Shropshire Magazine

Anna Dreda of Wenlock Books; performance poet Roger McGough; Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

Shirley Tart hears how an important new literary festival came about

Small market town, modest population, one-and-a-bit shopping streets . . . an absolute Shropshire jewel. When you think of Much Wenlock, there’s much to be said for the idea that the best things come in small packages.

And one of the ‘best’ things this month is the newly established Festival of Poetry. Ambitious, innovative and inspiring, it promises to be a joy and is already marked down as an annual event.

Oh, and the Poet Laureate is its patron, has written a special piece in its honour and she will be reading it herself.

In the small market town, one-and-a-bit shopping streets, and so on.

How on earth did they persuade Carol Ann Duffy, first female Poet Laureate, just a year into the imposing role, to front-up the new festival — and, apparently, get as excited about it as anyone else?

Well actually, it was her idea in a way.

And not surprisingly, the lady who makes so many literary things possible in the town and county is behind it all. The enthusiasm and passion of Anna Dreda, who owns and runs Much Wenlock Books, are as infectious as measles in a nursery.

Carol Ann Duffy’s festival poem, Bees.

Magical

A few years ago, at her delightful warren of a shop in the High Street, she was named independent bookseller of the year — all for so many good reasons. Not only is it magical to browse, but there are reading sessions and children’s groups round the big table on the first floor, and often a cup of coffee and a cake going.

How many people could get a group of boys aged seven to 10, to excitedly flock along every week and read poetry? Anna Dreda can and does.

The great thing about that in a 21st-century world of soundbites and fleeting attention spans, is young people discovering the world of books.

Those of us brought up to love reading, quoting and remembering a wide range of literature, know that the gift and that familiar tingle of discovery can last and grow for a lifetime.

Anna not only knows it, but spreads the message around like fairy dust.

Of the children’s poetry groups, she says: “The only structure is that we all sit round this table and they have different favourites which we might explore. One boy is mad on Spike Milligan’s poetry and knows it almost all by heart.”

A current passion is Orange Silver Sausage, a unique anthology lovingly compiled by James Carter and Graham Denton.

It has more than 50 non-rhyming poems from many of the UK’s top poets including Carol Ann Duffy and Roger McGough — both of whom will be gracing this month’s Much Wenlock Poetry Festival.

Anna Dreda again. How does she do it?

With a big, cheerful smile, Anna says: “Well we started doing a poetry event in 2003 which gradually got bigger, then did events at the Arts Centre and eventually were part of their programme.

“But Carol Ann Duffy is really the whole reason for this. I loved doing the poetry events but wouldn’t have contemplated a festival because it is such a big commitment. But she was convinced we should have a festival and I said on the spur of the moment ‘if you’ll be our patron’ and she said ‘yes’ right away.”

Carol Ann had visited Shropshire and then Anna discovered when talking to Gillian Clarke, the National Poet for Wales, that the two were best friends. Wheels turned within rhyming wheels and now we have a Shropshire festival in the heart of AE Housman’s Shropshire Lad country, with the Poet Laureate, her predecessor Andrew Motion and Gillian Clarke as patrons. And there is a prestige programme which includes Carol Ann Duffy and exciting ‘performance poet’ Roger McGough reading from his new collection, The Awkward Age.

The Poet Laureate says: “Poetry festivals are the lifeblood of poetry in the UK — the magical, memorable, moving occasions when young and old can hear the living voices of their poets.

“And Much Wenlock is the perfect place for a poetry festival. It’s a friendly town in the heart of Housman country, with lovely pubs, fantastic walks, good accommodation and this marvellous, independent bookshop.

“The festival will appeal to two audiences: committed readers of contemporary poetry, and the ‘open-mindedly curious’ willing to allow their natural reservations about poetry to be overcome.”

Her poem for the festival is being carved in stone by Oswestry carver John Neilson. And in what sounds the most colourful, if eccentric, facet of the occasion, local people are creating it in a giant, knitted version!

The Poetry Festival runs April 9–11. See www.wenlockpoetryfestival.org or call 01952 727877.