Exciting News!

Here's a little update on recent events for you...

1. 100 Thousand Poets for Change - was a brilliant success!! An absolutely packed-out event with 26 poets reading in total, including the wonderful Labi Siffre who very kindly came along and did a set for us! A wonderful afternoon.


2. RSC Open Stages - a recent meeting with the National Theatre Wales TEAM yielded a good result, with the promise of assistance and advice on this project from TEAM members. Thank you Devinda of NTW for this!!

3. My own career arches ever-upwards, with gigs coming at me from all sides! You can see me perform in Sheffield and Bournemouth next week, as well as on the streets of Cardiff this Saturday eve in Everwake - the game - a live experience on the streets that's been taking the UK by storm! I'll be in Dylan Thomas's Swansea house on Friday the 7th, as well as adjudicatng the World Schools Debating Championships in Cardiff, too... Much to do! Onwards and upwards!!

100 Thousand Poets for Change in Cardiff

A worldwide poetry reading, with over 450 cities in 95 countries involved, takes place this month on Saturday 24th September. Of the 600 events, only one of these will be in Wales, with selected poets and open mic readers performing  at Shot in the Dark, on City Road in Cardiff, from 1pm.

The Welsh poets will join others around the planet in a celebration of poetry as a vehicle to promote serious social, enviromental  and political change, with poetry demonstrations being organised in such political hotspots as Cairo, Kabul and Jalalabad. The Cardiff event places its focus on mental health, creativity and well-being, with an event theme – ‘the doors of perception’ – and donations going to Lapidus Cymru, although these are voluntary as the event itself is free to attend.

The many poets taking part include local authors Bob Rogers and Susie Wild, Somerset Maugham award winner Mark Blayney, storyteller Amanda Rackstraw, spoken word artist Liam Johnson, as well as a reading from Labi Siffre, the poet, musician and songwriter whose hits include “(Something Inside) So Strong” and “I Got The”, the sampled rhythm track of which provides the basis for Eminem’s hit single “My Name Is”.

This will be Siffre’s first public performance in roughly 12 years, with the star reading some of his poems, rather than the songs which have, variously, been covered or sampled by Madness, Olivia Newton John, Fatboy Slim and Jay-Z.

The event organisers, poets Gill Brightmore and Mab Jones, will be streaming the event live via the internet for those who are unable to attend -http://bambuser.com/channel/mabjones. Those who are able to attend are very welcome, and further information can be obtained from mabananajones@gmail.com

Yes, it's the Royal Shakespeare Company, dah-ling!!

So, as per usual, I have committed myself to a massive project, the breadth and depth and height of which I was very, very unprepared for.

     Earlier this year, the RSC announced it was holding a massive competition called Open Stages, which involved inviting amateur theatre/performance groups to hold a performance of a Shakespeare play or some related activity.

http://www.rsc.org.uk/explore/projects/open-stages/taking-part.aspx

     I decided I would re-write Troilus & Cressida. For those of you who don't know, this is considered Shakespeare's most problematic play. I decided to write it as a modern, spoken word-style satire. I decided I would direct it....

     Considering the number of characters in the play (two whole armies' worth) and the fact I've never directed before, this is a massive undertaking. No, let me re-phrase that - ma-HOO-sive.

So. There is much to do. As bloody usual!!! Anyway, if you'd like to take part in my play, please drop me a line. By which I mean, message/email, or find me jittering in my usual corner, if you know where that is...

     And, here's the Facebook group, if you'd like to join it: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=158332134249479

     It's the RSC, dah-ling! That's the important thing, I guess . . . . . . . . . . . . 

A Funny Short One

I've razed a field of rye

Sheafs of wheat I've strangled

I've made some maize to die

Heads of barley I have mangled

I've spelled the end for spelt

My job title is 'miller' -

But in my heart I've always felt

I am a cereal killer

Ten of the Best

I have been published!! Every poet's dream, made glorious reality... This lovely anthology features 10 poems each by 5 upcoming young Welsh writers. I am one of them!! It is part of Parthian's Bright Young Things series, with me definitely putting the 'Thing' into that particular phrase... Anyway, if you'd like to buy a copy, please message me, or go to

http://www.parthianbooks.co.uk/content/ten-best

You are also very welcome to attend the Cardiff launch of this and the Nu2 anthology of nu Welsh writing (which I happen to be in as well!) on Weds 13th July at 7pm, Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff

http://www.chapter.org/23395.html

Useless/Useful Things Competition

Spurred on by the useless/useful nature of the Banana Guard, I have decided to conduct a small competition. Write a poem (ode, ballad, villanelle, blank verse, etc) dedicated to, or inspired by, one of the least, or most, useful things you know of, and you could win a prize!!

Since I am going to be in a book called 'Ten of the Best', the best of the poems received shall win a copy of the book as 1st prize. Second and third will win smaller prizes, taken from the Mountains of Crap I seem to accumulate (cool crap, tho! I promise).

Please send your poems to: mabananajones(at)gmail.com

Winners will be announced on the 13th July, at the Ten of the Best launch at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

http://www.parthianbooks.co.uk/content/ten-best

Banana Guard

You never know what you need until you find it. Yes, *neeeeed*!! A banana guard is a wonderful idea. It will guard my banana (singular?) from potential banana thieves. This could happen! No, really....

I found this in a charity shop in Canton, Cardiff today. To find out more, see:

Banana Guards Website

NaPoWriMo - Poem 12 - Bankers Rhymes With...

This is a poem inspired by the news images of bankers waving monetary notes above an NHS demonstration in London: http://politicalscrapbook.net/2011/03/grinning-deutsche-bank-staff-wave-money-at-nhs-protesters/

So let the bankers wave their notes
At nurses from their bunkers;
The buggers will have empty purses
One day, for their deeds.

Ignore the wankers with their bills
Above the noble workers;
They'll wake up in that other world
On bended f***ing knees.

NaPoWriMo - Poem 11 - It Could Be You

It Could Be You

That big white finger
In the sky
Could split the clouds
And come on down
To stop above
Your little house
And turn you
From a pauper
To a prince

But then that finger
Could come down
To point out
To the whole world how
You’re guilty
Of some unknown crime
And turn you
From your bed
Into a straightjacket or cell

We read our
Sunday papers
And marvel at the luck
Of those
Who win
And those
Who lose

But when a knock
Comes at
Your door
Remember that
This time
It could be you

NaPoWriMo - Poem 10 - Bone Poem

By mistake, you break a bone;
Take a smashing trip, or lose your grip
On a stair, somewhere.
Unable to get up
Because your tibia’s in two,
Your fibula in need of glue,
Disabled by your humerus:
Not humourous
At all. So, you could try calling the
National Accident Helpline. But all they’ll do
Is help you sue
Whoever made you fall.
And if that who was you,
Well, then – your bank account
Will be in two ‘n’ all.