northern voices poetry award 2008

NORTHERN VOICES NEWS 24/3/2008



The winner of the Northern Voices Poetry Award for 2008 is Catherine Graham. The trophy was presented to Catherine by last year's winner poet Gordon Hodgeon at the Northern Voices Amnesty International Poetry Benefit at the Bridge Hotel, Newcastle on 19th March 2008.
Previous winners of the Award have been William Martin, Alan C. Brown, Katrina Porteous and Gordon Hodgeon.

Catherine Graham is a Newcastle poet. She is winner of the Northumberland Writers' special award for most promising poet and received great acclaim when she read her work at the recent Tynedale Literary Festival. She was a runner-up in the 06/07 Pulsar Poetry Magazine competition with her poem Watch Light which she wrote in memory of her late father.

Some of her poetry is included in 'Two Rivers Meet', an anthology of poetry from Limerick and Newcastle (Revival Press & Northern Voices), which will be launched in Limerick on 30th April, at a mayoral reception and at the legendary White House pub, and in Newcastle on Wednesday 25th June at the Bridge Hotel, with a reception with Newcastle's Lord Mayor on 26th June.

FURTHER INFORMATION & INTERVIEW: TEL. 0191 2529531.

MORE ON NORTHERN VOICES:

The objectives of Northern Voices are to:

1) Offer a platform for the views and experiences of those people living in the North East of England who are normally denied a voice. Through this, question and subvert established views of culture and the distortions which often surround them and give support to local autonomy and integrity as opposed to centralism and the anti-democractic hierarchies of government and big business, the aristocracy, mass media and ever increasing quangos.

2) Contribute to the culture of the region through a projects and events programme which celebrates its diverse communities, in particular the currently neglected working class, and the area's history and politics and dissenting tradition. Recent projects have involved a touring show in Northumbrian churches, performing poetry on the beaches, working in the community of Spittal, profiling Whitley Bay's Spanish City and the Marsden Rock in South Shields, celebrating the Newcastle writer Jack Common and the Durham links of poet Christopher Smart, performing and recording with folk, pop, classical and jazz musicans and exhibiting with visual artists and photographers. Important events have recently been staged with Amnesty International, the Tyneside Irish Cultural Society and the North East Labour History Society.
Northern Voices attempts to be original and innovative in its programme and to seriously engage with local people and issues rather than indulge in the predictable and unchallenging nature of many cultural events and projects which are often more to do with careerism and the overbearing machinations of cultural bodies which see the arts as a vehicle for commerce and business.

3) Develop links with likeminded people and institutions, locally, nationally and internationally by a commitment to collective action and to engaging in political activity in an historical context. Recently, reciprocal links have been established with Limerick and Cork, Bradford, Liverpool, Lincoln, Sheffield, Penrith, Aberdeen and Edinburgh and there are significant international links with, for example, Groningen in The Netherlands and Tuebingen in Germany, stretching back some twenty years. Further similar links are actively sought in order to avoid literary and publishing activity being presented in overtly institutionalised, centralised and isolated cultural ghettos which merely replicate prevailing establishment and ruling class orthodoxies.

Such links also question overly cosy notions of 'The North' and celebrate North East England's place in the world and particularly in Europe.

4) Offer help and advice to local people seeking to develop a voice. This can be through creative writing, songs, community research or on tape and through the media and new technology.

Membership is open to anyone who shares the objectives of Northern Voices and who wishes to engage in community arts activity in the North East of England.

Northern Voices acknowledges project support from the Community Foundation, Awards for All and North Tyneside Council.

sun over st. james' park

Sun sets on Empire,
a football sinking in the sky.
Dreams are gone,
the kicks we had.
I see their ghosts in The Stawberry night:
Len White and George Eastham,
Gordon Hughes and Liam Tuohy,
Alf McMichael and Jimmy Scoular.
Roaring Boys of one hue or another:
Alan Suddick and Jim Smith,
John McGrath and Dick Keith,
Dave Hilley and Andy Penman.
Stalwart lads from an industrial past,
hold on to those memories.
Golden Balls of light
shine on the surface of The Tyne,
ripple in the mind.
Great times were had
and ‘peanuts tanner a bag’.
Swaying lads on the Popular Side,
Oxo down our throats.
Chuck us a cup,
we’re thirsty.






