Our next guest poet will be Derbyshire-based Ken Evans. Ken will read from his poetry at the Royal Wells Hotel in Tunbridge Wells, starting at 8 pm.
Ken has won several poetry prizes, including our very own Open Poetry Competition in 2018 with his poem The Train has Rushed to Us with a Precious Cargo/ of Gifts from Far Away.
His most recent, second poetry collection is To An Occupier Burning Holes (Salt, 2022). Formally-innovative, wildly-inventive, comic, surreal and poignant – Evans’s poetry is a restless delight as he tackles almost any subject from lost invoices, hearing aids, fruit flies, migration, bin lorries, bullet-pierced road signs, to love’s strains and pleasures. As entertaining as they are impressive, these poems are in and of the physical world, brimming with ideas and passion and sharing it all with real panache.
Luke Kennard: ‘a poignant and genuinely romantic collection, immune to “pragmatism like a ticket inspector”, the almost unbearable hope and love that persists. This is a vital collection and these are Evans’ best poems yet, painfully well observed and beautifully alive.’
John McCullough: ‘“Haibun for a Son, Cooking” snagged my heart with its rendering of a warm and tender family relationship. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with its father and son … Here is a connection that has, as with advanced cooking skills, been honed and nurtured over many years. For me, this is writing that’s not only beautiful but healing.’
The evening is free to members and a mere £3 for others. Do join us to listen to Ken’s highly regarded poems.
The Kent & Sussex Poetry Society 