Sharing poetry either one's own work or from a favourite book/poet. Writing poetry from a set theme individually each month. Subjects include Peace, Ten Minutes, Music, a favourite County, Freedom and Love.

Sharing biography and works of famous poets. Subjects so far include Leonard Cohen, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Wilfred Owen, the Poet Laureates and Les Barker.

If you would like more information about this group, or are considering joining, please contact the David M who will be able to supply further details of the group.

Please bring your membership card to all u3a events.

Our first anniversary

We celebrated our first anniversary in January 2025. The meeting began with a fascinating presentation on Lord Byron by member Nina. We then recited our own poems on the subject of ‘Resolutions’ as well as sharing many thoughts and opinions.

February 2025

Nine members attended our February meeting where Keith gave a most interesting presentation on the Welsh poet RS Thomas, illustrating his life and career with a selection of Thomas’s poems. We then read our own poems, on the subjects of ‘Heartbreak’ or ‘Things I Would Tell My Younger Self’. Once again, members excelled themselves with a variety of compositions.

March 2025

Ten members heard a presentation by David on Brian Bilston, ‘the Poet Laureate of Twitter’, who made his name and reputation largely through social media. David selected a variety of Bilston’s poems from humorous through political to poignant. The poems on ‘Animals’, our broadest subject yet, were typically varied and, as usual, excellent. From primeval slime and the Creation to cats and toads!

April 2025

Jill began the meeting with a presentation on Scottish poet and first female Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, using a variety of extracts from her poems, ranging from political through to children’s poems.

The subject for our own work was ‘Change’ and a recurring theme was the change we have experienced in our lives, including the confusion that can be caused by tech and the joys or otherwise of AI.

May 2025

Val gave a talk about the Barrow Poets who combined music and poetry in an idiosyncratic, often zany way from the early 1950s. She attended a number of their performances in a wine bar in London when a student. She illustrated her talk with extracts, both audio and spoken.

Our own topic was ‘Words’ and it proved challenging but, as ever, there were some excellent efforts. Finally, we had a look at the sample copy of the anthology we have put together,’Lyrics from Lymm’.

June 2025

David gave a presentation on former Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman before the group read out their own poems on ‘Holidays’.

July 2025

We looked at our own poems on the subject of Sport and considered examples on the subject written by other poets.

August 2025

We read our own poems on Advertising and Shopping, which triggered much discussion about the proliferation of advertisements these days. There was also time for members to read their own poems on different subjects as well as reciting favourites from other poets.

September 2025

David gave a presentation on the punk poet John Cooper Clarke, inspired by none other than Pam Ayres, a favourite of his mother’s.

We read our poems about Retirement and enjoyed a conversation around the subject.

October 2025

The subject was ‘Magic’’ and Hallowe’en. We also discussed poems on the same subject by other writers.

December 2025

For the last meeting of the year we met at David’s house we shared our poems on the theme of ‘She stopped’. An intriguing title produced a brilliant set of poems, vastly different. Members also brought a favourite poem for discussion. They ranged from Middle English (Chaucer) to Simon Armitage, the Poet Laureate.

January 2026

‘Shadows’ was our theme for this month and, as ever, there were some brilliant contributions. David gave a presentation on Edward Lear and his contribution to the nonsense poetry genre.

February 2026

Jim began the session with an entertaining presentation on William McGonagall, renowned for being an exceptionally poor poet.

Members read their own poems on ‘Gardens’ and we finished with a consideration of John Keats who died in February 1821.

March/April 2026

We met at Jill’s house and began with a presentation by Fiona on American poet Walt Whitman. Members then read out their own poems on the subject ‘he/she turned’.

April 2026

We read our own poems on the subject of ‘Dreams’ before considering favourite poems by Shakespeare and Wordsworth, both of whom died on this day.

May 2026

We read out our poems based on a picture, an interesting exercise, then discussed some published pieces on the subject of heat because of the weather in recent days!

June 2026

We shared our poems on the subject of Munch’s ‘The Scream’ and discussed a selection of poems connected with screaming.

July 2026

Following last month’s theme members chose a painting to write about. We enjoyed hearing what had inspired the choices. We also heard a piece of poetry by Emily Brontë, normally regarded as a novelist.

August 2026

On a dark, dreary and wet day it was appropriate that we had written about the weather in our own poems. David brought a selection on ‘Rain’ for discussion.

September 2026

We shared the poems we had written on ‘Possessions’. A wide range of valuable items was brought to the table and members discussed their importance.