Statement

I’m afraid this is a difficult communication. I don’t feel I can carry on with the group any longer. I have a relationship with poetry which is rapidly slipping away, for various reasons. The crunch with regard to the group came when I contemplated the workshop session next month: I realised I couldn’t submit or write anything for this. I am withdrawing from my activities in London and online at the same time. I must somehow just stop and reappraise.

Self-evidently you can carry on and thrive without me, and I am glad to have set up the group. The next session is on Wednesday, December 4, and was arranged as a workshop, with group members bringing poems (if they wish connected with seasonal themes), for close examination by the group.

The group will need some person as secretary, convenor whatever, willing to notify the members each month. If anyone cares to volunteer, I will pass on the list of emails/addresses (though most on the list are no longer active). There will also need to be some responsibility for publicity for more public events. The dates for the first half of 2014 have been confirmed, with some necessary alterations because of events at the Rhodes Centre:

• February 5 International Night – poems from as many countries as possible, in original language and in translation - we will need volunteers to read poems or to bring in friends who can
• Tuesday, March 4  Planning for Stort Poetry booklet + poems on theme of “Childhood”
• Wednesday, April 9  Narrative Poems – sharing and discussing our favourites
• May 7 Visiting Poet – PP to carefully arrange – haven’t!
• June 4 Poetry writing “en plein air” - where to be decided!
• July 2 Launch of Stort Poetry booklet -I’d suggest a reading, friends & family invited of course, and possibly even with a visiting poet, but we will plan all this beforehand

My contact at The Rhodes Centre has been Elizabeth Basey – but she is now on maternity leave. She suggested contact with James Bates <JBates@rhodesbishopsstortford.org.uk>; it might be useful to check the summer dates nearer the time.

So, I’m sorry – my whole relationship with poetry has shifted, as I said, and I just cannot face this any more.