Poetry in Tonbridge could be all year....

I must have been busy this week because, as one sharp commenter was quick to point out, I missed National Poetry Day (Thursday.) Well actually to say I missed it is a little of an exaggeration; what actually happened is that I thought about it in the weeks before it, shelved it, put it to the back of my mind and then a day or two before thought that it was too late to arrange anything of my own so thought I'd go along to someone elses event. In the end I did absolutely nothing. I mean I didn't even read a poem from a book that day let alone perform one at some arty event. Shame on me! I do have to be in the mood for poetry actually and can't always just turn it on. When I was doing the monthly poetry evenings, which used to be at the Ivy House (when that establishment was still a seedy pub with no pretentions of being an upmarket posh bistro- "but casual") I'll be honest with you and say that sometimes I was dreading the prospect of spending 3 hours with people who where really up for a bit of poetry because they'd chosen to go along that night. I always managed, after a couple of pints, to loosen off my togue and vocal chords and get into it but it wasn't always what I wanted to do. Equally there where times when I was on fire and you couldn't get me to shut up. So apologies to the poets of Tonbridge if you didn't have an outlet for your intense desire to read out your skilfully crafted verse, but we don't have to wait for a made up national poetry day to do it again. All we need is a suitable central venue and a willing landlord....