Poetry across time and place

Claire's set was quietly delivered but powerfully received. Poetry that spanned Claire's Northern Irish roots and her travels across the sea to England and back again.

With a beautiful Irish brogue, her words touched on the effervescence of conflict in 'Learn us to Shoot' and the inertia of 9 to 5 in 'Repeat' and 'Gotham'.

Claire's poetry took us on the rollercoaster of being a lifelong diabetic in 'High and Low' where we learned more than any leaflet would be willing or able to disclose about the lived and imagined experiences of that condition.

'Starman' covered the real first man in space, before that of Yuri Gagarin made all the more significant by the unsuccessful safe return to Earth

A return to Belfast was poignantly described in 'Velvet and Granite' exploring competing feelings about belonging and yet not. 'Bourne Again' brought us back to Eastbourne and its namesake river and then right up to date with 'Wave new Flags' a heart felt poem on immigration.

Claire's was a broad and informative, touching and thought provoking set. If you need a guest poet - look no further!

Our open mic-ers on the night were:

Philipa C Charles A Keith D

David A Paul R Pam K

Linda J Di H. Kerri M

Mr John Sylvie Denis

Adam H Dave S Chrystelle

Nicki, as our host, brought the evening to a close with poetry on train travels up to the Edinburgh Fringe - she's still paying off the fare and the venue bookings! (It'll all be worth it in the end, Nicki!)

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6. Starman (about the real first man in space)