Month: August 2023

Community poem June 2023 -The Toolbox

We rummaged in the toolbox but only found
The hammer.

We rummaged in the toolbox but only found
Cascades of silver glitter, 
Shimmering ghosts.

We rummaged in the toolbox but only discovered
My anatomy;
It smells of curry
It wasn’t very nice
But the dog ate it anyways. 

We rummaged in the toolbox but only found
Ferry boat Margaret
Swinging low with rats,
Boats, 
And rainbow oil. 

We rummaged in the toolbox but only found
A city in levels 
Like a Victoria spongecake. 

Love finds itself,
Rummaged in the toolbox,
Walking through the city’s dark history
Everything is black and white 
Except in the dead of night. 

We rummaged in the toolbox but only found
The last poem
Of the last dug dazzled. 
We rummaged in the toolbox but only found
Purple pen pushes words from my mind. 

We rummaged in the toolbox but only found
Barbados to Bristol and back. 
Reimagined in dance & verse
Choreo poetry curiosity, hoping
To bring on the flow in me. 

Speak your own truth. Love me
So don’t scare me of all these pomp & circumstales. 

Satellite Of Summer

Wednesday 9th August 2023

Three headline poets and open mic slots on board the John Sebastian Lightship

Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm start

Satellite Of Summer, a special event brought to the Lightship by Satellite Of Love Open Mic Poetry.

Toby Thompson

Previous Glastonbury Poetry Slam Champion Toby Thompson has written commissions for the RSC, The Royal Geographical Society and the National Portrait Gallery. He’s performed his work at The Natural History Museum; The Royal Albert Hall and The House of Lords. His one man poetry and music storytelling bonanza ‘For The Record’ won the Pleasance Indie Award for Best Theatre Show at at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018. His show ‘I Wish I Was A Mountain’ won the Victor Award for Best Theatre Show at Philadelphia’s IPAY Festival 2020. In 2022, Toby toured ‘I Wish I Was A Mountain’ to China for six months, and also to Ireland, where he received a 5 star review in The Irish Times.

‘Entrancing… The words tumble out of him like an extended jazz solo’ – The Guardian

‘Touching, captivating, and toe-tinglingly lovely, Toby’s work is a joy’ – Edinburgh Guide, 5 stars
‘…easily one of the most gifted young wordsmiths I have ever had the pleasure to encounter.’ – Akala

Iona Lee

Iona Lee is a poet, visual artist, music-maker, storyteller and spoken-word performer from Edinburgh. She has been a prominent member of Scotland’s live poetry scene for ten years, appearing on radio (The Verb, The Digital Human) and television (The Big Scottish Book Club), and has performed in venues and on festival stages all over the UK and Europe (Glastonbury, The World Slam Championships, the Edinburgh International Book Festival.) Iona has a BA in illustration from the Glasgow School of Art and a first class MFA in Art & Philosophy from DJCAD. Her pamphlet (Polygon, 2018) was shortlisted for a Saltire Award, and her upcoming debut collection, Anamnesis, was shortlisted for the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award. Iona’s writing has been described by Liz Lochead as “youthful, sexy, sharp, ferally female, and funny”.

Iona Lee’s photography credit goes to Laura Meek – www.laurameek.com

Ben Vince

Ben is a Bristol based poet and performer, whose work seeks intimacy above all else – be it with other humans, the more-than-human, or the spiritual. He has been published in Horizon, has edited for The Scores Journal of Poetry and Prose, and is both a commended Foyles Young Poet and winner of a Fresher’s Writing Prize.

Satellite Of Love May 2023 Community Poem

Extra Lines This Month

The Satellite Of Love Community poem this month has donated lines from the Writing the City workshop that took place during Satellite Week.

Each Day ( June 2023)

The day the jaffa cakes went missing
The dreich sunk its teeth into my bones.
The tinsel shimmers, the light on sea, what is anything, what are we? Moments in light reflexed.
The salt of sea and light of sky.

The buttercups are asking the sky, do you like butter?
Do platypuses speak in platitudes
Everyday you wake you may choose to be kind
And she gazed around her and she saw their brilliant faces, their open hearts and she was held.

No fires will take place here tonight
What is everything, who are we, where and for how long?
Climb every mountain clad in lycra
Get out of your comfort zone and your Nissan Micra.

I need to pee so I’m gonna rush writing this.
After a while, the whole thing evaporated.
I took a little look, before I had a proper gander
How! How! Why! why! I feel I could die!

Community Poem June 23 – Leftover Lines – I have put into some kind of order – Enjoy !

You I
Why don’t you try it my daughters said, why don’t you go instead this afternoon and do your usual
and going to bed.
Is there a raffle – yay, where are the toilets, please don’t call out my winning ticket while I’m
powdering my nose.
What happened to my gravy underpants?

4 Wines and 5 packets of crisps, sorry 4 packets, 2 cheese and onion, 1 salt and vinegar and 1 ready
salted and now my friends are sorted.
And the mama gave birth right here
Flaff women’s mags light. But they calmed me for the battle against you. They taught me love-
bonding, gaslighting and emotional abuse. And I knew you for what you were and I was not lower. I
emerged victorious, clad in the driest plate of flaff.
Dear Tina got her wings today, 24 th of May……love it as everything to do with it.

Life is wonderful, life is great but why does it have to be so hard! So much to do and so little time,
always living on the edge. Love yourself, love each other – be kind, stay safe, love one another.
I lick you paw to feel your love.
Bats commute, bats commute along linear features did you know?
Safe, safe away from empty space!
Space, space keep me safe.
Ditto, Ditto to every one’s words amazahins arghhhh
.
What is God? A 10p freddo
Beans, beans, beans, I love baked beans on toast (with curry powder)
Lush Ice Cream
Put your cigarette out properly!
Steep steps back…

My special sunshine dress!
This scent of the candle was sweet vanilla.
Where are the editors when you need them?

That walk around Bristol’s floating harbour…………

love finds itself walking through the city’s dark history
a city in levels like a Victoria sponge cake
discovery anatomy, it smells of curry
ferryboat Margaret swings low with river rats, boaters and rainbow oil
her sister Mary, a small sleek sailboat, sits as a queen amongst plastic pretenders
the dark water reflected an abundance of rain rich clouds
wavelets gave glimpses
cascades of silver glitter, shimmering ghosts
love me, so don’t scare me of all these pomp and circumstances