Dawlish Discussion

Award-winning Dawlish poet, Graham Burchell will see the south west launch of his latest poetry collection, 'The Chongololo Club' as part of the third Exeter Poetry Festival on Saturday, October 6th at 2pm. The venue will be Exeter Central Library. The fifty four poems in the book revisit the poet's experiences and reactions to living and teaching in the small copperbelt town of Chililabombwe (the place of the croaking frogs) in the 1980's. As poet Ian Duhig says of the book, "he is not blind to its occasional horror, nevertheless he convinces us of its beauties through his careful observation, his ear for its many languages and his eye for telling detail."

The Exeter Poetry Festival is delivered by Cyprus Well, ExCite Poetry Stanza, and Apples and Snakes, with valued support from Exeter Central Library, Devon Libraries, and Waterstones. It runs from October 4th -7th. Details can be found on exeterpoetryfestival.wordpress.com, and tickets can obtained from Exeter Phoenix Box Office 01392 667080.

WORDS

Words,
Words that glide free-flowing
in worlds where thoughts elide
through metaphors of form that frame
the mind’s meanderings.

Absurd that we should bind
our deepest longings,
emotion-bursts,
our anger, sadness, hopes and joy
in pentametric  shackles
that trammel us
that blinker us
in longitudinal, synaptic tunnels of darkest night.

Words,
Words that glide free-flowing
admit the light and prism-like
explode with spectral hues
that offer new perspectives
to imbue the cozy mind-set
with new insight.

GOOD LUCK!!

And to reply with a poem, a very fine one. That is special, a good omen I think. Thank you very much Neil.