Our 2021 contemporary poetry reading series, “Go to the poets, they will speak to thee”, is curated and hosted by poet Kim Moore. We will be listening to what poets have to say about our turbulent times, and how poetry can cross borders to challenge, delight and inspire us. Each event in the series is part reading, part open mic – and the theme of the open mic changes every month!

In his preface to Lyrical Ballads, Wordsworth argues that “the Poet is the rock of defence of human nature; an upholder and preserver, carrying everywhere with him relationship and love”. Our guest poet this month is the wonderful poet Tishani Doshi, who will be reading from her latest Bloodaxe and Forward Prize shortlisted collection A God at the Door. Throughout this book the redemptive and revolutionary possibilities of poetry are revealed. In a poem dedicated to Indian political poet and activist Varavara Rao, imprisoned since 2018, she writes “I am trying to be a dangerous poet”. Our open mic theme this month is to explore what a Poet is, starting with Wordsworth’s line “the Poet is”.

Book: https://wordsworth.org.uk/blog/events/an-evening-with-tishani-doshi/