Spent a very enjoyable evening in the company of poets at WriteOutLoud open mic session in Middleton.We heard some excellent poems, I read three of my recent works on women. On World Book Day Thursday 6th March WriteOutLoud has organised a open mic session in conjunction with Bright Books of Rochdale and Cartwheel Arts which should bring poets from near and far. I am looking forward to that. I may have mentioned before that I am learning to "Speak in Public". It`s a ten step programme and I am at stage 6) Vocabulary and Word Pictures. Previously I have had to 1) Make a Start: 2)Speech Construction: 3) Mean What You Say: 4) Use of the Gestures: 5) Use of the Voice. So now I have to speak for 6-8 minutes using all my previous skills using extended vocabulary and word pictures. This Speech is evaluated using specific guidelines and if I pass I go on to stage 7) Use of Notes. I enjoy this challenge, looking for inspiration and then researching and writing the piece . Then rehearsal rehearsal,it is just the same for poetry. It keeps my brain active,my fingers nibble and my computer hot.
I have on occasions won competitions at local level for "Topics" a session, where by one is given a subject /theme and must talk unprepared for 3 minutes using the appropriate skills. I quite enjoy this . We have four levels within the Association of Speaking Clubs (ASC) Local : Area : District: and National. I doubt whether I will ever rise to any level other than Area, as we have some excellent speakers in our Area who would take some beating. I take great pleasures in listening and participating in Poetry and Speech. I am writing now for a speech contest next week the subject is England. So I have many books and Google to help me get to grips with this. Once I have some direction I will get busy writing I much prefer paper and pencil its such a special feel its part of the enjoyment.