Life, love and John Clare - Robert H unveiling truths

From family and friendships to John Clare and Omar Sharif, Robert packed a punch of gentle strength throughout his set. From his Blue Wallpaper collection, Robert read 'Being the Sea' and mesmerised us with lines telling of 'the skim of it' and of the 'cloak of oceans' and his 'marvellous deep'. From the same collection came 'Leaving the Party Early' and the eponymous poem describing the sea and its shore with 'twenty yacht sails, sharp as cuttlefish' Robert also read from his book 'A length of Road' where he followed in John Clare's literal and poetic footsteps from mental asylum in Essex to home, some eighty or more miles, to Northamptonshire. In 'On my left Arm' Robert imagines a response to Clair's 'uneasy dream' 'I'll daisy chain your wedding finger to mine' and his travelling muses in 'North and South' on 'The old question, where am I going?' From the collection 'Nude Against a Rock', Robert broke into the sadly backward tone of modern politics with his poem 'Love Song for a Bigot', saying that 'Marrying a man is my victory' with lines telling of 'the spit of neighbours' but that 'sanctuary in his arms' could still be found amid the irrational fear of some that 'I might infect them with my love'. We also heard the the achingly beautiful 'Gaza' and 'Funny Girl' where the longing and yearning of love and discovery ooze from every line. Robert gave us many more than the cited poems and the set as a whole was a quiet but tenacious powerhouse of resistance, every syllable worth hearing and digesting.

Robert's collections and publications can be found on his website here: https://www.roberthamberger.co.uk/

As always, our open mic performers were on good form: beginning with Charles Anthony started the evening with poems on the theme of peace for children in war zones and 'the light that casts no shadows'. Jazzy was fast on his heels with celebrity obsession over attention with 'Hash tag this and hash tag that, blah, blah this and blah, blah that' Christine challenged our audience to 'Bring it!' Jan J warned of 'putting myself down' and 'the voice that calls and calls'. Mr John spoke of the 'flowering frost' in beautiful woodland musings, Keith Willson's octet on the octopus 'watching the boredom of a meter cubed tank' was as clever as it was impressive and gave us food for thought that 'all morality must lead to hypocrisy'. Kieth Drake gave a tribute to Noel Coward stating 'waiter, if it's no trouble I'll have another double ... G&T'. David Allen gave some wisdom saying 'in the eyes of the house proud, everything's done and dusted' Sylvie's poetry took us from partying in 1972 'daubing blusher' to partying in 2025 'selecting thermal vests'. Peter Wathen told us that he's an 'ordinary man' asking 'how many miles to Babylon - three score and ten' and gave a sonnet that bade 'Don't tell.' Denis aped talking to mum on the phone 'I'm nearly there' 'I've been so busy'. Alex declared 'It's not all about you' and that the speaker 'chose to carry that shame but it wasn't mine to hold'. Zara told us that 'silence is a revelation' and that 'what the heart perceives the mind denies.' Louise gave us a resounding reminder of the Eastbourne march against fascism on the 28th March with lines from the Cable Street resistance 'They shall not pass' Leo gave a string of single line thoughts from the royal family to Tesco. Lena called for freedom asking 'are you worried about your daughter and your son sent off to war?' Adam talked about the 'Little Things' of 'treasures of times before' and that 'nothing lasts for ever' Di Hills rallied for the truth of war when she described 'missiles drop on mothers' and 'hearts blackened by ancient enmity'. Mark D celebrated the centenary of the shipping forecast with a 'Not the Shipping Forecast' that took us from morning toast through to night time snores. Tassmin declared 'We're not your women and not your girls' reminding some that they 'protest outside asylum hotels but never outside the met'. Rich from Seahaven poets gave us a vision of a pub and it's regulars with the beauty and ugliness of their private lives. Jackie asked us to 'seize the day' and not waste precious moments.

Another jam packed evening of glorious poetry, shared and appreciated by all. The atmosphere gets better every single month! Don't miss out; join us next time!