Poets at Edge Hill
A short series of readings featuring 4 poets raised the profile of the art
of poetry at Edge Hill earlier this year.
In association with the Writing Studies MA at the college, Lee
Harwood gave a public reading, followed by a workshop for the
students. One of the leading British poets to come to prominence in the
1960s, Harwood has continued to develop a questioning, delicate voice,
that always allows the reader, or listener, to become a coproducer of
the poem with him. During the workshop he spoke of the writers who
have influenced him, ranging from John Ashbery to the Dadaist Tristan
Tzara, whose work he translated.
The remaining readings were performance based readings, featuring
Aaron Williamson and cris cheek. Williamson read on the first of the May
evenings, an explosive performer who articulates his work from the
condition of profound deafness. He was supported by Robert Sheppard,
who demonstrated the range of his current work.
cris cheek, musician, dancer, performance artist as well as poet, read
from various projects of the moment, including some featured on his new
CD, Skin Upon Skin. He demonstrated how tape recordings can be
integrated into a live performance.
Writing Studies lecturer Robert Sheppard explained: "The
performance events were designed to show how language can be lifted
from the page, or how poetry need not be page-based at all. The Lee
Harwood reading was a reminder, though, how all good poetry reading
is a performance."
for Edgeways, the Edge Hill University College magazine.
Robert Sheppard
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