51Âþ»­

A creative writing teacher from 51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) is calling on everyone to celebrate National Poetry Day – and has recommended a piece which will inspire us to explore more verse.


Sun through cloud over the 51Âþ»­ campus

, Subject Leader for at 51Âþ»­, and a published poet, says all cultures have needed poetry as “it celebrates and re-invigorates the language we speak, think, desire and dream in”.

Simon and his colleagues in the Leicester Centre for Creative Writing organised a National Poetry Day event at 51Âþ»­ to stir everyone’s creative juices.

The theme for this year’s national event was “light”. People were asked to bring along their favourite poem to read out on this theme, read their own or simply listen to others.

Simon has also chosen a piece by John James “for his rare ability to write about pleasure” to mark the day. He said James’s later work, including “A Touch”, has “a lightness that barely grazes the page” making him a perfect read on this year’s theme.

A Touch

the sky is vast today
& we may ride
with no restraint
in rare clear light
together
 
caught on a rising breath
as though the sea itself
spoke to us here
so far inland
of harmony & desire
borne up by
natural grace

John James, from In Romsey Town (Equipage, 2011)
 
Simon said: “Having a National Poetry Day is an excuse to celebrate , communally – whether that be listening to poems together on the radio, or going out and participating in events such as the one at 51Âþ»­, which is free and open to the public.

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“It is a shame if people feel poetry is not for them; I think it’s a legacy of associating poetry with something you are made to “study” and have to reduce to a correct “meaning” that you need to get “right”.

 “There are as many types of poems as there are music; and we respond to music by how it makes us feel, what it makes us think; a poem is an event in language, not a puzzle that needs solving.

“The danger of talking about the ‘importance’ of poetry is that we limit it to just being lofty and serious. I like to think of poetry as a unique quality of attention that can be brought to anything - a way of engaging with all aspects and textures of everyday life.”

Simon has also recommended how people can get more involved with poetry, as well as tips for aspiring writers.

He said: “Getting involved with poetry has never been easier: there is such a range of online magazines, and a huge number of spoken word venues and Open Mic sessions within local communities.

“Leicester has a really lively scene with regular events such as Shindig at the Western pub, and Word! at the Y theatre to name but two. The best tip for aspiring writers is to read lots of contemporary poetry, to get a feel for the sheer variety of modern work; and that way you get a sense of where your own poetry might find its most appropriate audience.”