"Personal, Instinctual & Organic Video Poetry of our everyday life." Time: 7pm to 9pm Black Country Cinema was founded in early 2009 by a growing community of artists/poets from the Black Country. This evening’s forum will be showcasing the first edition of Black Country Cinema’s Video Poems which range from: The anxieties of having a recession proof job in the Black Country, to a Mans relationship with his hometown Wednesbury. The screening will also include archive films from the Black Country, titles to be confirmed. Iranian Film director, screenwriter & producer Abbas Kiarostami famously said: “Digital camcorders allow the artist/poet to work alone again.” Black Country Cinema also believes that video allows the artist/poet to be spontaneous and free to capture the poetic nature before it is lost. Resulting in most of their Video Poetry being shot on small Handycams! There will be an introduction and Q&A by the artists/poets themselves and there will be opportunities to find out more about the group and how to get involved. For more info visit: blackcountrycinema.wordpress.com Screen Forum is a regular meeting of practitioners and agencies who are involved in screen based creative industries within the region. The aim of the forum is to showcase quality work in the region and to facilitate networking, collaboration and the sharing of information and resources. To reserve a place contact Stephanie Jennings info@light-house.co.uk, 01902 716055, or visit the website, www.light-house.co.uk

Venue: Light House Media Centre

Tickets: Free Admission

Contact: Stephanie Jennings
Telephone: 01902 716055
Email: info@light-house.co.uk
Website: blackcountrycinema.wordpress.com

Don Barnard and Brenda Read-Brown read poetry in Spanish and English; flamenco guitar and tapas A Poetry on Loan live event.

Venue: Catalan Restaurant, Warwick

Rising Brook Writers - Poetry Afternoon Around a dozen Over 50s/Senior Citizen poets performing their own works. 1.45pm start.

Venue: Rising Brook Library Stafford

Tickets: Free of Charge

Contact: Steph Spiers
Email: stephanie.spiers1@ntlworld.com
Website: www.risingbrookwriters.org.uk

Polesworth Poets Trail - The First poem to be installed. To mark National Poetry day on the 8th October, Polesworth Poets Trail project are pleased to announce that the first poem installation will be take place during this week. The Poem, The River Anker by Jane Holland has been etched into copper plate and fixed to five large pieces of Mancetter stone which were kindly donated by Tarmac at Mancetter Quarry and have been sculpted by Planet Art. The stones, which will also include Michael Drayton’s poem To the Ancor, will be place on the river bank in the park close to the foot bridge. This is the first of ten contemporary poems that will be installed over the coming weeks, the poems coming from two commissions and eight poems chosen from a national competition. The installation of these ten poems will complete the first phase of the trail which has been funded from a generous grant from Advantage West Midlands. Project Director, Malcolm Dewhirst said “This is the culmination of a lot of hard work from a dedicated team of people who shared the vision of bringing poetry back to Polesworth. We hope that the poetry trail will attract poets from all over the world to come to Polesworth and that this will be the first of many poetry events to be held in this literary town, which saw the greatest poets of the 16th century meeting here at Polesworth Abbey.”

Venue: Polesworth - North Wawickshire

Contact: Malcolm Dewhirst
Telephone: 0788 4430142
Email: ppst2008@yahoo.co.uk

We are launching the Festival in slam style with this dynamic and exciting evening of people performing their work, battling it out for the top spot. All those competing have won heats around the UK and come to Birmingham to stake their final claim… Compered by former Birmingham Poet Laureate and renowned performance poet Dreadlockalien, this event promises to be a storm of activity and creativity. Please note this event will be recorded to be broadcast on National Poetry Day, Thursday 8th October. Tickets are FREE but book early to avoid disappointment.

Venue: Birmingham Conservatoire

Tickets: Tickets are FREE but

Telephone: 0121 3032323
Website: www.birminghambookfestival.org

An exhibition of animated portraits of performance poets; Jo Bell, Richard Grant (aka Dreadlockalien), Charlie Jordan, DoubLe, Giovanni Esposito (aka Spoz) and Polar Bear.

