When I came to work at the Sussex Language Institute and saw copies of the Frogmore Papers for sale, I thought it must be the journal of a Queen Victoria fan-club, Frogmore being her mausoleum. I quickly discovered that it was instead named after the Frogmore Tea Rooms in Folkestone, where Jeremy Page founded the journal. Praised this summer in the Guardian, it now celebrates its 25th anniversary and 70th issue, and I went to one of the birthday events last night to hear six poets read: Ros Barber, Clare Best, Ian Caws, Judith Kazantzis, Rachel Playforth and Catherine Smith. I enjoyed everything, but above all Rachel's poems, and Catherine Smith's too, especially her epiphany at Clacket Lane Services (though why the westbound side?). I find poetry readings difficult; I miss the words on the page, but if I had been a contemporary of Sappho, Alcaeus and Archilochus I would not have had that luxury, so I must learn to listen. There are more Frogmore events in London on Monday 22 October at the Troubadour and at the Lewes Live Literature festival on 28 October.
Technorati Tags: poetry
