Category Archives: Member News

Jack Cooper Places 3rd in Competition Honouring Poet Laureate

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To celebrate Carol Ann Duffy’s legacy as Poet Laureate, the Young Poets Network asked poets aged 5-25 around the world to respond to her works.

Judge (and Duffy expert) Dr Mari Hughes-Edwards selected Jack Cooper as the third prize winner.

A private man, public spaces was inspired by Duffy’s diction, along with her common themes of suffering and queer love.

Mari commented, ‘this poem respects her connection with men, their lives and their work in its naming of masculine fragilities’, and praised its references to The Anvil and some of Duffy’s influences.

You can find out more about the competition, and its winners, here.

Vicky Olliver and Jack Cooper to feature in Imago Dei Exhibition, Enfield

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Christ Church United Reformed Church on Chase Side, Enfield,
widely recognized for its iconic spire, will be throwing open its
doors this coming Holy Week to host a community exhibition
entitled Imago Dei.

Imago Dei will focus on images of God, and of
humanity, and will include poetry, music, and art.

Vicky Olliver’s ‘Spring’, and Jack Cooper’s ‘Convert’ will be part of the exhibition.

On Wednesday 17th April and Saturday 20th April, between
11am and 1pm, local poet Mary Duggan will run a workshop
called “Where word meets art”, which will provide a practical
opportunity for members of the local community to add their
own work and thoughts to the exhibition.

Local poets, including Vicky Olliver, will be reading their poetry live on Saturday from
2pm to 3pm.

Revd Mark Meatcher, minister of Christ Church, explained the
aims of the exhibition:-
“Christ Church United Reformed Church are keen to show off
their building and to encourage a greater use of it. .
We are eager to encourage people to come and share with us
when we worship week by week, and also, with the support of
the local community, provide opportunities for shared
experiences together.
This exhibition enables us to do just that, and we look forward
to welcoming people to spend some time with us during Holy
Week in whatever way they can, or wish to do so.”

“Imago Dei” will be open daily during Holy Week from 15th to
21st April (10 am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, 1pm to 4pm on
Good Friday and 10 am to 4pm on Easter Saturday).

Competition Success for Julian Bishop

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Julian Bishop’s poem Lobster has been announced as runner-up for The Gingko Prize for Ecopoetry, judged by Mimi Khalvati and Alys Fowler.

Formerly known as the Resurgence Prize, The Gingko Prize is a major international award for poems embracing ecological themes.

He has won a ten-day residency at Cill Rialaig Arts Centre in western Ireland.

Congratulations Julian!

Competition Success for Anne Ballard

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Anne Ballard’s poem Aubade won first prize in the Formal Poem section of the Poetry on the Lake International Festival 2018 competition.
She has also had Mother’s Teeny-Bash Bathing Costume published in Spindrift, the 2018 poetry and prose anthology of The Federation of Writers (Scotland).
Congratulations are certainly in order for Anne!

Jack Cooper Judges ‘Hour of Writes’ Competition

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Hour of Writes is a project dedicated to making sure a moment of inspiration becomes a piece of writing. Members are given a short prompt each week, to which they have an hour to respond in any manner or form they want. The following weekend, each entrant is given the work of three others to mark, and a judge selects the winners.

For last weeks theme, Attack and Receive, Jack Cooper selected a winner and two runners-up. You can read his Editorial and the relevant entries on Hour of Writes, as a registered member or guest.

You can find Jack on Twitter: @JackCooper666