Venue: Birmingham Central Library

Tickets: free

Contact: Nikki Bi
Telephone: 0121 303 2895
Email: nikki.bi@birmingham.gov.uk
Website: www.birmingham.gov.uk/poetry

Poetry Reading and workshop

Venue: Central Library, High Street, West Bromwich

Tickets: Free

Contact: Sue Clark
Telephone: 0121 569 4933
Email: sue_clark@sandwell.gov.uk
Website: www.libraries.sandwell.gov.uk

A Literary lunch to celebrate National Poetry day. 70th Birthday Cake for Seamus Heaney and toasts to Carol Ann Duffy and your favourite poet. Come and read your favourite poem.

Venue: Percival Guildhouse, Rugby

Tickets: £10.00

Contact: Diana Walls
Telephone: 01788 542467
Email: contact@percival-guildhouse.co.uk
Website: www.percival-guildhouse.co.uk

Prizewinning poet Daljit Ngara reads poems and entertains 11:00 - 12:00 noon A Poetry on Loan live perfromance

Venue: Northfield Library, Birmingham

Prizewinning poet Daljit Nagra reads his poems and entertains. A Poetry on Loan live event

Venue: West Bromwich Central Library

Emma Purshouse performs poetry and tals about how she goes about writing poems 2-3 pm A Poetry on Loan live event

Venue: Central Library, Walsall

Daring feats of verse and worse as Coventry Live Poets regale the audience with specially composed poetry in celebration of National Poetry Day with musical interludes from Rik Middleton with his heroic comic songs.

Venue: The Earlsdon Cottage, Coventry CV5 6ET

Tickets: free event

Contact: Jo Roberts
Telephone: 07855 746430
Email: coventrylivepoets@hotmail.co.uk

Michael Hulse will be reading from his new collection "The Secret History", published by Arc. Stafford Library at 7.00pm

Venue: Shire Hall Library, Stafford

Tickets: Free - but please ri

Contact: Andrew Baker
Telephone: 01785 278585
Email: andrew.baker@staffordshire.gov.uk

Local poet Rob Stevens shows you how performance poetry is done. A Poetry on Loan event

Venue: Leek Library, Staffordhsire

WORCESTER OXFAM BOOKSHOP CELEBRATES NATIONAL POETRY DAY – WITH THE HELP OF ROBIN HOOD A WORCESTERSHIRE poet is set to turn Robin Hood to celebrate National Poetry Day and launch a range of poetry competitions at Worcester's Oxfam Bookshop. Sarah Leavesley, from Droitwich, will be donning the costume in keeping with this year's theme of Heroes and Heroines. Mrs Leavesley, who writes under the name Sarah James, will be poet in residence at the shop in Worcester High Street on Thursday, October 8, which is this year's National Poetry Day. She will be at the shop from 11am to 4pm, giving people the chance to pop in and chat about poetry, share a favourite poem or bring their own work for some on the spot feedback. There will be a range of inspirational exercises/ideas to share and a display of hero and heroine themed poems by members of the Poetry Society's Worcester and Droitwich Stanza poetry group. Mrs Leavesley will be helping Worcester Oxfam Bookshop to launch its range of children's colouring and drawing contests and a children and adults' poetry competition on the theme of heroes and heroines. The poet also plans to use the day to write her own set of poems inspired by the National Poetry Day theme and her experiences as an Oxfam Bookshop poet in residence. She said: “This is a chance for people to come in and share some poetry, whether they are already keen poetry lovers or enjoying it as a new experience. “It is also a great way to celebrate this year's theme, not just in the form of superheroes or literary heroes but the everyday heroes and heroines that feature in all our lives.” Oxfam Bookshop manager Amanda Bonnick, who is also a poet, said: “I am delighted to welcome Sarah James to the shop to celebrate National Poetry Day. “As the selection of Carol Ann Duffy to Poet Laureate shows, poetry can be both popular and challenging, and we hope to inspire the people of Worcester to contribute their poetic offering. The theme of Heroes can inspire us all!” The colouring, drawing and poetry contests deadline is Saturday, October 17. More details about the competitions are available from the Oxfam Bookshop in Worcester High Street or by calling Amanda Bonnick at the shop on 01905 26967. Mrs Leavesley, who has been widely published in literary magazines and websites, was recently shortlisted in the Templar Poetry Pamphlet and Collection Prizes 2009 and was shortlisted in the Oxfam UK Poetry Competition 2004. Her website is at www.sarah-james.co.uk .

