Last Friday a local poetry group visited the Arts Club. This is not just an ordinary poetry group.

This is ‘Poetry in the Park’ who meet once a month in the Gilroy Phillips garden to share poems old and new. Representing the group were Richard Young, Trish Livingstone, June Howell, Anne Hughes, Kath Osborne, Val Coates-Rees, Clive Dobbins, Phillip Marsden, Liz Tobin, Beatrice Plunket, Lorna Bedford and Denise Jordan.

Each member had brought along poems which obviously meant a lot to them.

Some were read, some were recited from memory. Some were performed dramatically! Some were familiar and others were a complete surprise to the audience. The performers had requested no applause after each poem but this broke out spontaneously on several occasions. Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, William Davies and Charles Kingsley were some of the well-known names.

Some poems had been composed by members, one had even been found in the tube. One was written about the refugees/asylum seekers who were residents of Penally for some months. Another catalogued amusingly what she HADN’T done during the pandemic. (No sourdough, no cleaning out the cupboards.)

Richard spoke most movingly about how pleased he is to be living safely in the Tenby area and how Anne Draper (an Arts Club committee member) had made a difference to his life. Members felt inspired to go home and dig out those long-forgotten poetry books.

As usual the meeting finished with tea and coffee and the best biscuits.