A poetry event will be held at Newcastle Library this week to offer local poets the chance to share their words with the community. 

In celebration of World Poetry Day, a team led by Dr Lisa Blower are hosting a "Poetry Busk" on Friday (21 March) with the aim of performing for four hours of rolling poetry. 

The free event between 12-4pm aims to bring together poets of all ages and abilities whether they be published or hobbyists, students or readers - or simply those who appreciate poetry. 

Dr Blower, a creative writing lecturer at Keele University, is also leading the 100 Books in 100 Years project to compile a literary canon for Stoke-on-Trent's centenary. She said the amount of poets who reach out during the project inspired this event.

Dr Blower said: "I'd been struck by how many poets in the city were contacting me; how many people wrote to me to tell me of a grandfather's poetry collection, or a family-penned poem written for a landmark birthday.

"I thought the busk will be a way of celebrating all that whilst providing a World Poetry Day platform for people to share their work alongside the local laureates and established poets like Natalie, Nick and Scarlett."   

The four-hour session provides an opportunity to perform alongside Poetry Busk hosts including Staffordshire Poet Laureate and Keele alumna Scarlett Ward, who set up the Stafford-based poetry publisher Fawn Press. 

As well as the award-winning Penkhull-born poet Natalie Linh Bolderston; and centenary poet laureate Nick Degg who will close the busk with a 30 minute performance from 3.30pm.   

Busk slots of five to ten minutes can be booked in advance by calling or emailing Newcastle library ([email protected] / 01782 485 312) or interested poets can just turn up on the day and take to the microphone. 

People can read their own poetry, a poem they have always enjoyed, share a poem penned by a family member, or simply pick a poem to read from the "busk case".

 There will also be opportunities to write poetry for the poetry pathway outside the library. 

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