Events: Gurney, Dymock, Great War Poetry

This Saturday, 10 September, at 4pm in LT1 of the Queen's Building, University of Exeter, the Convocation Lecture will be devoted to the works of Ivor Gurney. I will be reading unpublished poems, and Philip Lancaster and Helen Jones Johnson will be performing the world premiere of several of Gurney's songs. All are welcome, but please book in advance.

The Friends of the Dymock Poets will hold their AGM weekend on 1-2 October 2011 at Colwall Village Hall. On Saturday, Tim Brewis will speak on Edward Thomas, Peter Howarth on Eddie Marsh, and Jon Stallworthy on Gurney, Owen, Rosenberg and Thomas. The following day, there will be a literary walk around Bosbury, and in the Great Hall of Malvern College, a performance of some more songs by Gurney.

Finally, a date for your diaries. The English Association's Centenary Conference of the Poetry of the Great War, organised by yours truly, will be taking place in Oxford three years from today. The relevant poetry societies will all be participating. To see more details as they become available, keep reading this blog, or look here.

Dymock Poets AGM Weekend

The Friends of the Dymock Poets have just announced details of their AGM weekend. It will take place on 3-4 October at the Burgage Hall, Church Lane, Ledbury.

Talks on Saturday 3rd include Jess Owen on Wilfrid Gibson (pictured above at the Old Nailshop, scene of 'The Golden Room'), and Dominic Hibberd and Vivien Noakes on their respective anthologies of First World War poetry. On Sunday, a literary walk from Pauntley Church to Durbridge Mill will make reference to 'Dick Whittington, John Masefield, Robert Frost, Jack Haines and to local customs.'

Dymock Poets and Friends

The latest issue of Dymock Poets and Friends, the journal of the Friends of the Dymock Poets, has just appeared. It has my essay on Frost and Thomas; Adrian Barlow on John Drinkwater; Richard Harries on Thomas and religion; Matthew Hollis on Thomas and 'the road to war'; and Kelsey Thornton on Gurney, Thomas and walking.

So, quite a lot of Thomas; and that emphasis is borne out by the checklist at the back of the issue which collects together all the books and articles published on any of the six Dymock poets during 2008. Thomas has thirteen items listed, Frost six, Brooke two, Gibson and Abercrombie one, and Drinkwater none at all. Thomas's reputation has never been higher. Matthew Hollis has chosen the right time to publish a biography (due from Faber next year). I might as well confess that, much as I believe Thomas to be a terrific poet at his best, I would choose Frost every time. Thankfully, I don't have to choose.

The Friends of the Dymock Poets deserves support for all its excellent work. Its regular meetings (of which the next is on 28 March) give members a chance to hear interesting talks in a friendly atmosphere. 5 miles south of Ledbury, and a dozen miles from the Malverns, Dymock is set amidst some of the finest scenery in England. I never need very much of an excuse to visit the area.