A Masterclass On Why Words Matter

AP Staunton treated the Poetry Cafe audience to lessons in life, on working class humour, on gritty perseverance and not least, the lesson that words really do matter, both as a saving grace and as a key to making sense of the madness that we encounter daily

His gritty storytelling was packed to the hilt with pathos, sharp political and social observation, sometimes tinged with pathos, other times belly laughing humour. With his conversational and often autobiographical topics our audience lapped up the retelling of experiences as a builder as a beau and as fierce advocate for social equality and responsibility.

AP started with an explanation of how he got into poetry in a place that was 'all about intimidation and nothing about care', how he 'wanted to know why some {texts] rung a bell and some on deaf ears fell' . AP took us to the building site where 'McNamara', a building site boss with an axe to grind, was immortalised as the man who burned AP's books, 'poems I wrote, stuffed into the pocket of a donkey jacket coat', with 'poetry straight to the bone like a Stanley craft knife'. Click here to listen to 'McNamara' to discover the fate that awaited him. It is without doubt a brilliant piece of poetry, as hilarious as it is serious.

We heard of his time homeless in London where shelters when they could be had, were '30 to room'. A proud family man, we heard poetry about his father, 'This man who lived by his scripture and always managed to see the bigger picture' and that a limerick was penned for his mother. In his poem, 'Stone Wall' we were taken on the journey from love on the left to sell out on the right, 'Me and the world stayed the same / but she didn't, she changed.' and then on and into the shady cockney customers lording it in the suburbs with 'Live by the River; Die by the River' when a shock on pay day left him short but years later in major floods, AP saw that his previous customer had 'His conservatory under water, his 38 million investment down by a quarter'.

AP, a wordsmithing powerhouse, delivered a brilliant series of magnificent poems, multilayered anecdotes that have the depth of a master. He's practically a National poetry treasure!

Mr John's challenge this month was 'Revolution' and, as ever, we were treated to brilliant off the cuff poems on the theme. Our open mic speakers shared their brilliance too: Keith Drake read a saucy piece on an accountant's love rival milkman, named John, much to the enjoyment of the audience! Amanda H read of an eerie garden flat that 'suffocates you with a special kind of darkness', David A took us into a world of colour from snooker balls to traffic lights, Marjorie was welcomed back and she treated us to a poem about conversations with daughters, 'the don't dos the ought tos and the must dos' and a poem 'Shop till you drop' outlining the 'nightmare in nightwear, and the staff don't really care' Joseph gave us the unexpected beauty of 'Mottled'. Charles A told us of an alien - who may well have been Australian! Nicki was showcasing her set forms of villanelle, Triolet, Haiku and Nonet. Keith W gave us 'Ice' enough to make us shiver and told us about the 'Tyranny of Certainty' Di H gave us a poignant 'Lines that Matter Less': 'should she be troubled by traitorous flutters?' Paul K asked 'How do you see me now', 'through my lonely quest I smile'. 'Cycles and Circles' Alex gave a beautiful reading of 'Emotional State' of struggling with feelings, 'as the tears fall together, I feel this pain may last forever'. He read 'I'm Not Great At This' 'Multiple girlfriends and one failed marriage' Jamie entertained with a few brain teasers and a haunting recital of 'Alpha and Omega'. Chris G read 'Stalin's Youth' 'Georgian, Armenian, Yiddish [...] so many tongues' and 'A Figure Of Death' 'A thrilling of fledgling screams escape into the air' . Our evening was concluded by Mike L 'British Justice' 'I only got pinched for jumping the lights' and with a now almost traditional song to end, ' A chemical Imbalance in My Brain'.

As always, I am completely bowled over at the sheer talent on our doorsteps and I remain indebted to the poets who come along each month to share it for free. Long Live Community! Hope to see you all next month with Claire Shannon as guest poet.