Venue: Oxfam Bookshop, High Street, Worcester

Tickets: FREE

Contact: Sarah Leavesley - email, Amanda Bonnick - phone
Telephone: 01905 26967
Email: lifeislikeacherrytree@yahoo.com

We are fortunate in Birmingham to be surrounded by some of the country's best postgraduate creative writing programmes. This Birmingham Book Festival event celebrates National Poetry Day by bringing together students from the Universities of Warwick, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and the Birmingham City University's National Academy of Writing to perform the very best of their poetics. Entry to this event is FREE if you show a ticket to any other Book Festival event at the box office or on the door.

Venue: Birmingham Conservatoire

Tickets: £5 or £3.75 concessi

Website: www.birminghambookfestival.org

Roz Goodard reads her poetry and regales an audience

Venue: Lichfield Library

Roz Goodard reads her poetry and regales the audience

Venue: Wordsley Library, Dudley

Birmingham based poet and storyteller, Adrian Johnson, will recall and retell short stories and poetry in public spaces at five public locations in Birmingham’s city centre on Thursday 8 October at 12- 2pm and 4-6pm. He will also repeat the event on Sunday 25 October, 2009 between 2- 4pm. The theme for national poetry day on Thursday 8 October is ‘Heroes and Heroines’ and for that day kindandgenerous productions commissioned Adrian Johnson to write a poem to mark the 200th anniversary of the great British sea faring hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson, a man for which the people of Birmingham raised funds to raise a statue in his honour, exactly 200 years ago in October 2009. (The poem is available on request.) Adrian Johnson said: “Horatio Nelson stands right in the centre of the new Bull ring in Birmingham, looking towards Digbeth, and that’s exactly where I will begin the heroes journey and move on to five other inspiring locations in the city with stories, poetry and songs by me and other members of the public.” The heroes’ journey is for everyone that would like to read out or share a very short story, poem or memory of someone that inspired them in their life. It might be Miley Cyrus, M&M, their mum, Stan Lee, Carl Chinn, Roi Kwabena or the Floosy in the jacussi. Everyone is invited to join and take the journey. The heroes journey starts at 12 noon and also 4pm on Thursday 8 October and includes stops at: 1.the statue of Nelson in the Bull ring, then a walk to 2.the half finished building workers memorial column in the grounds of the Birmingham Cathedral on Colmore Row, then 3.The iron man at the top of Birmingham New Street, then 4.The Floosie in the Jacussi outside Birmingham City Council, then 5.The three Golden Boys (Boulton, Watt Murdoch) on Broad Street 6.The empty, former site of Raymond Mason’s ‘Forward’ sculpture which stood outside the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Venue: Birmingham City Centre 12 noon and 4pm

Tickets: free

Contact: Adrian johnson
Telephone: 07929291589
Email: adrian.johnson@dsl.pipex.com
Website: not yet

As one Birmingham Poet Laureate hands the laurels to the next, Hugo Williams entertains with his polished poems 7 pm A Birmingham Libraries / Poetry on Loan event

Venue: Birmingham Library Theatre

This evening will be the first offical public reading of Birmingham's 14th Poet Laureate. With speacial guest appearance by prize winning poet Hugo Williams.

Venue: Birmingham Library Theatre

Tickets: free

Contact: Nikki Bi
Telephone: 0121 303 2895
Email: nikki.bi@birmingham.gov.uk
Website: www.birmingham.gov.uk/poetry

Join us for this Birmingham Book Festival event for the first reading of the brand new Poet Laureate for the city. The new Laureate will be announced on National Poetry Day, Thursday 8th October and then will perform at the Festival in their first official capacity. With special guest appearance by poet, Hugo Williams. Tickets for this event are FREE but please reserve with the Birmingham Box Office on 0121 3032323.

