Books / Poetry
Wet Weather Words – Bristol Poetry Festival 2017
Bristol Poetry Festival begins on Friday October 6 with another great line up of local, national and international poets and performers appearing at venues across the city.
An ingenious extra feature of this year’s festival is the Wet Weather Words project. It is the brainchild of Hazel Hammond, who, along with fellow poets Dominic Fisher and Richard Devereaux, has selected seven poems that will be secretly written on some pavements in the city with a special kind of material that only becomes visible in the rain. Some of the poems are by living Bristol poets and others by well-known writers from the last 150 years.
The organisers say: “Nothing like this has ever been done in the UK before, and as is often the case, Bristol is the city bringing innovation, this time to the poetry world.
is needed now More than ever
“We will be sneaking out at night when no one is looking to write the poems on pavements around Bristol. Dominic Fisher has put a lot of work into getting the technique right and making sure the materials are eco-friendly.
“We hope the poems in puddles will inspire more people to come and listen to all the amazing poets who will be performing at this year’s Bristol Poetry Festival.”
The seven poems featured in the project are on subjects ranging from pelicans, votes for women, slavery, and flying an aeroplane under the Suspension Bridge. The featured poets are Dixon Lanier Merrit, Michael Donaghy, Hazel Hammond, Charlotte Perkins, Dru Marland, Robert Graves and Andy Brown.
Produced and organised by Poetry Can, Bristol Poetry Festival 2017 runs from October 6 to October 19. Writers and performers appearing include T.S. Eliot Prize winner Sarah Howe, Rishi Dastidar, Lydia Towsey, Joelle Taylor, Bridget Minamore, Raymond Antrobus and Liz Berry. Local favourites including Claire Williamson, Glenn Carmichael and Lucy English will also be performing.
For full information, day-to-day events and timings please visit: www.bristolpoetryfestival.co.uk/
Read more: Interview with Bristol poet, Shagufta K Iqbal
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