KEITH ARMSTRONG

amnesty benefit

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL POETRY BENEFIT
Venue:
Bridge Hotel, Newcastle
Organiser:
Amnesty International/Northern Voices
Start time:
19:30 Wed 19 Mar 2008
Poetry and music with Keith Armstrong, Gordon Hodgeon, Katrina Porteous, William Martin, Michael Standen, Trevor Teasdel, Sally Evans (Poetry Scotland), from Sheffield Robin Vaughan Williams, from Lincoln Paul Sutherland (Dream Catcher magazine), from Liverpool Colin Watts, Catherine Graham and music from Tony Morris, & Kiddar's Luck.
Plus the Northern Voices Awards 2008.
Admission: £5/£3
For further information, tel: 0191 2529531
The Bridge Hotel
Castle Garth
Newcastle Upon Tyne

links- stop press

anthology of limerick and newcastle poets to be launched at white house in limerick on wednesday evening 30th april - i'll be there to read with the limerick writers and there's a reception with limerick mayor that afternoon.

limerick poets and newcastle counterparts launch anthology in newcastle at bridge hotel on wednesday evening 25th june with meeting with newcastle lord mayor the following morning. also reading at bridge are elaine feeney from galway and paul casey, poetry organiser from cork.

i'm performing my poetry in cork during jazz festival october 27th at the long valley bar.

you are welcome to all these events - please put the word around.

twinning news

TWINNING NEWS 25/2//2008

Just back from another successful mission to Newcastle's Dutch twin city of Groningen is Geordie poet Keith Armstrong. Armstrong performed 4 readings in one day at the City Hall, Public Library, Werkman College and Cafe Marleen. He was accompanied on this occasion by folk singer Gary Miller and joined during his stay by new Groningen City Poet Rense Sinkgraven who visited Newcastle last year.

Plans are aready afoot for a Groningen cultural delegation to visit Newcastle with a performance at the Bridge Hotel on November 4th and a meeting with Newcastle's Lord Mayor. Already invited for this one are poets Rense Sinkgraven and Tjitse Hofman and Groningen band The Waistcoats, who performed with Keith in the Cafe Marleen.

Armstrong returns to another old haunt Tuebingen in South Germany in early June for performances as part of Kulturnacht in Durham's twin city.

And, in between times, he's in Limerick, Ireland, at the end of April to help launch a new anthology of poetry from Newcastle and Limerick and to meet the city's Mayor. Nine Limerick poets come to Newcastle on June 25th to celebrate the anthology's Tyneside launch and, of course, to be greeted by the city's Lord Mayor.

So the twinning continues!


More info: Northern Voices tel 0191 2529531.

poem from groningen city poet

Newcastle upon Tyne

The Tyne throws us the town when
the pier embraces us. Cranes and forgotten
dockyards shore up the horizon.
The ship throbs through a contented snooze.
Stuffed men breakfast on beer,
women like buffalo stare into unfulfilled dreams.
The casino blows their chances time and again.
Escape the weather in shopping paradises,
visit Grainger Market to buy what you already have.
In the pub nobody’s a stranger,
the solid smell of boundless boozing,
we toast to good fortune and sorrow shared.
Give me a drink, shatter the glasses,
scream the punters awake, knock down the town
with tender phrases, make me feel secure.
When your home has become a road
what then is still a safe place to sleep?
Only memory provides a comfy bed.
The boat ploughs the dark waters.
Newcastle waves its dirty grey plumes.
There’s bingo for the hopeless.


Rense Sinkgraven
[translation Willem Groenewegen, 2007]

remember

I REMEMBER IVOR ALLCHURCH



Golden Boy,
I remember you
made me queue
with all the other Geordie lads
in one straight line
down the car park
for your autograph.
Patiently,
one by one,
you signed for us.
A Swansea son,
footballing gentleman,
all those years ago,
you impressed me
with your calm consideration:
a measured passer
of dignity
through generations.