Venue: The Library Theatre, Birmingham Central Library

Tickets: FREE

Website: www.birminghambookfestival.org

100 Verses invites you to get inspired by Charlecote Park and its culturally diverse collections. Why not join in the fun and help us to reach our target by generating 100 poems before Saturday 10th October to the email address below. Come and see our poets in residence recite poems in the house and parkland. Dreadlock Alien, Panyo Banjoko, Maqapi Selassie and Cathy Whittaker( Warwick poet Laureate 09) Other offers include: Black History Month exhibition produced by local primary school children in Warwickshire, Poetry wall, Deer Park Safari(contact property for further details) and great family meal deals

Venue: Charlecote Park, Warwickshire, CV35 9ER

Tickets: Adults £8.60 Child

Contact: Glenis Williams
Telephone: 01789 470277
Email: whosestory@nationaltrust.org.uk
Website: charlecotepark@nationaltrust.org.uk

Philip Monks continues his series of poetry workshops with one aptly timed for National Poetry Day. A Poetry on Loan workshop event

Venue: West Bromwich Central Library

A thing of beauty is a joy forever... And so is a poem learned by heart, as you'll find out at David Calcutt's workshop for all the family. The novelist, playwright and poet will lead participants through the adventure of learning, and performing a long (but not too epic!) poem by heart. This unique event will offer participants the chance to enjoy a series of lively excercises designed not only to help memorise the poem, but also to perform it in chorus to a public audience. A public perfomance of the poems learned on this day will take place on Tueday 13th October in Birmingham Central Library's foyer at 6.30pm. This is a Birmingham Book Festival event.

Venue: South Birmingham College, High Street Deritend, Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 5SU

Tickets: £30 or £25 concessio

Website: www.birminghambookfestival.org

With Mimi Khalvati and Jane Holland. Are you in need of some more specific, one to one help with developing your poetry? Presented in association with The Poetry School, these thirty minute intensive surgeries are designed to give feedback from a professional poet and teacher. When booking a slot, you will be invited to send a short extract of your work in advance.Please indicate when booking, who you would like to have your poetry surgery with. Please note- Surgeries are offered on a first come, first serve basis and availability is limited. We recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.

Venue: South Birmingham College, High Street Deritend, Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 5SU

Tickets: £28 or £20 concsessi

Website: www.birminghambookfestival.org

Raymond Carver's poetry and prose captures a version of American life.In this Birmingham Book Festival event, Dr Paul McDonald, novelist and Senior Lecturer in American Literature at the University of Wolverhampton, explores Carver's work and its enduring appeal.

Venue: South Birmingham College, High Street Deritend, Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 5SU

Tickets: £10 or £7 concsessio

Contact:
Email: sara@birminghambookfestival.org
Website: www.birminghambookfestival.org

Birmingham born poet Roy Fisher writes with astonshing clarity, particularly about his native city. The poet Simon Turner introduces some of Fisher's poems and the extraordinary breadth of imagination they demonstrate. This is a Birmingham Book Festival event.

Venue: South Birmingham College, High Street Deritend, Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 5SU

Tickets: £10 or £7 concsessio

Website: www.birminghambookfestival.org

Through their distinctive and bold poetry, these four poets re-imagine and re-interpret the digital age and the urban spaces in which we live. Their frequently surreal and wry poetry challenges language and poetic form to produce work that responds to the peculiarities of contemporary life and the ever-shifting landscapes it inhabits. Tom Chivers’ first collection, How To Build A City, won the Crashaw Prize. He has also published a pamphlet, The Terrors , and is Associate Editor of literary journal Tears in the Fence. Matt Nunn is a freelance writer and workshop leader. He is the co-editor of Under The Radar and Nine Arches Press. Simon Turner’s collections include You Are Here, and Difficult Second Album, due out in 2010. His work has appeared in Tears in the Fence, The Wolf, and The London Magazine. Luke Kennard is an award-winning poet, critic and dramatist. He won an Eric Gregory Award in 2005. His latest collection, The Migraine Hotel was published in 2009. Tickets for this event are FREE but please reserve with the box office.

Venue: Birmingham Conservatoire

Tickets: Tickets are FREE but

Telephone: 0121 3032323
Website: www.birminghambookfestival.org

As part of Birmingham Book Festival, six poets whose poems on Heroes and Heroines are available on postcards at libraries throughout the West Midlands read their poems. A Poetry on Loan live event

Venue: Birmingham Library Theatre