A Very Human Spotlight on Humanity

From start to finish, Guest Poet, Seamus Fox was a powerhouse of poetic weightiness, on topics as far ranging as pens and pollution to alcoholism and homelessness. Our evening set began with 'Belfast Bap' - a debate as old as language itself with a feisty lament on the demise of 'bap' whose use in everyday chat has been 'battered' & 'dusted' into submission and a plea to 'get baps back on the map' We heard of the wonder of a bus app amazing an elderly passenger, 'He knows things before they happen.' and a tirade against people who are 'dumping shit in the sea.' Our hearts ached as Seamus read from his collection 'No Homeless Problem' and told of people, 'dressed in material privilege' who presume that a homeless guy would spend a donation on alcohol but just wanted 'fish and chips.' the first session ended with a very familiar absurdity to all of us who love to write with an 'Apocalypse of Pens'

The break was full of chatter about the magnificence of delivery, the way Seamus' words filled the room, the razor sharp observation on the human condition. After a short break for a drink and Mr John's Challenge, Seamus returned for the second half of his set. A poignant and literally sobering set of poems that spot-lit the catastrophic effects of addiction and the crippling trajectory of underage drinking. 'Lucky, but luck has nothing to do with it,' 'History repeats itself', 'Just because you love the buzz'

Seamus allowed us into his own family history with a poem about the loss of his sister Stephanie 'who was already dead years before she died.' and the importance of her death in Seamus' own road to recovery. Seamus finished off his set with a rousing poem about our common roots in migration, telling us that we are 'citizens of this Earth first' and that 'migration is a fact of life,' in 'This Is Not Your Country.'

The sheer force of his energy and the beauty of his lines was totally transfixing but the message behind his poetry is a very human appeal to our sensibilities, our fallibilities and our strengths. Seamus is without doubt, a poet you want to be around, want to understand and want to hear more of.

Collections by Seamus Fox -

No Homeless Problem: And Other Poems - published by Arkbound (ISBN: 1912092557)

As Seen Trough Staggered Eyes - published by Wild Wind Books (ISBN: 0956033024)

Our open mic listers were as magnificent as ever with Jazzy starting us off with a marriage of true minds Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 and a 'Catastrophe of War'; Rich from Seahaven Poets warned us 'Don't fear poison lips' as well as giving us a love poem to his wife 'you are the thread that forms the web'. Nicki and Keith who have become much anticipated monthly stars gave us '99 kilos of rolly polly fun!' Soo Doo read of a beautiful 'Babbling Burn' and 'Our leader is our shepherd, we are his flock' ; Jackie H gave us 'overhearing hostilities in youth' in her 'In the Park' and Peter W gave us of 'Moths and Men' and a contemplation on the agelessness and might of rocks 'that sit and wait'. Paul Rafferty gave a pragmatic look at love saying 'our love is like a fridge that's forgotten to chill'. David told us of being '2% Spanish' and much more besides! Sarah Widdas, a newcomer to the Poetry cafe read her good friend's poetry 'The truth Will Out' and 'The deep Blue Sea'. It was wonderful to see our old friend Brian Docherty reading his poetry about the bravery of stepping out and growing. 'What you don't know, you don't know all along'. Di Hills ended the first half of the open mics with a steamy little number, 'How to be a Sexual Gymnast in Old Age'

Our second half open mic-ers kicked off with Keith W with a topical poem based on the appalling stabbing of railway worker, Samir Zitouni. Keith balanced this with a love poem even when 'between fear and calm I glimpse all the reasons we don't work', Adam H gave us 'The Sufferers' and Nicki picked up the Remembrance poetry from her book 'The Last Post' (all funds go to military charities - please get in touch with her through our email). reading 'from the hall of memory, the bugle is heard, Reveille played.' She also treated us to love poetry and an interactive poetry quiz! Gary followed the love poetry theme this evening 'At first it was tidal but this time it's bridal'. and told us of dropping off a forgotten packed lunch to school - for the teacher! Luke made us laugh with his poetry, 'keeping the wheels of industry moving whilst trying not to think about the hoovering.' and Mr John gave a resounding reading on the state of the world with ''we will die of shame, the ones to blame'.. Peter Wellby gave a beautiful poem on November. 'Stripped trees, black branches brush the belly of the sky'. Mark D read some haiku that peeled down the American president to 17 syllables! he also gave a beautiful poem written in a time of health crisis and how he felt he was 'dying to live not living to die.' Christine gave a snippet of animal life in 'the Longing of Kangaroos'. The wonderful Charles Anthony, told us of 'the pipes in the house start to whisper and groan' and fittingly gave a Remembrance poem that highlighted the effects of war on everyone. 'it's okay to cry, it's okay to scream.' Mike L finished a full evening - that inevitably ran over time! with a poem about nasty neighbour revenge! and finished with a poem of politics sung to Fiddler on the Roof!

Another month of simply wonderful poetry. Next month we have Jules Winters as our guest poet - please join us at the Frontier Bar on the 9th of December!