KEITH ARMSTRONG




*Ivor Allchurch (1929 -1997) played for Newcastle United 143 times between 1958 and 1962 and scored 46 goals.

forever

FOREVER (WELL, IT’S ANOTHER DAY!)

(for Carolyn & Christoph)


Forever
flooded in my heart,
I am bloodlogged
with the flow of you.
Tuebingen,
you gush
with hard-earned smiles
for me;
you are the sum
of all those leaves
I’ve scraped together
to find a little happiness
in this gorgeous day.
It’s the chance meeting
of a fragile poet
and a fleeting Swabian muse;
it’s a beautiful cat
chasing a singing bird;
a flight of fancy,
a dash of hot wine
with warm friends,
whose tasteful photographs
and gleaming laughter
I will treasure
in my sparkling veins
forever.



KEITH ARMSTRONG

wilhelmstrasse days

poetry boat

SONG FOR FRIEDRICH HOLDERLIN

‘The lines of life are various;
they diverge and cease like footpaths
and the mountain’s utmost ends.’

(Extract from a Holderlin poem addressed to Zimmer the carpenter, in whose Tuebingen house Holderlin lived for the last thirty six years of his life).

‘When from the depths spring enters into life,
men marvel and new words aspire out of their intelligence;
joy returns and festively poetry and songs arise.’

(Written on Holderlin’s last birthday, 20th March 1843).


Suddenly, peacefully,
you’re slipping afloat,
your drifting past
in a poetry-boat.

Scaliger Rosa,
Scaliger Rosa.
Buonarotti,
Buonarotti.
Scardinelli,
Scardinelli,
joy returns
and songs arise.

Crafted by Zimmer,
a sculptor of Woods,
your coffin is filled
with magical words.

Scaliger Rosa,
Scaliger Rosa.
Buonarotti,
Buonarotti.
Scardinelli,
Scardinelli,
joy returns
and songs arise.




Keith Armstrong


Note: The chorus is based on pseudonyms used by Holderlin.

wartime groningen

hotel friesland in groningen

twinning in hotel de doelen, groningen

tuebingen at sea!

sheffield telegraph

Geordie poets back

TWO poets from the North East, Newcastle's Keith Armstrong (the 'Gingling Geordie') and Middlesbrough's Trev Teasdel, are performing on Tuesday at Spoken Word Antics, where they last appeared in November 2005.
Back then they were the first guest writers to appear at Antics, which has since seen writers from all over the country and as far afield as Canada and the United States coming to entertain audiences in the Red Deer, alongside an eclectic mix of Sheffield poets and performers in the open mic.

Keith Armstrong is a warm, engaging performer whose poetry conveys a strong flavour of Northumbria's life and landscape. One of his more unusual projects involved touring the Northumbrian coastline with the Berlin sculptor Rolf Wojciechowski, who laid out his giant word forms on the sand for the tide to wash over while Armstrong declared his poetry to the assembled crowd through a megaphone on the beach. He has also toured with folk rock band The Whisky Priests.

In addition to his own work Armstrong organised events and projects such as Northern Voices, a creative writing and community publishing project which specialises in recording the experiences of people in the North East to promote poetry to the wider public.

Trev Teasdel is an underground performance poet, as well as a musician and former band member of the Collective Unconscious. He also runs Stockton-on-Tees's Writers Cafe.

The evening in the upstairs room at the Red Deer will also include open mic slots for any kind of spoken word, poetry, stories, dramatic monologues, or others.

Last Updated: 07 December 2007 12:24 PM

common celebration

JACK COMMON (1903-1968)

A CELEBRATION TO HONOUR HIS LIFE & WORK

marking the 40th anniversary of his death on 20th January 1968 in Newport Pagnell

ORGANISED BY NORTHERN VOICES & NORTH EAST LABOUR HISTORY SOCIETY



featuring

Music from Jez Lowe (performing from his new album 'Jack Common's Anthem'); Kiddar's Luck folk group; Doctor Socrates

with readings from Common's work by Dr Keith Armstrong (recently awarded his doctorate at the University of Durham for his work on Common)



