Apples and Snakes and Birmingham Libraries present
Poets' Place

Poets' Place is an informal gathering of poets that happens twice a month. It is an opportunity to meet like‐minded people, give and solicit feedback on your poetry, or just sit back and write for a couple of hours without interruption. You can use the Poets’ Place to make new friends, discover new poets, share and have your work critiqued, make useful connections, set a writing schedule... The Poets' Place can be whatever you decide to make of it.

Whether you are a published poet, a slam champion, or someone who is still wondering whether poetry might be worth a try, stop by. There is no need to book ahead: just show up with your poems or a blank notebook. There will be someone there to make you feel welcome and advise you on how to make the most of your time there.

The Poets’ Place is located on the Lower Ground Floor of Birmingham Central Library and it access via the Netloan Centre.

When: Saturday 19 May & Saturday 2 June, 2pm - 4pm
Where: Birmingham Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ
Tickets: FREE
Info: www.birmingham.gov.uk/centrallibrary / www.facebook.com/placeforpoets

Apples and Snakes presents
Hit the Ode

Hit the Ode brings the most exciting poets from the region, the country and the world straight to the heart of Birmingham.

We have poems, poems which taste the way a trumpet solo sounds; poems in which you can snorkel as you gaze from the surface at reefs, anemones, and crabs; poems which remember how to rewind a cassette tape using only a pencil. Good poems. Come and get them!

Line-up:

From Birmingham, Deborah Stevenson: known from Camden to Shanghai. Published by the Oxford University Poetry Society and Louis Vuitton. Poet and organiser. Get to know!

From London, Warsan Shire: Somali poet, writer, freelance hournalist and spoken word artist, writing in a mixture of English and African languages. Her first book Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth is published by Flipped Eye.

From Portugal, Raquel Lima: a rapidly rising star of the explosively expanding Portuguese poetry slam scene, Raquel offers melodic verse touching on the intimate and the socially relevant alike.

A very few open mic slots will be available on the door (the pre-bookable slots have all been claimed). For more info, contact bohdan@applesandsnakes.org.

When: Thursday 31 May, 7.30pm
Where: The Victoria, 48 John Bright St, Birmingham B1 1BN
Tickets: £5
Info: www.thevictoriabirmingham.co.uk / Facebook
Booking: on the door

Open mic: half of the open mic slots available via email ( bohdan@applesandsnakes.org), the other half can be claimed on the door on the day of the event.

Poetry on Loan - Free Training on Working With Vulnerable Groups
Poetry on Loan promotes contemporary poetry through public libraries in the West Midlands. Part of Poetry on Loan’s remit is to provide training, and on Wednesday 11 July, they will be running the next in a series of courses, for poets and library staff, on working with groups of vulnerable people with poetry as an emphasis. Trainers will be Mandy Ross and Brenda Read-Brown. Those who have attended the course already have given very positive feedback.
When: Wednesday 11 July, 10am - 1pm
Where: Shrewsbury Library, Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 2AS
Info: brenda@m-read.freeserve.co.uk

Phenomenal Women Two
Birmingham Poet Laureate Jan Watts brings you another evening of poetry by ‘phenomenal women’ that she has met, worked with or come across. please contact Jan if you would like a reading slot at this event).
When: Thursday 3 May, 7:30 pm
Where: Birmingham Library Theatre, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ
Info: roaringgreasepaint@hotmail.co.uk / 0121 433 4389

The Decadent Divas at Mouth and Music
present THE DECADENT DIVAS, 4 women, each from a different decade, all great friends who giggle over tea, toast, cake - in fact anything edible/drinkable - and write poetry together. This is their second show, set at a wedding. What do women really talk about when no-one but you is listening? The Decadent Divas are: Maggie Doyle, Charlie Jordan, Lorna Meehan & Laura Yates. Come and be entertained! It’s only £3 to get in, and if you fancy performing there’s no charge. 5 minute slots are available for spoken word performers, 2 songs for musicians. Get there early to book a slot. There’s no PA – it’s cosy & up-close.
When: Tuesday 8 May, 8pm
Where: Boar’s Head, 39 Worcester Street, DY10 1EW Kidderminster
Info: enquiries@heatherwastie.co.uk

An evening of Persian Poetry
The Poetry Translation Centre’s Persian Poets Tour to Birmingham features two prominent Persian language poets from Afghanistan including Shakila Azizzada and their translators Sarah Maguire and Mimi Khalvati. Persian poetry is often described as one of literature’s greatest treasures. Audiences at this event will be able to enjoy the poems in the poets’ native language (Dari) first and then experience the readings of their translations, which will be followed by discussions about the translation process and an opportunity for Q&A.
When: Wednesday 9 May, 6.30 pm
Where: The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TS
Info: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/2935055831

Attila the Stockbroker
Attila the Stockbroker is a performance poet, and folk punk musician/songwriter. Inspired by punk, and especially The Clash, he’s loud, radical, lyrical, reflective, and will make you roar with laughter as well as seethe with anger. A regular at Glastonbury, Attila’s melodically political musings are both thoughtful and entertaining.
‘Whether he’s ranting a poem or bashing out a song, there is something magnificent about Attila in full flight’ (Ian McMillan, BBC Radio 4). Support is provided by Australian Alt Country/Blues singer/songwriter Rory Ellis.
When: Sunday 27 May 2012, 6:30 pm
Where: Kitchen Garden Cafe , York St, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7SA
Info: http://www.wegottickets.com/location/1797