If you think poetry is all a bit stuffy, elitist and frankly poncey, get yourself down to a meeting of the DIY Poets, a Nottingham-based, Arts Council-funded collective of poets and wordsmiths (no shit, Sherlock). Although they have a core of regular contributors, the group welcome poets of any ability and style. They meet on the third Tuesday of every month at the Peacock pub on Mansfield Road to read and discuss their poetry in a “friendly, open and supportive atmosphere”. Tonight’s gathering at the Alley Café was in aid of issue twelve of the group’s magazine, which features the poems and artwork of contributors.

“I rarely, if ever, see people reading poetry” explained Frank McMahon who founded the group 4 years ago with Jane Bluett. “It tends to be seen as quite elitist, and we basically want to turn more people onto poetry”. If the thought of ‘performing’ your sonnets scares the bejesus out of you, it needn’t. “Our focus is really the magazine, not so much the readings and recitals”.

This evening felt very much like a regular drink in a bar, with no airs and graces, simply some thought-provoking and occasionally amusing readings. Their manifesto is to turn poetry from a highfalutin art form into an all-comers participation sport, and to this end they encouraged everyone in the room to write a poem on the subject of loss, with all attempts read out anonymously at the end of the night.

The magazine circulation has sky-rocketed from 200 to 4000 in the space of 4 years, and the group occasionally get famous speakers to their gatherings, most notably the OBE-snubbing Benjamin Zephaniah. Whether you’re a published poet or an amateur churning out doggerel, the DIY Poets are well worth checking out.

DIY poets website

Poems can also be emailed to diypoets@yahoo.co.uk

 
 
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