Book Review - Sharena Lee Satti - Shhhhhhhh

 

Normally I'd keep this to mostly local poets 

but I really want to share this.

Sharena Lee Satti is a poet from Bradford

 who I've been friends with on FB/Insta for a long time.

She is an amazing poet and also does so much work 

to promote poetry and spoken word.

So please give her a follow on Insta.

https://instagram.com/sharenaleesatti

 

I have previously read two of Sharena's collections, 

so I knew to expect quality, 

thought provoking poetry, 

but wow,

I wasn't expecting such a raw gut punch 

of emotion in the first few pages.

 

The quality of writing is immaculate. You feel every word

as it hits out screaming to finally be heard.

This book is a call for women to stand and have their voices heard,

but also, for men to read and see 

where we can be and do better.

Every poem is a story,

a slice of life as a woman,

and they really hit the mark,

you are being led by the hand

through the heartaches, the traumas,

and day to day lives.

And every story shows

that things in the world are still not right.

That people need to all say

no more to this sort of treatment.

 

The book covers so many different topics,

all told with the skill of a genuinely amazing

poet and thinker. A true show of strength 

and a call for all to stand and be counted. 

It is a must buy, not just for fans of poetry,

but for general readers,

 these messages and stories need to be heard

and talked about, 

not swept under rugs or hidden away.

Poetry has a unique way 

of really finding out who we are,

of piecing together the jigsaw 

of our lives and experiences

and those of the people 

we meet along the way,

and with every piece we connect 

we gain a clearer image

 that once complete 

will see us all on the same page.

Books like this one are not just good to read,

but are the important jigsaw pieces,

the corner edges 

that bring the whole thing together.

 

One last thing I really loved about this book

was over the last few pages 

we get a collection of short poems

from other female poets, bringing everyone together.

Showing solidarity and unity, 

I think it’s truly a beautiful thing,

giving other people a showcase 

and a chance to say some words.

Please buy a copy and support

 this awesomely talented unique voice.

5 stars.

You can find the book through Verve Poetry press

or 

 https://amzn.to/48FQVE6

 

Peace, Love & Poetry

Kyle

Ellie Spirrett Interview

In the latest of our poet interviews, we have asked our October Headliner

Ellie Spirrett a bunch of questions, Ellie is an amazing poet, with a unique way

of drawing you into her world, with her use of metaphor and imagery. She is one of my

personal favourite poets, and I am always excited to hear what she is doing next.

 

 

I always used to play around with words

and imagery when I was little,

but didn’t really know that it was poetry!

I would write songs a lot too, I did some

projects with the amazing music artist

Homecut Testament from when I was 11

and learnt to write songs.

I was part of a poetry slam group in school,

but when the teacher left and the older students

grew up the group kind of fizzled out.

Then I didn’t perform as a poet again

until 2021 when I went to Some Antics

one friday, and since then I just haven’t stopped.

 

I think I’ve always used poetry

as a way to understand things,

like a journaling tool, where I share

some of it with an audience of friends

and strangers! Growing up I think I struggled

to put how my mind and body was feeling

into words in my day to day life,

so to be able to express it in metaphor was life-saving.

I think when I read or hear some really clever imagery

that resonates with me, it just tugs at my mind

like nothing else, so I’m always trying to do that

in my own work.

 

I pretty much write about what I’ve experienced,

seen, felt, and I try write what I have needed to hear

for anyone else who needs to hear it.

So a lot of my writing is about healing from trauma,

mental health, chronic illness, and all that fun stuff!

I think it’s such a brave thing to do to share something

you’ve been through, especially with a message to support

someone going through something similar

or to raise awareness of what it’s like.

It’s something I’m trying to get used to doing.

I think my poetry is very metaphor heavy,

a little surreal and “flowery”.

Someone pointed out to me recently

that I use a lot of imagery around bodies and houses,

and they asked

if this was on purpose as a running motif. I said yes...

