we hit Soho tonight? I can do some poetry while you jam in the Blue Posts
Our esteemed guest shuffles awkwardly over the baklava. Dobby is hovering by.
Well, actually, Heather. Dobby and I are going for a jam session and er ……
Oh I get it! Invitation only, I expect!
Well, you’d better not keep her waiting…..
Our esteemed guest legs it with Dobby. Fast.
Wasn’t Martin Fitzgibbon a wonderful and fascinating guest, PL’s?!
(Cheers and standing ovation)
Do treat yourselves to Martin’s excellent first hand account of that phenomenon The Rocky Horror Show. A marvellous absorbing book, and available on Amazon now!
Also look out for Martin’s single Everybody’s Hero. A beautifully put together song and for a wonderful cause. Released on Bandcamp, please click the link below
So, freshly returned from a rainy Morecambe Poetry Festival. And what can I say?! A very full on and varied poetry affair indeed!
We start with the most important thing! Yes, Me! Here I am getting ready for our reading on Sunday.
What can I say about the joys of Luke Wright, Henry Normal, John Hegley and Michael Rosen?! All wonderful and intelligent human beings. We packed in so much, gambling, pizza, Prosecco and cocktails!
Er – Oh yes! We read poetry too. In the great company of Sharron Green, Anna Somerset, Heather Mary Sullivan, and Fran Isherwood, I also had the joy of meeting Mary Dickins. We took it all on. And believe me, there was a lot to take on!
Also, the marvellous and so talented Math Jones drove up to see me, with his lovely friend Prudence. Such a joy to see you again, Math. Please come back to the South where you belong.
Having the honour of reading as part of the Write Out Loud’s 20th birthday on the Saturday, we read late Sunday afternoon.
The last image there is of Rowland Crowland, an enigmatic poet. Great performance, Rowland.
I also enjoyed the open mic at the library
And meeting other talented human beings! Speaking of which…
A cocktail and quick cuddle with the marvellous Matt Panesh, who organised this whole thing.
So thank you, Morecambe and Matt for opening up this world to us.
Thanks for tuning in, PL’s and sharing this experience with me. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon….
Yes, settle down, PL’s and welcome our esteemed guest and vibrant, clever poet Sue Johns!!
(Standing ovation as our glamorous guest glides on elegantly )
Welcome, Sue. So lovely to have you on here
(audience cheer in agreement)
Please tell us when poetry became a part of your life.
A pleasure, Heather. And Dobby.
(Bravely strokes Dobby. The audience are awed and Dobby purrs)
My primary school headmaster loved poetry and so he got me started at a very young age. But this encouragement didn’t continue at my grammar school and I left school at 15
Knowing nothing about poetry, I kept writing, mostly nonsense, but I grew up in a house without books. Poetry and literature didn’t feature.
I kept scribbling and in the 80’s I started writing ‘punk poetry’ and became known as a punk poet, initially in Cornwall and then in London. It was much later in life that I actually learnt anything about poetry.
I started writing formally and for the page. I got a BA Literature in my 40’s and eventually a MA Writing Poetry at 63. A late developer! But graduating from that was one of the highlights of my life.
All hail Tamar Yoselof, Glyn Maxwell, The Poetry School and my fab fellow students.
That is so impressive, Sue. You have a very classy poetry background. And what fantastic names there!
Who were your biggest influences ?
When I was very young it was whatever I heard at school, my teacher’s favourite was ‘Timothy Winters’ by Charles Causley, maybe that’s why I write about dark subjects.
As a punk poet, it was other other punk poets like Joolz Denby, and other performance poets on the London scene at the time: Joelle Taylor, Patience Agbabi, Steve Tasane.
I owe a lot to Bob Devereux, Patric Cunnane and all those connected to Ragged Trousered Cabaret/Dodo Modern Poets for giving me my first gigs.
The first formal poets I fell in love with were Sylvia Plath and Dylan Thomas (a bit predictable).
Since I starting studying poetry my influences are endless, I read a lot of poetry and I’ve fallen in love with form.
