10:00am - 12 noon

 

Ecology and Nature: an imagined idyll, the untouched wilderness, ‘out there’...But what if we look closer to home?

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Join Caleb Parkin to ‘zoom in’ from the ecopoetics of towns and cities, right down to the ecopoetics of each room – including gardens. You’ll be invited to consider alternative realities, “morphing human households into more-than-human ‘packs’”.

 

This will be a playful session, addressing ideas of environmental and social justice.

Paul Muldoon on the poet’s craft and inspiration

 

In conversation with Jon Sayers, Irish poet and professor of poetry Paul Muldoon discusses ‘five things’ that have inspired him and are symbolic of stages in his artistic development. Muldoon will accompany the discussion with readings from his recent work. This fascinating and thought-provoking approach to discussing poetics and craft was a hugely popular event at the last festival.

 

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The brilliantly successful format for ‘Things Being Various’ was devised by Jon Sayers for the inaugural Winchester Poetry Festival in 2014.

 

Now in its sixth year, Winchester Poetry Prize has gone from strength to strength, attracting entries from around the world. Come along and hear the winning poems. There’s also a prize for the best poem by a Hampshire-based poet.

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Prizes will be presented by our Judge Jacqueline Saphra.​

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The Winchester Poetry prize is sponsored by Paris Smith.

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The prize for a Hampshire poem is supported by Warren & Son.

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This event is free but tickets should be reserved.

 

Winchester Muse (formerly Loose Muse) is the premier local platform for Poetry. Monthly gatherings feature well known guest poets and a quality open mic - many members are published poets. There is an emphasis on promoting women's writing, but all are welcome to come along and listen, or read their work...and they do. Winchester Muse is affiliated to North Hampshire Stanza.

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​In this showcase event members read their work inspired by the themes of Community, Cohesion and Revival.

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The poets joining us are: Denise Bundred, Sue Davies, Joan McGavin, Jenny McRobert, Pat Murgatroyd, Amanda Oosthuisen, Patsy Rath, Caro Reeves, Sue Spiers, Richard Stillman, Louise Taylor, and Dorothy Yamamoto.

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Festival favourite Patience Agbabi is back with a virtuosic performance of Telling Tales, her retelling of Chaucer, featuring a dazzling cast of twenty-first century Londoners. Patience will also read her 'Refugee’s Tale' and introduce this important refugee project to the audience. 

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Hampshire Poet, Kathryn Bevis, as she nears the end of her tenure in this role will share some of her work produced during the last two years.