Great to meet poets that I'd previously only known through our closed FB group where much posting and critiquing of poems went on every week in 2014 and for some for a few weeks after that. An early Tapas supper at the Marina Cafe was replete with introductions and followed by a reading by the Festival's poet in residence and our very own 52 leader, Jo Bell.
I escaped the crowds on Saturday morning by following little yellow arrows for several mies along the Avon, out into the beautiful Warwickshire countryside and back again to town where the River Festival was in full flow and there were more Morris Dancers that you could shake sticks at.
The 52 picnic was in the garden of Hall's Croft ...
with a first sighting of the 52 anthology and much chattering.
Some of us were lucky enough to have our names chosen from the HAT to read later on in the afternoon and finally, we found the pub, good ale and fine food.
So, a meet up, a reading and a book, with another one to come -all important aspects of the 52 project but none as important as the community of wonderful poets that developed during 2104 and has continued to thrive.
I feel very blessed to be part of that community, to have a place (still) to post a poem and receive honest feedback, and to have made many many poet friends.
Encouraging, inspiring and one of the pluses of social media.
I'm hoping to be here more regularly throughout the summer, posting updates on the house in France (especially the Kitchen) and, of course, pics of the family and (more likely) the dogs.
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