Poetry Festival

Today we finished Adrian Underhill’s two-week course, ‘Pronunciation, Performance and Poetry‘. Everyone had a poem they’d chosen and had been working on over the last week, crafting the stress, pauses and intonation. One student, Lauretta, made a poster, found a performance background image and compered the event. Everyone performed. It was a beautiful way to finish the course.

Lauretta’s Poster and Zoom Background

Every poem was a hit. The care taken in choosing and preparing each piece, and the attention brought to each performance made for a very special show. I can’t choose one favourite performance but Ekatrina’s poem was a particularly good choice.

Grammar by William de Witt Hyde

Live in the active voice, rather than passive.
Think more about what you happen than what is happening to you.
Live in the indicative mood, rather than in the subjunctive.
Be concerned with things as they are, rather than as they might be

Live in the present tense, facing the duty at hand
without regret for the past or worry over the future.

Live in the singular number, caring more for the approval of your own conscience
than for the applause of the crowd.