One down – four to go.
Tonight Meredith Collins happily introduced the audience to the award winning poets Pascale Petit and Vanessa Gebbie the latter launching her new pamphlet ‘The Half-life of fathers’.
Some of Pascale’s poems about her father were dark, dramatic and intriguing, I gather they came about following meeting her father after 35 years of abandonment, in Les Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Many were rich in imagery of the Amazonian Jungle. A complex poem about watching a puppet show in a Parisian park as a child, reminded me of my days in Paris as a child in 1947.
Later her a poem called simply ‘Fridge’ caught yet another aspect of her relationship with her father. The last one she read about a picnic of songbirds was shocking. These poems are in her book award winning book ‘Zoo Father’, however some that she read will be in a new book out early next year. A truly remarkable woman with complex tales embodied in her award winning poems.
Vanessa Gebbie launched her collection of poems entitled ‘The Half-life of Fathers’ which included poetry inspired by the life of her late father, a decorated WWII veteran, and visits to battlefields in France. She takes an unsentimental approach to her images of war. However, her poem about a miner going to war despite being in a ‘protected war related job’, dying in battle and being buried in the chalk will stay in my mind for some time.
Strange that both poets had much to say about their relationship with their fathers, Vanessa giving poignant insights into her feelings about her father’s last few years while suffering from dementia. However the mood was softened by a poem about his funeral and the discovery of a nest of bees nearby. It seems only fair not to give the last line away and you will just have to buy the book to discover what it was and enjoy the rest of this new collection.
John McCullough joins the audience
Oh and I spotted John McCullough in the audience, he is also a Pighog poet, an award winning poet and a university lecturer. (pic above)
The rest of this post about Pighog poetry has been lifted from Pighog’s website, but when we have such a great poetry resource in Brighton, why not sing their praises, especially when it is all held at the lovely Redroaster with coffee, cakes, wine and really friendly service!
Saturday is free and there will be a free pint of beer after the interval for the first 20 people through the door and names in a hat for open mic Looks like being the climax to the Pigbaby week.
Dina of course is there all week selling Pighog poetry books and on Thursday they have the regular month Pighog Plus Poetry Night with Michaela.
Wednesday 27 November
Lee Harwood, Ciaran O’Driscoll and Philip Pollecoff
Brighton’s national poetic treasure, Lee Harwood is widely regarded as one of the finest poets working in England today. He has published over 20 volumes of poetry and prose.
“Lee Harwood is one of Britain’s best poets and best kept secrets.” (John Ashbery.) Sustaining our unique partnership with Limerick, Ciaran O’Driscoll will be celebrating his 70th year and a proliferation of awards and collections in a reading that will get you chuckling with a bit of festive spirit. Wry and surprising, Philip Pollecoff will be reading from his recently published collection.
Doors 7.45 for 8pm
Redroaster 1d St James’s St Brighton BN2 1RE
£5 (£3 concs)
Thursday 28 November
As part of our regular Pighog Plus! series Book Launch! The Old Madness by Kate White
Winner of the 2013 Poetry School / Pighog Poetry Pamphlet Competition. Well published, her work shows a grounded maturity in style and content combined with a knowing edginess that sustains a captivating tension. A first collection that will whet your appetite for more!
There will also be a special appearance from Jackie Wills reading from her new collection Woman’s Head as Jug (Published by Arc) and Brighton poet Alan Hay.
Doors 7.45 for 8pm
Redroaster 1d St James’s St Brighton BN2 1RE
£5 (£3 concs)
Saturday 30 November
Pighog’s Poetry Party Night
Poets are invited to join us on the last night of the Pigbaby festival for a poetry ‘Party Night’. You will be invited to read two poems and get a free beer! Just show up and put your name in the hat to see if you’ll be one of the lucky winners to receive a prize sponsored by Langham Brewery. The night will also be home to Langham Brewery’s ‘Hiphophog’ specialty – be sure to take part!
Doors 7.45 for 8pm
Redroaster 1d St James’s St Brighton BN2 1RE
FREE ENTRY!
Pigbaby Pass
Priced at £14, Pigbaby Pass grants entry to all 5 events for £2.80 each. If you’re over 65, unemployed or a student, then the concessional pass is for you. Priced at £11, it makes great poetry accessible for all.
They have a non fiction event on Friday at lunch time elsewhere, check their website.
Ann Perrin 