Free Verse 2012

This year 'Free Verse' www.poetrybookfair.com was at Candid Arts near Angel.

opened by Christopher Reid

It was a great venue with a beautiful courtyard cafe and a very Barok room for the poetry reading.

I read my poem made out of found text called 'Obsession' in the open mic session with Pighog Press. I enjoyed hearing readings by Melos Press, Rack Press, Burning Eye Books, Stairwell Books, Like this Press, Five Leaves Publications, Hearing Eye, Smokestack Books and Penned in the Margins. 

At the Flipped Eye stand www.flippedeye.net I recognised the work of Malika Booker  - her collection 'Breadfruit' as I had heard her read at the Poetry Library event 'Live and on Loan' in July. Her poem 'Hungerford Bridge' is most evocative and can be found in 'Breadfruit' and ' a storm between fingers' a collection of London Performance Poets. 

The day was concluded with a poetry reading by if p then q poets at the Betsey Trotwood.

It was good to hear Lucy Harvest Clarke who I first heard at Free Verse 2011. Her collections are published by if p then q and Knivesforksandspoons press. I really like her poems tho I can't say why exactly.This event was concluded with the wife of the late Bob Cobbing reading from 'ABC in Sound'.