By Harry Mottram: There were treasured emotional lines written sometimes in secret, sometimes years ago and sometimes incomplete by the writers who were often nervous, sometimes confident – but always glad to share their lines. To write anything is one thing but to stand in front of strangers is another – but the supportive audience at the first poetry evening at Axe Vale Arts meant each poet or performer was well received and afforded considerable applause. In other words it was a success.
The first Axe Vale Verse, Open Poetry Evening on Wednesday, 23rd July, 2025, organised by published poet and Associate Professor of Poetry at Exeter University Simon Rennie was attended by more than 35 people with just under half reading or reciting their poetry. There were the words of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, Pam Ayres’ Fifty Shades of Grey, and GK Chesterton’s The Rolling English Road, while many gave renditions of their own prose and poetry – to add to the variety. Love and loss, families and memories were the main themes along with humour and word play.
Paul Hughes introduced the evening before Simon Rennie explained how the event would work as he welcomed everyone for coming. He read a touching poem about his grandson to begin the evening and this was followed by Andrew from Clevedon who read from his own book of poetry – Am I becoming my father? Mags read Marriott Edgar’s The Battle of Hastings – a humourist account of the famous defeat of the Anglo Saxons of King Harold by the Normans. Edgar was known for her monologues and her work is worth checking out.
Helen Bridgeman had a poem she had written some years ago about her father, as well as reading a poem about Coventry – a city that was bombed but rose again as a true hometown. Yours truly read Harry The Spiv – part of a one man show I’m working on about the wartime dodgy geezers in the purple economy – which was followed by Rachel Jardine with a link to Jacob Bronowski and words on pre-war Europe and California ‘the coast the lemmings reached’. Christa followed with a wonderfully amusing poem about her mother’s non-death-bed death-bed-scene in which she had to race up north to be with her only for her mum to make a miraculous recovery. Another mother or rather a grandmother was recalled in a poem by Vicky Brice which she followed up with an Ode To Gavin and Stacey – inspired by last Christmas’s finale to the comic TV sitcom.
Bet held up a poster of English rugby’s Maro Itoje who is currently involved in the Lions’ tour down under as an example of someone who is both a highly physical athlete but a lover of poetry. You learn something everyday is the phrase I’d use here. She read beautifully part of Under Milk Wood – the lines on Reverend Eli Jenkins – Llareggub’s reverend, preacher, and poet.
Eric from Banwell gave accounts from memory of two witty poems – one about a drunk who lies down in the gutter with a pig – we’ve all done it (well I have) – and another about developers who dug up graves to lay a sewer – all told with a twinkle in his eye. Mike was next reading Dylan Thomas’ Do not go quietly into the night as well as his own poem on the beauty of Axbridge’s church tower when caught in the late evening sunlight.
Colin Dick then recited from memory his poem Passing The Baton Of Generational Responsibility (My kingdom, my kingdom for a pop shield) – of which I include a few lines to give a flavour of his inventive prose:
Before a tea break Emily read from her prose novel – work in progress – which featured an occasional honk from the goose which was the centre of the story. Set in wartime England the narrative centred on the dilemma faced by Rose as to what to do with a live goose won in a raffle. Something of an anti-hero, Rose ‘has no waist’ and ‘no patience’ adding to the comedy with a vivid scene on her wedding day when ‘she could smell the tarmac’ outside.
Christine and Jane aided by Sue and Paul helped to serve teas, coffees and mocktails during the interval before Simon commenced the second half at just after 8.30pm with his poem about always ending up in the nude in his dreams. Something we can all understand as it is a universal aspect of dreams – the fear of being exposed – I’ll stop there. Andrew had a personal poem about fishing with his late father while Helen read Pam Ayres’ Fifty Shades of Grey – about getting old – and not about having inventive sex sessions I must add. Then something more serious from Noel whose Skewer in the Skies was an epitaph of sorts to George Floyd – the murdered American – which was spoken with passion since it led to widespread protests over the police killing of the black man. Noel also had a poem about the destruction of the countryside – again spoken with a controlled anger about the damage to the environment.
I gave a rendition of my poem about My Reoccurring Lavatory Nightmare – in which every toilet in the dream is broken and can’t be used. Phillipa McQueen had a poem about an incorrect weather report which failed to warn about a storm – a subject we can all sympathise with since the weather Gods are so temperamental. Michael explained his song lyrics were unfinished but they evoked strong emotions as ‘meteors crash with untold force’, and he struggled ‘to find a shape to fit my lips.’
Christa’s The Beautiful Soul – a tribute to her sister and best friends was next while remarkably Rachel was able to recite from memory GK Chesterton’s The Rolling English Road – which she said she would normally sing. Colin’s week on a canal boat inspired these lines taken from some the names of boats he passed: ‘Still Waters – Ironside – Explorers – Whileaway – The Sojourn and The Solace, Lady Marianne – Lady Alison – Lady In Grey, Our Lilly Pad – Day Dreaming – Damsels.’
We heard more from Emily’s goose story, Eric’s rendition of Weston and Lee’s monologue Brahn Boots (check out Stanley Holloway’s version or it) before a final poem about a dispute with a vicar in Wedmore entitled The Bad Revenge. And on that dark note the evening ended with Simon thanking everyone for their attendance and announcing the next one would be on Wednesday 27th August at 7pm.
If you would like to take part next time call Simon on 07411 901148 or simply turn up and ask him on the night. Or email: harryfmottram@gmail.com
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See https://axevalearts.my.canva.site/
Axbridge News and Reviews are written by Harry Mottram for his own interest and for residents in the town. For details for the work of the journalist Harry Mottram visit www.harrymottram.co.uk Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Instagram and YouTube. Or email him at harryfmottram@gmail.com
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