Poems, Pints and a break from politics

It’s officially Advent and Mole Valley Poets took the opportunity to launch their latest Christmas Anthology at the Stepping Stones Pub in West Humble on Monday evening. The launch took place as part of an open mic evening – ‘Poetry Pub’ at the Stepping Stones has become a regular feature of the calendar – and a variety of poetic voices were heard. We were moved, amused, challenged and inspired as poet after poet shared their work. And for the poets, it was a warm and supportive audience of peers and friends, with an atmosphere helped by the pub ambience, the ability to sit and sip while listening, and the seasonal piano provided by a co opted friend. And while politics hovered round the edges of some of the poems it was a welcome break from wall to wall election coverage.

The anthology features a range of poems with different approaches to, and slants on, Christmas and, as usual, the £3.50 cover price includes a £1 donation to Cardiac Risk in the Young. Copies will no doubt find their way into a number of Christmas stockings. Here’s one of my own poems which is in the anthology:

Mary Sang

Mary sang, a fine contralto, deep and pure.

Joseph played bass, metronomic, steady, 

the beat nailed to the floor.

He thought the boy should play guitar 

and made him one from fine cedar;

strings of camel gut, fret board inlaid 

with finest golden sand;

a masterpiece of craftsman’s eye,

craftsman’s insight, craftsman’s hand,

but as it turned out the boy

made music all his own,

unique in style, in sensitivity, in tone,

and when the townsfolk heard him sing,

hearts lifted, cares fell away;

it seemed to them they heard bells ring

and hope was born to see them through the day.