AT THE CHILLINGHAM, CHILLINGHAM ROAD, HEATON , NEWCASTLE ON SUNDAY 20TH JANUARY 2008 7.30PM

ADMISSION £5 (£3)



TEL 0191 2529531 for further information



Jack Common was born in Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne in 1903. His father worked at the locomotive works close to the family house in Heaton. He attended Chillingham Road Council School, where he excelled at essay writing, but left at fourteen to attend commercial college and to work in a solicitor's office. Years of indifferent jobs and unemployment led him to move to London in 1928, partly to foster his political convictions and also to escape unemployment in the north. In 1930 he commenced work as a circulation promoter on The Adelphi, a socialist journal edited by John Middleton Murry, Richard Rees and Max Plowman. He was soon employed as assistant editor and took over editorship for a period in the 1930's. Common was a contributor to The Adelphi and other journals such as New Britain, The Aryan path and The New Statesman and Nation, but it was The Adelphi which occupied most of his time during the thirties; writing political and social articles, book reviews, a column called "The Sweeper Up" and helping to shape policy and direction by working with the three editors. George Orwell was another contributor to the journal and it was through their working relationship on the journal that they formed a close friendship.

In 1939 The Adelphi was put out of print and Common sought work as a film script writer and editor for government documentary films and lived in Langham, Essex at the Adelphi Centre, a community set up in 1936. After the war he found more film work with Rank Studios as a script advisor and reporter on suitability of novels as film subjects. He also worked as a freelance for the Associated British Picture Corporation during the 1950s and 1960s, again writing and editing scripts.

In terms of his published work there are two phases to his work, the political and socially conscious essays of the 1930s and the fictional work of the 1950s, which reflect the work he was undertaking at these times.

In 1938 he published Seven Shifts, a collection of seven working men's tales of work which Common edited and introduced. In the same year he published a book of social and political essays The Freedom of the Streets. Kiddar's Luck, the fictionalised autobiography of Jack Common's life up to the age of fourteen, published in 1951, was written under conditions of great hardship. Whilst writing the book he worked as a labourer during the day and wrote and edited film scripts in the evening, using the weekends to write his novel. He was under similar financial pressure when writing The Ampersand, a further autobiographical novel, in 1953-4; despite the favourable reviews given to Kiddar's Luck, the publishers became bankrupt, leaving him without a publisher to market the books and ensuring that the book was not the financial success it should have been.

He also produced many articles for contemporary journals and magazines.

He died in Newport Pagnell on 20th January 1968 before he could complete his third novel.

tommy

TOMMY ON THE BRIDGE*

You were a miner’s son,
blinded
in the fertile seam they dragged you from
to beg out your time
on the backs of bridges
that joined others
but left you split,
splay-footed between rough stones
and the snapping tomes
of the Law of the Land
and the Water.

Your wore a casual cloth cap
that muffled your bruised head.
Your trousers sagging at your feet,
you filled that dingy trench coat of yours
reluctantly;
resigned to see life life through,
with only coins for eyes
and a bridging loan to buy
derelict clothes.

At Swing or High Level,
you found a market;
a centrepoint for the rich
to lighten their swollen burden
of conscience a trifle.
And you ‘bored’ yourself
with a dignity that rejected buttons
and accepted only the silver linings
of fat pockets,
bred on a Victorian plenty
and plenty of paupers like you.

You buried your stubbled face
in the crowds that swam the Tyne.
Years across now,
you finally supped
your last cracked gill
of darkness.

And they picked you
neatly from the swollen gutter;
linked your broken hands at rest
to bridge
an empty chest.


KEITH ARMSTRONG



* Thomas Ferens (1841-1907). Born blind and begged on Newcastle’s High Level & Swing Bridges

yer man!

'No one in the North East has written and read and
encouraged and organised so consistently and over so
long a period as Keith Armstrong. His poetry is 
different, original, and politically exhilarating.’
'It doesn't matter which way his poems are facing, or
the subjects they address, it is recognisibly the same
sensibility, each part of a unified whole, and unified
by the same, strong identifiable voice.' (Andy Croft).

doctor armstrong at tuebingen university

durham/tuebingen exchange