Month: April 2023

Community Poem February 2023

The 2016 Clown Scare

I’ve not had breakfast and the dentist talks of my mortality 
At least we have suckable items
And Brian blessed is my patronus 
I sat on a train that became a long, metallic fart
The hopeless case of progress 
An aubergine between the legs 
Bristol’s clear air zone – are you ready? I’m not 
In my best, loudest football voice I said:
Two squatter’s wrongs don’t make a squatter’s rights
At least we have pizza
Love was bird in my hand and I squeeze – splat! 
Which was incredibly wonderful
But then we all knew turkeys aren’t a just for Christmas, they’re a way of life 
September rang like a scar,
Left upon that creature’s pity 
A tourist in a resort 
On the fourth Wednesday of the month 
Ring ring goes the poet’s phone as he starts to rhyme…

Home

Community Poem March 2023

Snakes


I can’t write in yellow
the now infamous village gimp said
is that a two litre bottle of Vimto
or are you just pleased to see me?
Who says romance is dead?
                                               Boys night Boys night
A smash of cities erupts into
asphalt chunks of honesty and raw love

Though the best comedy is about serious issues
humankind cannot stand too much seriousness
all aboard for jolly fun, don’t make waves or
you’ll fall down.

Obsessed by living the dream, I fell in love
with base jumping.
I love to crunch on apples, I eat noodles in church
I’m a Ramen Catholic.
My friend’s donkey hasn’t been to the vet in years
if you like your cats alive don’t go to Crete.
                                              Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger
Murder she cried, though the Aardvark was unimpressed
All the superlatives: great uncles and extreme sporks
Bristol  fashion sparkly beard is a must
I opened my eyes and everything was beautiful
The only risk in life is to take no risk at all
Fools rush in as winter chills, the silk of milk slid
down her throat, scrambled nectar of the dogs

I slide poems under the skirting boards and then
arriving shyly at the open mic, I don’t remember
how words work.

Buy Aiysha’s book Feb 22nd

Emma Purshouse And Steve Pottiner April 2023

Emma Purshouse

Emma Purshouse & Steve Pottinger

Wednesday 26th April 7.30pm

Emma Purshouse is a poetry slam champion and performs regularly at spoken word nights and festivals far and wide, sometimes using her native Black Country dialect. She was the Poet Laureate for the City of Wolverhampton.
Her appearances include, The Cheltenham Literature Festival, Ledbury Poetry Festival, Much Wenlock Poetry Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe, Latitude, and Womad. She has supported the likes of John Hegley, Holly McNish and Carol Ann Duffy.


In 2017 Emma won the ‘Making Waves’ international spoken word competition which was judged by Luke Wright.

Her children’s poetry collection ‘I Once Knew a Poem Who Wore a Hat’ (Fair Acre Press) won the poetry section of the Rubery Book award in 2016. Her most recent poetry publication ‘Close’ (Offa’s Press) was shortlisted for the same award in 2018.

Her debut novel ‘Dogged’ is published by Ignite Books.

She is one third of the poetry collective ‘Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists’ who run spoken word events, workshops, and poetry projects across the Midlands.

Emma’s poem ‘Catherine Eddowes Tin Box as a Key Witness’ came 3rd in the National Poetry Competition in 2021.

“A whirlwind of wit and humour” – Write Out Loud.

Steve Pottinger

Steve Pottinger is part of the ‘Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists’ poetry collective, and has performed his poetry all over the UK, in pubs, clubs, and festivals. 

Home