I mean, the Leicester poetry scene

is where I started performing my poetry again

so it truly is home. I wouldn’t be half the poet

I am today without the open mics and the workshops

and the shows. The first time I went to Some Antics

back in summer 2021, Sammy came round with the tickets

and asked if any of us wanted to perform,

and I hesitated for about 2 seconds.

Next thing I know there’s a garden of people shouting “do it!”

From that first day I knew I could just say anything,

try anything and I’d always be met with open arms.

I think that’s true across the board for the Leicester scene,

because of all the amazing open mic hosts

and workshop facilitators.

I didn’t quite realise how special Leicester is

for poetry until I left.

There’s so much going on all of the time,

the only thing I’d improve is the train links

into Leicester so I could come more often!!

What poets do I enjoy?

Locally, I hear there’s some really good poets

at Get Mouthy called Kyle and Carolina..

truly probably the opposite ends of the poetry spectrum,

it’s like seeing Barbenheimer!

Both incredible

and somehow even better on the same night!

My good friend Marie (@drmarle.di)

was just published

in an anthology "Welcome To Britain",

and she’s absolutely amazing.

Chris Oliver (@chrisoliver_spokenword)

is killing it, just gets better every time I see him.

I recently went over to Derby

for a workshop for the first time,

and met some really talented poets over there,

including @amywpoetry @jackperforming @who.thefuckisalice

@thuggishimp & @richilyle – so go follow them

if you’re not already.

Last my friend Oak (@grandoldoak),

who I actually went to school with

and recently reconnected with

after about 10 years!

My Instagram is @yellow_ellie

I’m working up the nerve to get tik tok

so follow me on the gram to keep an eye out for that

 

 

 

A massive thank you to Ellie for taking the time to go over our questions,
and come up with such insightful answers and for putting up
with my begging that she agree to headline for us!

October 9th
Be there, it really will be a treat.

Peace, Love & Poetry

Kyle

 

Get Mouthy 3

 

Wow sometimes it is hard

to talk about a night.

I could list all of the performers,

and say how good they were,

but it would soon become boring.

Hearing me painting the amount

of praise over everyone

that I think they deserve.

So instead,

I'm going to write it in verse.

(It's what I do, I can’t help myself!)

 

But first,

thank you to everyone that turned up,

all of the performers new and old,

the legend that is Cathi Rae

who gave us a masterclass

with her headline set.

Her work is so important,

giving a voice to those

that may not be able to find their own voices.

The team at big difference for their great support.

My co-host who brings the room together.

Without all of you it wouldn't work. 

 

It is nights like this that give us so much joy,

because we connect with the words,

we can feel the emotion and the pain,

but it is also told in such a beautiful way

that we embrace it and can hold it

and know that collectively we can

Turn it into a promise, to love and learn

To offer supportive hands,

and to learn to love

our own fragile hearts.

 

 

The nights just get better,

like fingers 

acknowledging a great line,

sometimes it clicks.

The power in the room lifts,

It zips like electricity,

giving us ribbon-tied word gifts.

We unwrap them 

and embrace them,

let some take up home,

residents of your brain. 

 

Emotions shared,

tears wept, passion flared.

Whether it was

the heart worn upon

the sleeve,

or the fire that burns,

dancing upon tongues.

The displays of artistry,

the wordplay weaved.

The imagination,

stories that fuel the fire

that lights the stars

in our poetic constellations.

 

 

And tonight, that fire was lit.

It raged like an inferno,

flames tearing at the roof,

timber warping

under the crescendo,

of this heated poetry blaze.

Eyes watching dazed,

jaw wide open, left amazed.

 

Everything fit, 

like a jigsaw puzzle,

or two sides of a cuddle.

It felt like the room 

was connected,

a collective, all sharing,

and it was powerful.

It was joyous.

It was love and hope.

It was a cup of hot chocolate 

on a winter’s day.

It was a sun ray to a sad face.

It was perfect.

 

I walked out into

the still warm night,

a smile painted, big and wide

over my face. This was a reminder

of what this world of words is all about,

and I never want to stop smiling.

 

 

Thanks for reading.

Peace, Love & Poetry

Kyle