On Poetry etc: 'Perceptions', Article by Tom Graham

Poetry etc 3.0 – Perceptions
28 February 2018

On a bitterly cold night at the end of February, a collection of creative minds gathered in a candlelit bar in the heart of Huddersfield’s town centre. As boots were stomped and snow was shaken from coats, scarves discarded and old friends embraced, you could begin to feel the room bustle with a warmth of companionship that served as protection from the storm outside.

A little while after seven o’clock (a short delay to allow for any stragglers caught in the weather to arrive), Rosa Lucy, the creator of Poetry etc., detached herself from the crowd and begun the event. Smiling out from the stage in the corner of the venue, she took a sip from her wine, and then introduced herself and the evening as everyone found somewhere comfortable to sit.

“Tonight is all about ‘Perceptions’,” she began, “and so I’m reluctant to talk too much here.” Instead, she directed our attention to the Dali painting being projected on the wall next to her, asking us to spend some time doing a free writing exercise (of which the one rule is that your pen cannot leave the page for the duration) based on our own initial perceptions of the painting. The writers quickly turned from studying ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’ (though the piece’s name was not disclosed) to scribbling furiously in their notebooks, and a chorus of pencil on paper filled the air. A mere glance around the room would have told you that each person had taken something different from the picture, and a wave of creative energy was ignited that would go on to fuel the remainder of the evening.

As she drew the exercise to a close Rosa was quick to begin a new one, allowing her participants to channel their newfound creative ardour into this next endeavour. Another free writing task, using a phrase instead of a picture as the catalyst.
“You should start with ‘Looking in the mirror I see’, however I want you to try and write from someone else’s point of view. Whether that is someone very close to you, someone you barely know, or even someone fictional. Just anyone other than yourself.”
You could see that while some dove straight back into fervently writing, others took the time to deliberate about whom they were going to write from the perspective of; though all finished with a sense of accomplishment at having explored another’s point of view.

It was then time for a short interval, during which you could see Rosa flitting about the bar engaging everyone in a deep discussion on the themes and motifs that had emerged in their work. It was beautiful to see different groups begin to converge and share the ideas they had unearthed in their writing. Those who had come alone found familiarity in the intellectual conversation that filled the room, with what seemed like a boundless exchange of thoughts and debate.

After the break, a physical workshop was led by Tand, a local freestyle artist/ improvisational poet. He instructed us to form a circle and, throwing a ball from one person to the next, we established rhyme chains. For example, Tand would begin by saying ‘spine’ and passing the ball across the circle to another, who would in turn say a rhyming word (‘line’) and toss the ball again. We created many rhyme chains, and with each one the group grew more adept at thinking quickly on our feet with language. We followed a simple rhythm, trying to throw, catch, and speak on the beat.

Then in groups of four or five we improvised and composed rhyming sequences. The aim was to take the words and rhythm offered by the person before you and respond to it appropriately, making the transition as seamless as possible. Obviously, some groups found this easier than others; however, it was plain to see that everyone enjoyed themselves and the exercise allowed the participants (the majority of which being more used to manipulating language through writing) to test their ability to work with words in a more high-pressure and performative situation. After this, one individual took to the stage to attempt freestyling to the audience, with Tand beatboxing on the mic and Sam Hodgson playing the organ. The room filled with a new energy.

Tand’s workshop served as an excellent warm up for the final section of the event: The Spoken Word Open Mic. An inclusive performance where everybody from already established artists (such as award-winning poet Rose Condo) to artists who are just starting out, to those who merely want to share something they’ve written, are given equal time, attention, and respect. Every performer offered new approaches and perspectives on all kinds of subjects. From their grandfather’s objects to the moors, to their own freewriting work to haikus, to comedic short stories.

The fourth Poetry etc. evening will be held at Northern Quarter (Wood Street) on Wednesday the 28th of March at 19:00. During which, Rosa aims to lead the group in an examination of the creative ‘Process’. Using visual and linguistic aides, participants will discover and discuss the creation of ideas and how we change and adapt them over time. Everyone is invited, there is also to be a performance by the wonderful Kneeling Coats. Please do come along!