Poetry Day 2024

On June 1st we held our first annual Poetry Day and hosted a wide array or poetry-themed events and activities. The day was well-attended and enjoyed by a wide range of writers and poetry-enthusiasts.

In the morning we held an Ekphrastic Event. Participants registered in advance for this event, selected an artwork and wrote a poem in response to one of the artworks on display in the galleries of Manor Mill at the time of the event. The exhibition was titled Birds: Avian Exploration with artwork from Jennifer Hudson, Brenda Kidera, Chris Maynard, Deborah McFarlin, Kristen T. Woodward and others. Poems were written either using a digital image, or by visiting the Mill in person to write in front of the artwork. On the day, we toured the galleries as a group, listening to the poet read their ekphrastic poem in front of their artwork. We had twenty poems, and a pdf booklet was produced and circulated to participants.

In the afternoon we offered a selection of Poetry Workshops run by local poets Shirley J Brewer, Michael Fallon, Matt Hohner on a variety of poetry-based themes.

Workshop #1 - Shirley J. Brewer

*A Jolt of Joy in June/Awaking Creative Inspiration*
Shirley J Brewer’s participants were encouraged to explore and reinvigorate their imaginations and creative potentials. The tables were garnished with piles of postcards, paint sample cards and other visual prompts to get creative juices flowing.

Workshop #2 - Michael Fallon

*Learning to Use the Full Rainbow of Sound in Your Poetry: A Workshop on Consonant Sounds, Alliteration, and Consonance*
Michael’s group were encouraged to have a go at writing poems that take advantage of the vivid, powerful sounds of different families of consonants—all of which create different kinds of music--and to try using them in patterns of alliteration and consonance.

Workshop #3 - Matt Hohner

*A Dialogue Between External and Internal Worlds*
Matt took writers outside into nature with the goal of utilizing the senses, deepening and widening an understanding and imagination of a place, its history and future, both human and natural, and their individual places as poets within those contexts.

After the workshops, we all enjoyed Afternoon Tea served by our poetry host, British poet Mel Edden with home-baked Victoria Sponge cake and buttered teabread.

Poetry Readings. After tea, we gathered in The Loft to listen to readings of freshly-brewed poems from our afternoon workshops. Lots of people shared.

In the evening we came together for our Poetry Day finale — a “Poetry and Piano” Concert performed by our workshop poets with visuals from Henri Matisse and the Hubble and Webb telescopes. Responding to the poetry, Matt Nikzad performed classical pieces, and some of his own fantastic compositions, on piano, all in the beautiful setting of The Loft.

Thank you to our fantastic poets, Matt Hohner, Shirley J. Brewer and Michael Fallon, and to our pianist, Matt Nikzad. We also express our gratitude to Angelo Otterbein and all his staff at Manor Mill for giving us the opportunity to hold our Poetry Day in such a gorgeous location.