Where I was today
The poetry workshop and reading had only few people present, some poets, and only one audience member, who wandered into and out of the room. One of the poets said she wasn’t a poet, but a children’s book writer, but she was there, and she wrote new poetry at the workshop. She is a poet, now, if she wasn’t one before!
Poetry gets written, and read, hugs and love, no ego, just the love of words, and friendship, this is how poetry can extend us all, writing and appreciating poetry, understanding the importance of words, and of friends and friendships. Egos left behind, and so it all went well, no-one grandstanding, just words written, read, heard, responded to, and loved.
Good food, and drinks, a cosy room in a lovely venue (Prince Albert Hotel), and so good things came for all in attendance, with hopes the good times continue for all afterwards. Knowing all may not be there the following month, but hoping to catch up again another time, if not at the next Gawler Poets at the Pub meeting, on the last Sunday of the month, every month.
What we did
This monthly poetry reading has been going for over twenty years in Gawler, a small town in South Australia, close to the premier wine growing region – the Barossa Valley. The poetry events have changed over the years, changed venue, changed added extras, and the people running the event have changed.
I’ve been a constant there for around seven years or so, and I am thrilled with the way this great event is getting better and better. The numbers of attendees isn’t high, but the quality of the poetry always is. We have developed a range of parts that are remaining the same, and as they are going so well, they probably will remain the same.
We have writing related workshop in the morning, usually writing related, but that could change, if something else seems that it may be interesting, to the sort of people who attend the afternoon event. That event is a poetry reading.
We usually have guest writer, usually but not always a poet, who often is the person who did the morning workshop. That guest writer is asked to provide 5 words from their latest book, if that is relevant. Then those five words are told to attendees, and who are given ten to fifteen minutes to write something, often a poem, and then to read their own new piece of writing. The guest writer is asked to pick the best piece of writing read, and that person will receive a bottle of wine as their prize. This wine is donated by the hotel, which is the venue for this poetry event.
Once that fun event is over, the guest writer then read from their own work for ten to fifteen minutes. Then, depending on numbers of people present, poets are able to put a gold coin donation in a tin, and they can then read their own poetry out to everyone else for two or three minutes. If there is a good sized number of attendees, we will have a break after a number of poets have read, then have a short break to top up drinks, and chat, buy books, and so on.
Value in sticking with the team
The hotel is also where our writing group holds its weekly meeting, where some of us dine at, or drop in for coffee and cake occasionally. We have a good relationship going with the management of this hotel, one we have managed to maintain through several changes in managers over the years.
Because we have been supporting those in charge of this particular venue, they can see it is worthwhile helping us with the various things we do. The writing group I run, as President, Adelaide Plains Poets, is involved in this event. The writing group that holds meetings at the hotel every week, is a part of that larger group, and it all goes together well.
Another group member, the treasurer, is also a regular member of the monthly workshop/poetry reading. He carries the heaviest things we bring along every time, while I bring along some lighter pieces …
The main part of these ‘things’ is books. We both new or near new books that we offer as first prize for the raffle we always hold at this event, and we also have ‘classic’ books, certainly not new, but usually previously loved books, that may be of interest to the writers there. Attendees are encouraged to look through these books, and take away (for free) any they are interested in.
These books are kindly donated to us by a sponsor, one who has helped our group for many years. It is a lovely woman, Ally, who has a bookshop, just a little way away, and we are tremendously thankful to Gawler Books for that help they give us.
The love of words
All of us there at these events love words. We are readers, writers, poets, and our love of words brings us all together beautifully well. Some groups suffer from clashes between people with big egos, but so far, we have avoided any of that kind of thing. I certainly consider these people to be my friends, not competitors, and I love being involved in something that brings together others who hold the same views.
I first began attending the Gawler Pets at the Pub event when it was run by an icon of the town of Gawler, a man named Martin Johnson. He and his life partner did a fine job in getting interest in this event, but he eventually decided he was ready for a change. I’m glad I was able, with two friends, to take over the event.
Those friends moved on to other things, or moved too far away, and I’m thrilled Alex Robertson, from the writing group, wanted to get involved in the poetry reading fun! Another relatively regular attendee is a wonderful poet and photographer, who takes beautiful photographs of people at the poetry reading.
Martin Christmas is his name, and I am thrilled to count this clever person as one of my dear friends. Martin is helping many people involved in such poetry related events in Adelaide and beyond, keeping a poetic record on who and what goes on.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
If you do anything similar to this event, or would like to know more, please leave a comment or message here!
Carolyn Cordon - Writer 