Wicked, Wild and Wordy

Come and join the Janes for a long overdue Loop Social...

Thursday 31 March, 9pm

Baths Hotel, Green Street

Jo Bell, John Lindley and Jane Birch dazzle you with wordiness and Helen Walford sings with Sam's Kitchen, all with that Loop extra social something.

You can't book, so first in best sofa, last in, out in the street...

For the Love of Snow

Send us your Winter in Macclesfield pictures, poems or prose again this year...

my heart flys free
chasing my yearning across
a pure white field,
while i run behind,
laughing,
and leaving boot marks
in the snow.
(jane birch 2010)

...to: maccloop@googlemail.com or submit here and we'll upload your artistry to maccloop.blogspot.com and the Loop facebook page.

This Is What We Do

If we were whales, we'd do this underwater:
meeting in a circle of sea-monoliths
a slow deep gathering of singing philosophers.

If we were apes - as we so nearly are -
we'd convene in the jungle canopies
a shrieking parliament of fruit and grooming.

But since we're human, what we need
to feed our appetites is carrot cake and Nora Jones;
ukuleles, geisha clowns and noodles;
forests of silk flags, and seas of sundrenched skin.

Since we're human, what we need is to keep each other close;
to gather somewhere we can play at being
nothing but ourselves.

The words of Jo Bell, Poet, boater, archeologist and procrastinator. The organiser of National Poetry Day across the UK, the Bugged Project and here, poet in residence at the Glastonbury Festival. Visit www.glastonburyfestival.com for this poem in full and other such insightful words.

Thirsty Thursday

If Thursday should find you in want of either inspiration or ale (or both) then make your way to the Boarhound on Brook Street, Macclesfield. Loop friends, local singer-songwriter Tim Woodhouse and Fourpenny Circus poet Jo Bell (without the other threepennies tonight) will both be performing. It can only be good and it's free. See you there.

For A Rainy Day...

If the loop blog seems a little absent this week it is because both Jane and I are on holiday (or are playing out in the rain). We thought you might need a reminder though, of a couple of undercover activities for the children...

Stories of Dragons and more... can be heard at Macc Library between 10am and 12 noon on Thursday 6 August. While there is an Indian Pow Wow at the Silk Museum, for children aged between 6 and 11 years, on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 August, for the making dream catchers and totem poles. (picture courtesy of Silk Museum)

For the grown-ups and if it’s not sold out, tonight (Wednesday 5 August) you could spend An Evening with Pam Ayres as part of the Gawsworth Open Air Theatre Season. And, not forgetting Cinemac for a genuinely charming night of film entertainment... Showing Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6: G-Force (PG) 3, 5 and 7pm; The Hangover (15) 8.45pm.

Macclesfield Library, Jordangate: 01625 374000

Macclesfield.infopoint@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Silk Museum, Park Lane Galleries, Macclesfield:

01625 612045

Gawsworth Open Air Theatre:

01260 223456
www.gawsworthhall.com

Cinemac, Heritage Centre, Roe St, Macclesfield:

01625 423535
http://www.cinemac.org.uk/

Fourpenny Poetic Feats

Fourpenny Circus, a new poetry roadshow featuring the remarkable talents of The Fearless Andrew Rudd Master of Mayhem, the intrepid Joy Winkler High-wire Queen, The Daring Jo Bell Mistress of the Ring and The Supreme John Lindley Self Liberator. Expect a worded wonder of escapology, high-wire walking and lion taming, all whip-cracked into a show that will make you laugh, blush (it contains some adult language) and think.

A Little Top of poetic tricks absolutely not to be missed.

You got a taste of them at the last loop social but sadly they are not in macc this time. Make the effort they're worth it!

Sun 12 July (£5) Knutsford Civic Centre: 01565 633005

Thurs 23 July (£8) Biddulph Town Hall: 01782 523277 or email bidliterarysoc@hotmail.com

Visit http://www.fourpennycircus.co.uk/ for venue details, autumn tour dates, photos and information about the show.

Congratulations Carole Ann Duffy

Carol Ann Duffy was today elected as the first female poet laureate
She takes poetry's most prestigious job, succeeding Andrew Motion, and says
'I look on it as recognition of the great women poets we now have writing' .

Whilst she plans to donate her yearly stipend of £5,750 to the Poetry Society to fund a new poetry prize she has, however, asked that her "butt of sack" – the 600 bottles of sherry traditionally given to the laureate – should be delivered up front, after learning that Motion is yet to receive his allocation.Very wise.
You can see her reading from her own works on Thursday, May 14^th at Bollington Methodist Church £10.

For more poetry get along to Bollington Art Centre:
Cinnamon poets Gail Ashton (Ghost Songs), Jan Fortune-Wood (Stale Bread & Miracles), Judy Kendall (The Drier, The Brighter) and Bill Greenwell (Impossible Objects) perform their work, take tea and chat with the audience.
Sat 16 may 3.30pm. Go to Bollington Art Centre web site from our links.

Also catch two former Cheshire poet laureates Jo Bell & Joy Winkler doing their stuff at DCAS in Dukes Coiurt as part of the next Loop Social.More on that later.

Tues 9 June 8pm maccloop@googlemail.com

And while we are on this topic remember it is National Poetry Day on Thursday 8 October. A chance to create a linked event (go on...) or to go to countless poetry based events taking place. Go to www. and register to be kept fully informed and to search their Whats On.

Roll Up, Roll Up

Fourpenny Circus: a poetry roadshow
The people who brought you 'Bunch of Fives' bring you a glorious new poetry roadshow: not performance poetry, but good poetry and well performed. They really want to keep attracting not only an established poetry audience, but also those newcomers to poetry who found Bunch of Fives exciting, thought-provoking and even, memorably, 'intellectual Viagra!'

The Fourpenny Circus brings its Little Top to near by towns - they will cut a poem in half, juggle words and mix the melancholy, the mirthful and the marvellous. Jo Bell, John Lindley, Andrew Rudd and Joy Winkler (directed by Kevin Dyer) embark on a tour which includes Cheshire and Manchester dates.
Details from www.fourpennycircus.co.uk