DATE: Wednesday 20th May
TIME: 7pm - 9pm
LOCATION: East Quay Kitchen
This is a FREE event

Its time for this month's Spoken Word! Our next open mic is Wednesday 20th May at 7pm, in the East Quay Kitchen. This month's guest speaker will be Sophie Shepperd. The invitational theme is Dawn.

As the natural world and the people that reside in it awake for summer, what or who has the loudest voice and demands attention? Fun fact from the RSPB: April is the loudest month for birdsong. Next month bring us your loud, audacious, absurd and defiant poems, what message do you want to shout from the rooftops?

Poetry Prompt:

Dawn Chorus

by Sarah Dughale

Every morning since the time changed
I have woken to the dawn chorus
And even before it sounded, I dreamed of it
Loud, unbelievably loud, shameless, raucous

And once I rose and twitched the curtains apart
Expecting the birds to be pressing in fright
Against the pane like passengers
But the garden was empty and it was night

Not a slither of light at the horizon
Still the birds were bawling through the mists
Terrible, invisible
A million small evangelists

How they sing: as if each had pecked up a smoldering coal
Their throats singed and swollen with song
In dissonance as befits the dark world
Where only travelers and the sleepless belong

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Introducing Sophie:

Sophie Shepherd is a performer living, working and thriving in seaside town Weston-super-Mare. In poetry land, she has recently performed as a guest poet with Satellite of Love in Bristol and has also opened for Joshua Idehan and Atilla the Stockbroker at Loves Cafe.

Sophie has run the Rhyme Against the Tide poetry slam since 2021, a fun and friendly poetry slam in Weston aimed at platforming local voices paired with some light hearted competition. She's also put together some other silly poetry slams like Weston Vs Margate, Weston Vs Bristol and Weston Vs Bristol Vs Exeter Vs Clevedon.

Her poetry is often playfully silly, breaking the fourth wall-esque and (crossing her fingers) witty.

"Gleeful absurdity at its absolute best - a truly original and hilarious voice."- hklang, poet (and expert complimenter)

You can find Sophie on instagram at: @sophherd  

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How the evening works:

· Open Mic Sign Up opens from 6:45pm for a 7pm start.

· MC Introduction and Guest Set

· Open Mic - 2 poems each (but bring a 3rd in case we have time for more)

· Please give trigger warnings for any topics that listeners may find upsetting.

· I shall close the evening and tell you what’s happening next month!

Got an idea for a guest poet you’d love to see perform? I'd love to hear it!

Get in touch via my email or social media channels.

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