07 November 2008 - POETRY ‘IN’ THE CRYPT...
Where: Is in the Neighbourhood Centre next to
St Mary’s Church, Upper Street, Islington
When: Saturday November 15th at 7.30 p.m.
Featuring:
Michael Bartholomew-Biggs
Graham Kings
Hugh Underhill
Michael Bartholomew-Biggs is a recently-retired mathematician still pursuing a career as a poet. His new collection Tell It Like It Might Be (Smokestack, 2008) celebrates and questions the value of human imagination which can nourish faith, hope, mystery and love but also spins webs of private fears and guilt and coins the easy lie or terrible falsehood. These poems deal with illusion and delusion, lovers’ deceptions and lying dossiers endorsing war. But beware of scepticism: sometimes the implausible is also true.
Graham Kings is vicar of St Mary’s, Islington and his support has been invaluable in enabling Poetry in the Crypt to continue into its 10th year. Graham is also a poet and his new book Signs & Seasons (Canterbury Press, 2008) uses poetry – along with art, story and humour – to engage with life’s most difficult questions and challenges. Drawing on the shape of the Christian year, it blends ancient Christian insights and contemporary understanding to create a ‘spiritual travel kit’ – see: signsandseasons
Hugh Underhill lives in Bedford. He taught English at universities in Hong Kong and Melbourne and his publications include criticism, short stories and four poetry collections. His latest book, Found Wanting (Smokestack, 2008) pursues the poetry of the material world. It attends to the sometimes fragile, sometimes tenacious, nature of relationships and is rooted in the belief that living acquires meaning through commitment and choice. His poems also consider how all artists are, in a double sense, ‘found wanting’.
Admission £4 (£3 concessions)
Poets from the floor welcome
Proceeds will support work with orphans and HIV+ women in Igatpuri, India
The Neighbourhood Centre is a grey building beside St Mary’s Church on Upper Street, London N1, midway between Angel and Highbury & Islington tube stations. Buses 4, 19, 30 and 43. For more information contact nmattson@sampo.plus.com