Soundings 2011

25 June 2011

Soundings was an event focused on exploring the use of sound in poetry. Readers were invited to read in dialect to show how dialect affected and worked in poetry.

Cameron Hawke Smith opened proceedings with a talk about Sorley MacLean, assisted by Anna McCrae.

Anna McCrae read the Sorley MacLean poem ‘Gaelic Camhanaich’ (Dawn). Cameron provided a ”translation” of it.

Clare Crossman had met Sorley and gave her impressions of him.

James Knox Whittet read his translation of ‘Hallaig’ by Sorley MacLean.

Joan Sheridan Smith read in Latin, French and English.

Helen Bourne read about her young life in Australia.

Perhaps some are more attentive than others, or perhaps everyone has their own way of concentrating…

The first guest poet, J.S.Watts, read her poem ‘Rooftops’.

The second guest poet, Clare Crossman, read and discussed Elizabeth Jennings.

The Clamjamfry opened with Rossini’s ‘Cat Duet’ sung by Gill Phillips and Gillie Harris.

Jill Dawson read a poem about noise, decibels and silence from the point of view of a deaf person..

Steven Wheeler read two poems in the Clamjamfry.

Ian Griffiths took us to Wales with his poem ‘Come Home To Wales’.

Interludes were complete with Welsh Harp music from Ceirwin Tomas.

Carol Bleiker explaining how to count sheep the Swaledale way followed by a Jake Thackray song ‘Molly Metcalfe’.

Colin Whyles got Noa Callers in Lincolnshire with a poem by G Edward Campion.

Michael Stagg reminisced with Wiltshire dialect poetry.

Beryl Dyson, a true Suffolk dialect poet read her poem ‘Thowd Hin An Har Chick’.

Anne Boileau read from the Bible in German and her faithful visual aid David Simpson read the same passages in English. They read the Gospel According to St John Chapter 1 verses 1-14.

Steve Glason read a poem about Moreton Hall Estate, inspired by BBC Look East, in the Clamjamfry.

Cameron read in medieval English.

Clare read her poem ‘Old Londoners’ in the Clamjamfry.

Photographs are by Elizabeth Newman and Colin Whyles.