During my MA I drew a lot from Jacqueline Saphra, Fran Lock, Terrance Hayes and Glyn Maxwell, to name but a few.
Long standing favourites include Sharon Olds, Simon Armitage, Christopher Reid, Elizabeth Bishop, Carol Ann Duffy, Mark Doty and Don Paterson. More recent faves are John McCullough, Caroline Bird, Rishi Dastidar, Inua Ellams, Kim Moore and Diane Seuss, I could go on and on.
A fantastic array of poets, Sue. I know Steve Tasane, wonderful isn’t he.
Are you working on anything at the moment?
I have recently completed my second full collection (if you exclude self published work) and I’m sending it around to potential publishers. It is largely work from my MA and is predominantly about Women’s mental health. Fingers Crossed.
Oh, we want to get our mitts on that collection, don’t we PL’s
(Audience cheer in agreement)
Now, what’s the best gig you’ve ever done, and the Worst?!
I’ve had lots of lovely gigs over many years. I think some of the more memorable ones are from when I was a ‘full on’ performance poet and did monologues with costumes/visuals/music.
I remember some great nights at the Poetry Cafe, Covent Garden. One night I did a piece called ‘Mud Sticks’ about my teenage years and apparently ‘brought the house down’.
Those days were a lot of fun. I’d go from work, change in a toilet, perform and then we’d all go off to a club or all night bar, usually the infamous Troy Club, until 3am, get a couple of hours sleep and then back to work!!!
I think we’ve all had gigs where no one or almost no one turns up, when the organiser has to decide whether to put a show on for one man and a dog. Or say f**k it and just get pissed.
Whatever I just love poetry and poets. We’re a family❤️❤️❤️
You were ravers! And you’re so absolutely right. We are a family.
How about we get up that Troy Club now? I’ve only got to change my shoes!
(Our esteemed poet looks awkward )
Well – er Heather – the thing is….(Dobby shuffles impatiently)
Oh I get it! You’re taking Dobby, aren’t you?!
Looks like another night watching The Newcomers for me.
Thank you so much for coming on the show, Sue. You’ve been a wonderful and inspiring guest
(A standing ovation from the audience while Dobby and Sue go off up the lighted stairs)
Wasn’t Sue Johns a fascinating guest, Poetry Lovers?! Please tune into
Freshly back on southern soil after visiting the marvellous Sunderland. Please see the picture of the beautiful Sunderland Empire theatre below. What a great city!
Now, I look forward to All The World’s A Stage on Sunday 24th August. Devised by the prolific Anne Warrington, we will be performing great pieces at Garrick’s Temple in Hampton. My first visit!
I have not done this stunning venue justice. In fact, this was a nightmare to sketch! Anyway, it will be a great event and I look forward to it.
Pause for a fag break, then the Booming Lovelies will be performing at the Guildford Fringe on Monday 8th September at the beautiful Britannia pub by the river. (This was also hard to draw!).
I don’t quite know what happened to that quiet August I had planned. It’s got so busy that I had to drop The Sealey Challenge this year.
Well, what can I say about Broadstairs?!
A great reading at the lovely Chapel Bookshop and Bar. Thanks again to Wonderful poet Nick Goodall for inviting me. An honour to be included in Folk Week.
The next morning I explored Poetry Club that was on every morning for a week. I had never been to a morning reading before, a great new experience. It also gave me a chance to catch up again with the lovely glamorous Maggie Harris, (bottom right in the main picture above). A superb poet.
Unfortunately I missed the lovely words of Heather Mary Sullivan who performed on Thursday this week. I’ll make up for it in Morecambe!
So now it’s off to Sunderland!!
Me first ever visit! I can’t wait. I’ll keep you posted!
The thing is, suppose they don’t welcome me?! And I get a dunking in the River Wear?! Gulp!! Watch this space!
Upon my return, PL’s, I will talk about Poetry Performance’s event at Garrick’s Temple on the 24th August and of course, the Booming Lovelies gigs that are coming up.
Heather Moulson 