Each event follows a similar pattern. Three poets are featured and asked to read and talk about their work for about 20 minutes.  Last night we heard from Tony Turner, Carolyn Oulton and Harry Guest.  The floor is then also opened to anyone else wanting to read a poem.  I’m always amazed at the depth of the talent that shows up to these evenings.  It’s not only that there are so many people writing poetry now — which, in itself, is a cause for celebration — but also that so very much of it is of such high quality.  Depth of feeling,  attention to technique, humour are all there and all cloaked in a spirit of generosity.  Ruth really is fostering a community of poetry in London and I know I for one am very grateful for it.  Anthony Delgrado of bluechrome is also an important part of all this.  He somehow finds us all and encourages us to reach out to each other.  And this year, he is also publishing a poetry collection which is growing out of these events, and which will also support the Cold Weather Shelter.  From what I hear, there will be poems contributed by several internationally known poets, and the rest will come from a selection of the poems presented by the intrepid “floor poets,” those who show up on the night, gather their courage and pull a poem out of their pocket.  Stay tuned for more details of the publication as they become available.

But why is this posting called “Of Poets and Punks”? Because one of the most wonderful, “only in London” features of these readings is the fact that to get there, you take the Tube up to Camden Town and then there you are among the market stalls selling skimpy clothes decorated with skulls and glitter, manned by salespeople specializing in neon-coloured hair and body piercings of all sizes and intensities.  Don’t get me wrong…I love Camden and its denizens.  But what I really find delicious is the night-time parade of  cerebral and sincere-looking poets of middle-age and often beyond, as it winds it’s way through the crowd of spikey hair and black makeup.  There’s definitely a poem in there somewhere.