Poetry for All: York Lit Festival

New this year, we’re offering poetry for everyone: BSL interpreter, big screen projection of poems submitted in advance, service animals & carers welcome! Featured poets: Raymond Antrobus, Donna Williams (DeafFirefly), and York’s own Imogen Godwin. Hosted by Fay Roberts & Rose Drew.
Contact 07914271871 for info about getting your poem onto the screen, and to book a 3 min slot. LIMITED slots. We’ll be strict on 3 mins! One slam poem or two shorter ones. Time yourself. Rosey will time you…..

Dave Wycherley is our BSL interpreter.

Fully accessible venue. Bar available for Dutch Courage. St Clements Hall, York, Saturday 24 March, 7pm for 7.30 start. £7conc / £10.

Donna Williams is a deaf poet who uses English and British Sign Language, and has a deep interest in translation and how her work can be made accessible to all audiences. She has performed widely in the UK including Edinburgh Fringe and Albert Hall, and in America and Brazil. Recent publications: Stairs and Whispers, an anthology of poems by deaf and disabled poets, and issue 69 of Magma Poetry magazine. Her poems cover bilingualism to identity, to her beloved cats.

Raymond Antrobus is a poet, performer and hearing aid user, born and bred in East London, Hackney. Raymond has read and performed internationally, at festivals, universities, and on BBC Radio 4, and he’s published in The Rialto, Magma Poetry and The Guardian among others. “His monologues are stunning studies of voice and substance, and his lyric poems are graceful and finely crafted” – Kwame Dawes

Imogen Godwin is relatively new to York’s poetic scene but she’s jumped right in, appearing at open mics, competing in slams, and featuring in York Disability Pride 2017, which is about being loud, proud, and out there when it comes to disability, impairment and health conditions: and is for everyone. As Imogen says, “Disability Pride actively challenges our idea of ‘normal’ and celebrates the exciting diversity of human body and mind.”

Fay Roberts is Spoken Word Artistic Director at the Free Fringe, regional coordinator at Hammer & Tongue Cambridge, and founded (and still edits) Allographic Press: poetry, prose, art, music available online and in print publications. Fay hosts Other Voices Spoken Word Cabarets: shows dedicated to the words and voices less heard. Fay is secretly a nerd IT specialist but please forgive her.

Rose Drew is a poet and anthropologist: at home in a lab, and on a stage performing poetry. She’s a public speaker, book publisher, events manager, and has co-hosted the York Spoken Word Poetry & Prose open mic since January 2006. Rose is delighted to fulfil this goal of offering poetry by all, for all, here in York.

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