Our monthly readings by well-known poets normally take place at a venue in Tunbridge Wells, but because of COVID-19 they have been on-line since 2020. However, we are now beginning to move back towards physical meetings, with a planned livestream for members who can’t attend in person.
This change will happen gradually in 2022, with a view to returning to 100% face-to-face in 2023 if possible. The list below identifies which of the remaining 2022 meetings will be held face-to-face, and which will be held on-line. Details of location will be announced in the notices for each individual monthly meeting, on the front page of this website, in due course.
Meetings are free for members, but non-members who would like to attend can pay £3 using the PayPal button on the right, and email us at kentandsussexpoetry@gmail.com to request a Zoom link for the event in question. There is also often an opportunity to read a short poem (up to 40 lines) at Open Mic.
Readings are normally on the third Tuesday of each month (except August) – details of each meeting are uploaded on the front page of this website in advance. The poets booked for 2022 are listed below.
Visitors welcome. Admission to non-members: £3
enquiries, e-mail: kentandsussexpoetry@gmail.com (but please note, this email is not checked daily).
We also hold informal writers’ ‘Workshop’ meetings (for Society members only) on the first Tuesday of each month (except August) – also on Zoom for now. Further details from Marjory Caine macaine@hotmail.co.uk
Monthly readings confirmed for the remainder of 2022
May 17th: David Caddy, poet, essayist, critic, literary sociologist, editor of Tears in the Fence. Most recent books: The Bunny Poems (poetry) & So Here We Are (essays), from Shearsman. Interiors and Other Poems is due next year. David will announce the results of our members’ competition and read his own work.
June 28th: Maria Taylor, whose most recent collection, Dressing for the Afterlife, was published by Nine Arches Press. (NB unlike most of our meetings, this one is on the fourth Tuesday in the month, rather than the third.) This will be a face-to-face event at a Tunbridge Wells location to be announced.
July 19th: Matt Haigh, poet, novelist, memoirist and journalist. His 2020 poetry collection is Death Magazine (Salt). This will be an on-line event.
September 20th: Yusef Qasmiyeh, whose collection Writing the Camp (Broken Sleep Books) was a Poetry Book Society recommendation. This will be an on-line event.
October 18th: Dai George, poet and novelist whose collection The Claims Office was published by Seren Books. This will be a face-to-face event at a Tunbridge Wells location to be announced.
November 15th: Sean O’Brien, multi-prize winning poet, whose ninth, and most recent collection is Europa (Picador). This will be an on-line event.
December 20th: Amy Key, poet and essayist, whose second collection Isn’t Forever was published by Bloodaxe. This will be a face-to-face event at a Tunbridge Wells location to be announced.
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