The Pop-Up Poetry Club’s wall of words at the Museum of London Docklands on 18 & 19 November 2017.
Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 November 12-4pm, performances at 1pm & 3pm: Together! Pop-Up Poetry Café at the Museum of London Docklands Maritime Festival. Read, write and perform poetry inspired by East London’s seafaring history, enjoy three music stages and discover more about our Docklands heritage.
Over the previous few weeks, participants at the Together! Pop-Up Poetry Club ‘s weekly Wednesday morning workshop wrote poems on the theme of the sea and the tidal Thames. Here are some of the poems that were written and read out at the weekend:
The Together! Pop-Up Poetry team at the Museum of London Docklands on 18 & 19 October 2017.
Sea in the box
I wish I could put the sea
in a box and take it with me
everywhere, hearing every sound
knocking against the box
relaxing my mind
telling me the sea will heal
blue, true is the sea
in the box that I have
with me.
Dawn Barber
Artistic Director Dr Ju Gosling discusses the performances with Pop-Up Poetry Club members at the Museum of London Docklands on 18 & 19 November 2017.
ssshh ssshh
sea sore
swim swim
no more
can’t see
can’t hear
no sign
of land here
black night
black waves
friends gone
despair
no more
swim swim
sea sore
swim on
find shore
ssshh ssshh
Ju Gosling aka ju90
My time
I have to admit there’s a time for fun
and there’s a time to get things done!
Relaxing on a beach
Swimming in the sea
That’s fun for me!
But back on Monday morning
Crack of dawning
Forget about the sea!
Back to work with books in hand
That’s really hard work for me!
Dwain Bryan
Water
Sails
Explorers
Waves wash
Having a water fight
Having sails made
Exploring the boat
Water fountain
Splashing screaming
Sailor crew able disabled
Floating wind storms hurricane
Crystal Peasy
Heya Heya Ya Ya Ya
Sailors’ wives dance cha cha cha
Hello waves, Hello sea
do you remember me?
My name was written in your deepest deeps
But someone he’s rich for me
Someone, I made from my broken ribs!!!
Heya Heya Ya Ya Ya
Sailors’ wives dance cha cha cha
I was drowning once, it wasn’t a plan
but someone was laughing at me
as I was a clown!!!
Heya Heya Ya Ya Ya
Sailors’ wives dance cha cha cha
Ella Higginbottom
Sand Sea and Shore
I’ve been down to the sea and looked at the ocean and dipped my toes in the sand!
I have to admit the whole motion of the thing made me feel quite grand.
The sun was out and people were about,
And we could hear the children shout.
People selling their work from here
Crafted hands trying to make a dollar or cent
Before the day is spent.
You could walk along the beach for an hour or two
And relieve some stress
You could walk along the beach and feel and see your footprints on the sand.
You could walk along the beach and and watch the footprints fade away
From where you stand.
Dwain Bryan
Try to catch a wave of the sea
If you do keep it in your hand
Do not let it slip
Let it be your peace and joy
Stand proud, stand strong
The sea is your song.
Dawn Barber
Husshh
Waves murmur
Washing the shore.
Sshh sshh
As we sit
Whispering our salty secrets.
Crasshh
Waves roar
Tell no one.
Slipping into the water
The truth washes away.
Ju Gosling aka ju90