Thursday 14 July at 7:30pm

An Open Mic Evening

The meeting will be an open mic evening. Pieces brought along by members and guests alike. These should be 5 minutes in length as a maximum. A feedback option will be available for those audience members who wish to do so.

This is an opportunity to share your work (or an extract thereof) and hopefully, should you wish, get some constructive feedback from your fellow writers.

Review of the meeting

The meeting was an open mic session and everyone read some of their work.

It is lovely to see that we have such a varied membership of all ages and interests in different styles of writing and subjects and all were enjoyed and applauded.

Paul began the evening for us with an evocative gentle poem about the sea, always relevant to our members who are lucky enough to live so close to it.

Michael read next, a gripping real life account of when, as a Police Officer, he was able to disarm a young black man with a knife by calmly reasoning with him and being patient and kind.

Norman then read a short piece about walking with his two collies along Chanctonbury Ring in the early morning in mist. The sounds of the tractors he could not see then the sudden lifting of the mist and the flight of hundreds of seagulls flocking over their heads.
A dreamlike moment when he felt if he spread out his arms, he could fly with them.
A special moment.

Sally then entertained us with an account of the 50th ‘not married’ anniversary of some friends.

John then read his poem about Clooty’s Well, a traditional tale; people can hang rags on a tree next to the Well. A fairy lives in the forest next to the Well and dresses in the rags. People who have hung the rags can pray for help. There are many of these Wells around the country.

Jill then read an amusing account of growing up as the youngest sibling and having to wear hand-me-downs. She was very envious of her friend who had her own bedroom and wore pretty white frilly knickers!

Sue then read a piece about incidents from her flying career.

Liz read her characterisation piece, which had worthily won the competition judged by Sarah Palmer for 500 words with no dialogue on the subject of escape. It was a poignant piece about a recycling plant.

Laurence then read us his poem with a nod to T S Eliot about Margate being alternately a wasteland or a dreamland, depending on your point of view.

We then had a break for refreshments – and thank Alison for coming out of ‘retirement’ to organise them for us.

We also wish to thank Derek and Liz for taking over organising the meetings due to the enforced absence of Wendy and send her our best wishes.

After the raffle, people who wished had the chance to read more of their work.

Sally read two short pieces, one about revisiting an old relationship and then a poignant few words on the dangers of indiscriminate tree felling – particularly relevant at the moment with all the dangers of global warming.

Alan read ‘Our Quirky World’ his reminiscences written during the pandemic and then a humorous piece about the Swiss Spaghetti Harvest, a BBC stunt from 1957!

Liz read a thought-provoking account of the fires of Grenfell Towers and the effect they are still having on the people five years later. She included the memories of one gentleman whose daughter did not escape and the indefensible fact that combustible cladding is still in place on many such buildings.

Jill then amused us with her account of first love and the many pitfalls of growing up in a less tolerant society!

Michael read again – a hugely horrifying yet compelling account of his time as a Police Officer in the Met and being in the forefront of the riots in Brixton in 1977 before he was fully trained and again in April 1981. The bravery of all the officers involved is beyond praise and his account was truly riveting.

Lawrence closed the evening with an amusing poem about a recalcitrant Yucca tree!

The next meeting is the AGM.

Sue Ajax-Lewis