There’s something really special about this venue and night. Upstairs it feels like we are holed away planning a revolution while downstairs is alive with comedy, cabaret, line dancing, music. The kind of place that can start a movement and change the world and the kind of place I am so glad still exists.
A spark ignites change
We are the tinder the paper the fuel -
Our words are the flame!
Why did you start the poetry night?
Paul McGrane, Founder, Poems Not Bombs:
I run Poems Not Bombs monthly in the afternoons at the Spice of Life, Soho, and in the evenings at the Trades Hall, Walthamstow. I started the afternoon sessions years ago when I spied that there were very little opportunities for poets to come and read their poems in the daylight hours and there was a gap to be filled. It's been a great success with sometimes more than 30 readers popping in to read. Readers include retired folk, visitors to London looking for a poetry event, and students during their holiday breaks. I still don't think there's many regular afternoon open mics so it still fills a gap.
I run the Forest Poets poetry group in Walthamstow where we give feedback on each others' poems but I also wanted to extend poetry opportunities to all the poets in the Walthamstow area and beyond who may not want to be part of a regular workshop group but do want the chance to read their poems and get a big round of applause.
How would you describe the vibe of your nights?
Both events have a lovely, relaxed, non-competitive vibe where the audience is very supportive to each poet. It's a great opportunity for everyone to bring along their poems and try them out in front of a crowd. We get a mix of experienced poets who are honing old and new material but it's also a wonderful honour that many poets have chosen Poems Not Bombs to read their poems in front of a crowd for the very first time.
Max Fishel; Sean, @RealPaganBlues; Image copyright: Tim Foley: @writespeakrecover
What do you love most about the poetry scene?
There's a lovely camaraderie at both events and it's always great when a big cheer goes up for poets who might not be known to the wider poetry scene but are firm favourites at Poems Not Bombs, and an extra loud cheer for the PNB 'virgins' who come along to share their work for the very first time with an audience.
Image copyright: Tim Foley: @writespeakrecover
Would you like to share one of your poems with us Paul?
The Government
It wasn’t me and it can’t have been you
but I’m afraid to have to tell you that
somebody voted for the government.
The government don’t know where they came from,
thousands of votes seemingly out of the blue,
but not from me and surely not from you.
We should have seen it coming, I suppose,
but what a dreadful day for politics
when somebody votes for the government.
Like the old joke, no matter how you vote
you always end up with the government
but I wouldn’t vote for this lot. Would you?
We were so enthusiastic before.
We had our dreams, big plans for the future,
till someone voted for the government.
There can only be one explanation
but it doesn’t give me pleasure to say
that if it wasn’t me, it must be you
who bloody voted for the government.
Useful Links
Poems not Bombs Walthamstow
Poems not Bombs Soho
Big shout out to, and thank you to all the poets not featured here, please take it as a compliment that I was too into your poetry to get a decent shot! - Tim
We're always up for checking out new and established poetry, spoken word and open mic nights. If you run one, or go to one that you want to shout about and get us to cover it, then chat to Tim.
We're constantly on the look out for new artists, creatives and initiatives to feature in TheNeverZine - so if you are, or know someone who is going their own way and doing their own thing on their own terms and would be a good fit to feature please smash that button below and get in contact. By talking to each other, and sharing our journeys, ideas and insights on creativity, art, mental health and resilience we can all create, share and thrive together. Nice thought that.
PS - Don't forget to subscribe below for more content from TheNeverPress 👇